Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schafer recently confirmed that the Beetle isn't currently in the automaker's plans. Speaking to Autocar during pre-production test drives of the third-generation Tiguan, Schafer stated that bringing back the Beetle wouldn't make sense from a marketing standpoint. While he didn't completely rule out the possibility, he emphasized that the Beetle, like the Scirocco, had its day and introducing a reinterpretation of the model wouldn't be a viable option.
The decision not to revive the Beetle for the modern era contrasts with the stance of Schafer's predecessor, Herbert Diess. Diess had expressed openness to the idea of an MEB-based Beetle for the new decade, stating that "many other emotional cars are possible on our scalable MEB platform." Furthermore, Volkswagen had even trademarked the name "e-Beetle" in Europe, indicating the potential for an electric iteration of the iconic model. However, the company's strategy in the electric vehicle segment has evolved under Schafer's leadership, leading to the conclusion that an electric Beetle is not in the works.
Source: Autocar
