At one time or another, almost every other Volkswagen model seems to have benefited from the Volkswagen Group's ubiquitous 150bhp 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine - so why not the Beetle? Why not indeed.

In theory at least, this could be just the engine to exploit the obviously impressive abilities of the MkIV Golf-based chassis. These are limits that you'll certainly never find behind the wheel of the standard 115bhp 2.0-litre model. And, priced from £16,155 as a hatch or £19,670 as a Cabriolet, its only just over £1,000 more.

A good compromise model then, particularly as the £1,200 or so premium you'll pay for the 1.8T over the standard 2.0-litre also entitles you to front foglights, leather for the steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake and a speed-dependent roof spoiler. Performance? Well, the rest to sixty sprint occupies 9.0s (compared to 10.9s for the 2.0) on the way to 126mph (115mph for the 2.0).

Despite this, fuel consumption is actually better in the 1.8T, with 25.7mpg (compared to 23.7mpg) available on the Urban cycle and 34.9mpg (as opposed to 32.5mpg) on offer as a Combined figure. On a run, you may even hit 44mpg. The C02 emissions figures are lower too, whether you opt for the the five-speed manual or the four-speed automatic. In other words, this is probably the best all-round Beetle variant you can buy.

"This is arguably the best all-round Beetle variant you can buy"

The car has been recently mildly facelifted but the changes haven't amounted to much. There are revised bumpers and wheelarches, with sharper edges than before, plus subtly restyled headlights and front indicators, and tail lights with white circles inside the red circles. The 'VW' emblems have also been modified at the front and rear. In addition, there's a new range of colours and alloy wheels, complemented by fresher fabrics for the interior. Chrome now adorns the air vents and surrounds the instruments, for what Volkswagen reckon is an even higher quality feel inside.

All this apart, the recipe is much as you'll find it in the 2.0-litre Beetle, a car which has been on offer here in right hand drive form since early 2000. It comes surprisingly well equipped: expect to find air conditioning, an alarm/immobiliser, electric front windows, powered heated and adjustable mirrors, remote central locking and 16" 8-spoke alloy wheels. You can get all these things in a Golf of course - or indeed in any other sensible family hatchback. But you don't buy a Beetle to be sensible.

On paper, at least, the latest incarnation has little in common with Hitler's original air-cooled people's car, being a Golf in everything but name and shape. Not that this matters, of course. Volkswagen's crude, noisy and comfortless rear engined, air-cooled original is the last thing that modern buyers would want. For them, the new Beetle must be anything but the basic, functional transport envisioned by the original's creator, Dr Ferdinand Porsche, back in 1945.

Modern Beetles are bought as fashion accessories, as second or third cars for the weekend jaunt or the trip to the squash club. Early US buyers included Beverley Hills celebrities, a president's daughter and exclusive car rental establishments. In the UK you see them zipping about with advertising agencies' names on the doors. Or parked outside fashionable restaurants and nightclubs. And in the parking slots of exclusive gated residential estates. To therefore complain about the lack of bootspace, the fact that there are no rear doors or even the price is meaningless. What matters is that this car has style - and plenty of it. Don't buy one if you've a tendency towards the shy and retiring. Park it and everyone stares. Drive it and everyone drools.

If anything, the Beetle interior is even more of a shock than the outside; full marks to the design team for doing the job properly, rather than filling it with Golf and Polo dials from the Volkswagen parts bin. Of course, there are plenty of tell-tale Volkswagen signs; the switches, the firm seats, the positive gearbox - but you don't really notice them. What you do notice are all the natty stylish touches. The big central circular instrument cluster with its huge numbers and cute little built-in rev counter. Plus, of course, the vase (yes, you read that right), ready for you to fill with flower power. More macho buyers can pretend it's a pen holder or something. As you'd expect from the bubble-like shape, there's enough room inside to wear a top hat should the mood take you. More practically, that high roofline does make travelling in the rear reasonably palatable - though legroom is at a bit of a premium.

Like all modern Volkswagens, the Beetle feels like it's hewn from stone, with the kind of build quality you'd expect from something twice as expensive. The little touches help too; the lovely blue instrument lighting which illuminates only the figures on the speedometer; the beautifully designed unique-fit stereo. Equipment levels, as we've seen, include most things on the average wish list and include ESP, the Electronic Stability Programme normally reserved for performance models. On the passive safety front, there's twin side and front airbags built around a platform that's still one of the safest things this side of £30,000. Nice touches include folding rear seat that increases boot space, the height adjustable seats and the three 12V power sockets installed around the car. On the road, the ride is Germanically firm and the handling competent but generally uninspiring - though at least in the case of the 1.8T, there's enough power to make the experience interesting.

Like its stablemates, this version of the new Beetle is an unashamed indulgence, both on the part of its makers and those who will buy it. There's no rational reason for shelling out £19,000 on one, just as there was no rational reason for designing it in the first place. But then, if we did everything for rational reasons, the world would be very dull indeed. The arrival of this car made the automotive landscape just that little bit brighter. And with 1.8-litre turbocharged power under the bonnet, its brighter still.

TOP 2 BEETLE DEALS

The results below show the top BEETLE deals on buyacar

	Volkswagen Beetle 1.8T 2dr Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly £332	Saving £2,504	Price £17,631
	Volkswagen Beetle 1.8T 3dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £282	Saving £2,077	Price £14,478

typical 12.09% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000