WaterCar Gator: An Amphibious VW Beetle-Based Jeep Lookalike for the Budget Minded

In October ’09 we brought you details and pictures of WaterCar’s US$200,000 Python: a Corvette-engined sea going convertible / roadable speed boat. It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t cheap, but some child-like part of us was enthralled with the sheer absurdity of it. Well, if you're on a tight(er) budget, the company also offers a considerably cheaper model. The Gator is essentially a kit car, albeit an impressive looking one at that.

Inspired by the Myers Manx of the 1960s (and looking like a Jeep Wrangler), the US$29,500 Gator comes with a complete fibreglass body, gear box and transmission, water jet propulsion unit, high torque drive axles, front and rear suspension parts, head lights, steering assembly and various stainless steel parts.
All an enterprising buyer has to do is bolt in the chassis and engine from a Volkswagen Beetle and e viola; you have your very own amphibious automobile. Though one has to wonder: does this make the Python, which costs almost ten times as much, redundant?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

By Tristan Hankins

Link: Watercar

What is included in the kit:
1. WaterCar Fiberglass Body and Hull Assembly
2. WaterCar Patented Gear Box and Transmission Assembly
3. Rear Water Jet Propulsion Unit
2. Hood
3. Doors
4. Deck Lid
5. All Various Stainless Hinges and Door Latches
5. Windshield
6. Left and Right High Torque Drive Axles
7. Front and Rear Suspension Components
8. Head Light Assemblies
9. Steering Assembly (Both water and road)
10. Stainless Steel Hardware
PRICE FOR KIT: $29,500.00

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Spy Video: 2012 New Beetle Caught Testing on the Road

We've shown you the spy shots and told you about the Oprah gig where the famous TV host gave away 275 examples of the yet-to-be-revealed New Beetle to her audience. Now, the 2012 model was caught on video towing a pretty big trailer during a series of tests carried out in Europe. VW has promised that the new generation of the retro-styled hatch, which will arrive in May next year, will be a “driving machine" but did not elaborate further. Video after the jump.

By Csaba Daradics

Via: Autoblog

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Nostalgic Styling Take on 2015 Volkswagen Transporter

Even though the current day Volkswagen Transporter is a descendant of the famous Beetle-derived Type 2 vans, it has never managed to enjoy the same level of popularity among enthusiasts as its predecessors did. One of the reasons why the past two generations of the Transporter (T4 and T5) never caught on as much as VW would have liked, could be that their styling is completely forgettable. 

Eduardo Oliveira, a Brazilian designer who you may remember from the 2012 New Beetle study, has come up with a retro styled proposal to fix this issue for the Transporter's successor. Presented here in a variety of models, the conceptual Transporter is inspired by the famous T1 and T2 VW vans. Granted, the renderings need some polishing up but the idea is there. Hit the break for the full photo gallery.

Source / Designer: Eduardo Oliveira

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Oprah Teases 2012 VW Beetle on Show, Hands Out Free Cars to Audience [with Video]

Love her or hate her, Oprah is one of the most influential women in the USA, and a mere mention of a product on her show can send masses running to buy it. Volkswagen took advantage of Oprah's ability to sway viewers by choosing her show to reveal the design silhouette of its all-new 2012 Beetle. And if that wasn't enough, the TV persona surprised her audience by giving each and every one of them a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. Well, not now, but when the car comes out in May of 2011.


"Oprah Winfrey and the Volkswagen Beetle are two American icons, so when the "Oprah" show approached us with this incredible opportunity to share her Beetle experience with deserving viewers, we instantly wanted to be a part of it," said Jonathan Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America.

"Our all-new 2012 Beetle exemplifies power, styling and sophistication, and is an automotive icon reinvented to create the new shape of performance," he added.

In addition to the styling tease, VW released a statement saying that the "2012 Beetle will be a true, performance driving machine perfected by German engineering, offering a wealth of technologies that will provide a heightened driving experience over the previous generation."

The German company added that the New Beetle's successor, spy pictures of which you can check out below, will offer dual exhaust, 19-inch wheels, sport seats and new, sleeker styling, as well as numerous available features such as touch screen radio, high-grade audio speaker systems, navigation and unique ambient lighting .

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