Although I'm terrible at guessing colors, I'm pretty sure that the Volkswagen Beetle Pink Color Edition concept looks more magenta or mauve than pink, but maybe that's just me. Either way, the near-production concept car->ke169 was unveiled at the 2015 New York Auto Show->ke226 out of necessity, according to Volkswagen.->ke94 While the second-generation New Beetle has been styled to appeal to a more masculine audience compared to the first one, Volkswagen says that its U.S. and Chinese dealers frequently get requests for a pink Beetle.->ke318

In other words, the Beetle Pink Color Edition is not necessarily an attention-seeking car, but simply an answer to the high demand that such a model benefits from. Volkswagen says that if the feedback from the show is positive, the model will get built as a limited series, perhaps as both coupe->ke141 and convertible->ke144.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volkswagen Beetle Pink Color Edition.

2015 Volkswagen Beetle Pink Color Edition

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 Volkswagen Beetle Pink Color Edition
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Volkswagen calls the exterior color "Pink Metallic," and almost all of the body parts are drenched in it. To add some flavor to the end result, the door mirror housings and side body moldings are painted in contrasting gray, while the front and rear bumper feature the sportier, R-line design. Other than that, the Beetle Pink Color Edition looks just like any other modern Beetle, although a tad cuter and more appropriate as a sweet 16 present. The 19-inch "Tornado" wheels are probably the only details that add some masculine attributes to the model.

Interior

While Volkswagen didn't provide any interior images of the concept, it did mention that the Pink Metallic hue is more than present inside the Beetle Pink Color Edition. Used as a contrast to all of the black, chrome and aluminum trims in the cabin, Pink Metallic adorns the door shoulder panels, air vent surrounds, steering wheel spoke trim and the floormat borders. Even the stitching around the steering wheel and gear shift lever are customized with the funky color.

In fact, the only non-pink trim is on the dashpad, which is finished in high-gloss Titanium Black. According to Volkswagen, an even higher proportion of pink could end up on an eventual production version if feedback from New York warrants it.

Drivetrain

There was no mention of the Beetle Pink Color Edition's drivetrain, but if the R-line bumpers and 19-inch Tornado wheels are a clue, the car is likely fitted with the same engine as the Beetle R-Line. In other words, we are talking about a previous-generation Golf GTI in Beetle clothing. The turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder develops 210 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque and can be mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission.

With a 0-60 mph time of well under 7.0 seconds no matter the transmission choice, it could be a great getaway car on prom night. The production version could receive a number of other engines, including a turbocharged, 1.8-liter or a 2.0-liter, diesel in the U.S.

Prices

Considering that the concept car is likely based on the Beetle R-line with the Sunroof, Sound and Navigation trim, a starting price of $31,375 should be expected. Not exactly a bargain, but you don't see many pink cars from the factory.

Competition

Fiat 500 Ribelle

With a history not much shorter than that of the Beetle, the Fiat 500 nameplate has also been resurrected in the 21st century, but with a modern twist. Like the New Beetle, the new 500 has spawned a number of funky special editions over the last few years. One of those is called 500 Ribelle, which means "rebel" in Italian.

It's much smaller than the Beetle Pink Color Edition and it's not a concept but a limited-production model, but the 500 Ribelle appeals to a similar kind of audience: the young and hip who desire more than "just" a means of transportation. Powered by a 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with 101 horsepower and 98 pound-feet of torque, the model doesn't exactly go as fast as its name would suggest, but it's more about the show than it is about the go with this type of special edition anyway. You can read more about the Fiat 500 Ribelle here.

Mini Cooper S DeLux

Looking straight out of the Tron: Legacy movie, the Mini Cooper S DeLux is not as much about luxury as it is about light and the latin name for it; the limited-edition model's name could be translated as "Of Light." Only 56 units were to be built, following a design competition organized by the carmaker in early 2014. The winning design for the limited-edition model was elected from over 800 submissions of past and present Mini owners who participated in the contest.

As its name suggests, the Cooper S DeLux has the same powertrain as the regular Cooper S, so a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder with 189 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque sends power to the front wheels, through either a six-speed manual or a six-speed, automatic, transmission. You can read more about it here.

Conclusion

Considering that the first-generation New Bettle even had a Barbie Edition at one point, I found it odd that the second, manlier generation steered away so much from its female demographics. The Beetle Pink Color Concept comes to fix that. Volkswagen introduced four Beetle concepts at the 2015 New York Auto show, but this one was arguably the quirkiest of them all. Would I ever buy something like this? Nope. Do I see a future for it as a production model? Heck, yes.