2004 Volkswagen New Beetle: Cool small car, a few big new features
Posted by: kak in Volkswagen
The Volkswagen New Beetle remains one of the most instantly recognizable vehicles on the road. This year the appeal is even stronger with fresh treatments and new features inside and out. The 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle will soon offer an advanced diesel engine option and a new type of six-speed automatic transmission. A driver and front passenger head/thorax airbag supplemental restraint system has been added as standard equipment, making the New Beetle one of the first in the small car segment to offer such protection. The New Beetle Turbo S will sport new exterior accents added during the model year.
All 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle models are highlighted with redesigned wheels and will offer the world-class communications and assistance services of OnStar ® Telematics as an available option for added convenience and security.
The 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle is available in GL, GLS and Turbo S models. New features and options, as well as a new option schedule, allow the GLS to be similarly equipped as the previously available GLX.
The 2004 New Beetle Turbo S remains the high-performance model in the lineup. Featuring the acclaimed Volkswagen 1.8 T turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine tuned to put out 180 horsepower at 5,500 revolutions per minute and developing 173 lbs. ft. of torque from just 1,950 rpm all the way up to 5,000 rpm, the Turbo S covers 0-60 mph in just 8.2 seconds.
The New Beetle GLS features the Volkswagen 1.8 T tuned to 150-hp. The GLS is joined by the GL in also offering the 115-hp Volkswagen 2.0L in-line four-cylinder and soon the option of an advanced 1.9L TDI diesel engine with new Volkswagen “Pumpe Düse” technology.
The new Volkswagen 1.9L TDI-PD Turbocharged Direct Injection-Pumpe Düse diesel engine employs a Bosch high-pressure unit-injector to atomize and precisely meter fuel to increase horsepower. The 1.9L TDI-PD cranks out 100 hp at 4,000 rpm and 177 lbs. ft. of torque between 1,800 rpm and 2,400 rpm. The engine also is quieter and more fuel-efficient than a standard diesel, getting up to 46 miles per gallon in highway driving.
The new diesel GL and GLS will come with an innovative six-speed automatic transmission with Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) and Tiptronic® driver-shift. Using a twin-clutch design, this transmission eliminates power-transfer loss during gear changes and the six forward gears help to keep the engine rpm in the power band to maximize performance and fuel efficiency.
The 2004 New Beetle GL and GLS are offered with a five-speed manual transmission and, on gas-engine models, the available option of a four-speed automatic transmission with adaptive “fuzzy logic” shift points and shift lock. The New Beetle Turbo S features a six-speed manual transmission.
All 2004 Volkswagen New Beetles have tuned suspensions using McPherson struts and an integrated stabilizer bar in front and an independent torsion beam axle with a stabilizer bar in the rear. Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering provides precise response and control.
With any engine/transmission combination, the 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle is fun to drive as well as practical, with over 81 cu. ft. of passenger volume and an “Easy Entry System” to access the rear seats. A fully carpeted and lined luggage compartment holds 12 cu. ft. of cargo, and over 27 cu. ft. of cargo with the rear seat folded down.
Outside and in, the Volkswagen New Beetle is always well dressed. The top-of-the-line Turbo S includes stainless steel pedals, brushed alloy trim accents and chromed dual exhaust pipes. To enhance the sporty image, a new fixed spoiler and diffuser - and newly designed 17-inch alloy wheels with anti-theft wheel locks - are planned.
The 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle GL and GLS also get new wheels. The GL sports newly designed wheel covers on 16-inch steel wheels. The GLS wears new-look 16-inch alloy wheels, with sporty 17-inch alloys on the GLS 1.8 T available as an option.
New for 2004, the New Beetle GLS now has as standard equipment a premium eight-speaker Monsoon® Sound System with amplifier, theft-deterrent warning light and coding system, and control capability for a six-disc CD-changer that is available as an option. As it has been, this system remains standard equipment for the Turbo S. Later in the model year, a new in-dash single-CD AM/FM radio with MP3 format capability and satellite radio preparation is slated for availability across the New Beetle lineup.
Many upscale features are standard equipment on all 2004 New Beetle models including: CFC-free air conditioning with pollen and dust filters and rear-seat ventilation for cooling and heating; power windows, locks and heated exterior mirrors with turn indicators; a rear window defroster; cruise control; a height adjustable, telescoping steering column; covered and lighted vanity mirrors; and a temperature/time-display rearview mirror.
Additionally, a power tilt-and-slide, tinted-glass sunroof with sunshade, pinch protection and convenience closing with the driver’s door lock is standard equipment on 2004 New Beetle GLS and Turbo S models. Cloth Comfort seats are standard on GL and GLS models, with leatherette seat trim available as an option at no charge, while the Turbo S has Sport seats with leather seating surfaces and black bolsters and gray inserts.
A Cold Weather Package that is standard equipment on 2004 New Beetle Turbo S and available as an option for the New Beetle GLS includes heatable front seats and heated front windshield washer nozzles. A Leather Package available as an option on GLS models adds perforated leather seating throughout and heatable front seats, a leather-wrapped, three-spoke padded steering wheel, leather shift knob and handbrake grip and leatherette door-trim inserts. The GLS also offers the option of High Intensity Discharge (HID) Xenon headlights.
The 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle includes many safety features as standard equipment. Advanced front airbags with dual-stage deployment through sophisticated seat sensors will become standard equipment upon their late introduction.
Additional standard-equipment safety features include crash-active headrests on the front seats, three-point safety belts at front and rear-outboard seating positions, and height adjustment and pretensioners with load limiters on front-seat safety belts. For 2004, a newly designed seatbelt reminder warning light and new fuel cap-seal warning light on the instrument panel provide alerts should someone fail to buckle-up or if the potential exists that the fuel system may lose optimal vacuum pressure.
As with all Volkswagens, special attention is paid to helping protect young passengers. The LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) system in the rear outboard seating positions provides for proper installation of child seats designed to fit directly in anchors located between the upper and lower seat cushions.
The 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle offers additional safety and performance with Daytime Running Lights (DRL), four-wheel disc brakes and an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) as standard equipment across the lineup. A traction-enhancing Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP®) with brake assist is standard equipment on the Turbo S and available as an option on GL and GLS models. Additionally, Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) is standard on the Turbo S and on the GLS 1.8 T, while 1.9L TDI-PD models include Engine Braking Assist (EBA) that helps prevent compression-induced skidding in slippery conditions.
To better protect our environment, all Volkswagen New Beetles with gasoline engines meet U.S. EPA requirements for enhanced evaporation system (EVAP) and On-board Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) standards. The 1.9L TDI-PD diesel engine also meets stringent EPA emissions guidelines.
The 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle is protected by Volkswagen’s standard warranty which covers the vehicle bumper-to-bumper for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. It also covers wear-and-tear items and adjustments during the initial 12 months or 12,000 miles of ownership, whichever occurs first.
Additional coverage includes a five-year/60,000-mile fully transferable powertrain warranty, corrosion perforation coverage for 12 years with unlimited mileage and the added security of four years/50,000 miles of 24-hour roadside assistance.
[source: vw.com]
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