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For the now nerdy flower-power generation, as well as their children—those of us who fondly recall the original Disney “Herbie” movies, the utterly distinctive round-on-round lines of the ultimate fun-in-the-sun slacker-mobile—preferably in lime green or lemon yellow, the 2012 Volkswagen version is itself a bit of a lemon when it comes to cheap insurance. Take away the sloping roof, more consistent with the shape of an elderly professor’s receding hairline than with the bubbly, buggy, spacey shape of the original, and there is very little of the Beetle “look” to be found anywhere on the Volkswagen’s upcoming version.

‘Car and Driver’ notes; that this version of the Beetle is “not an unabashed chick car,” which begs the question did Barbie own one? And if so, is that truly relevant? Back in the long dead sixties and seventies there were guys, admittedly stoned guys, who were unashamed to wear flowers in their hair, as well as do other girly things, like cry and oppose violence for violence’s sake. Some of them drove Beetles. And perhaps some of their buttoned down sons and grandsons found the bug a bit effete. Maybe the bug was relegated more and more to the cute isle, perhaps. Perhaps too, it’s wise of Volkswagen to redress the exterior of the Beetle in lines that resemble every other smallish-to-midsize car in their range. Though, happily, some of the car’s soul remains, as reviewers have called it; “peppy and responsive.” Unhappily, I recall a classic drink that changed its formula, was met with fan backlash and tried to return to the original formula. Alas, it could not.

In any case, for good or evil, dull or delightful, today’s Beetle, like those stoned guys of yore, has grown up into an everyman midsize to smallish staple, boasting some green technology and decent horsepower. Yawn.

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