I have an infatuation with quirky cars. I don't like to be a sheep and follow suit. I like my cars to have lots of personality, a cheeky aura and that little something extra that makes them different from everything else on the market. When I found out I was going to be road testing the new Beetle Cabriolet, my heart jumped with glee. The Beetle is definitely a feminine car, I don't know of any man that owns one, but I know lots of female owners and potential female owners. My siblings and I used to sit around watching Herbie films on video and my brother can proudly say that he has all the films on DVD. We even went to see the latest Disney creation when it came to the cinema not so long ago. We were all Herbie obsessives and how could anyone not be? A car that was terribly loyal with a mischievous streak. If I could have any car in the world, it would be a real-life Herbie.

If you are looking for a spacious car but aren't so bothered about storage space, then this could be the model for you. When you step into the car, you get the immediate feel of space, yet when you look behind you, you can see that there is not a lot of room for rear passengers. The boot is of adequate size and you might get a suitcase and a vanity case in there, but not much else. The soft top is easy to lower and raise: just loosen the latch and flick the switch enabling you to go from roof to no roof in just 13 seconds. Unlike most convertibles, the Beetle Cabriolet doesn't have a special compartment for the roof when you are not using it. It just sits on the back for when you need it, which makes the new Beetle cabriolet's shape reminiscent of the 1960's version. There are a few small cubby hole type storage areas within the car. The glovebox was nicely organised with a separate shelf for the manual. Cup holders are located in the front and one in the rear. There are also small storage spaces in the sides of the rear seats, perfect to store treats for the kids. If centre console storage is your thing, then you may feel disappointed with the deep, yet narrow space provided here, perfect for sunglasses, lippie and an A5 sized copy of the latest fashion mag, and not much else. I love the cute little vase that Volkswagen have added to the dashboard enabling the owner to personalise their car. The idea is that you put a real flower in with a drop of water, or you could cheat and get a realistic looking plastic creation. I could visualise an orange Gerbera or to co-ordinate with the magnum grey model I had with red trim, a scarlet Poppy. As you'd expect from the bubble-like shape, there's enough room inside to wear a flamboyant Philip Treacy number should the mood take you. More practically, that high roofline does make travelling in the rear reasonably palatable - though legroom can be limited if someone tall sits in the front.

The diesel model that I took out was a bit slow to get going but was fine after that. What concerned me about the car was that it felt as if it was too large for me, like a pair of shoes that were a few sizes too big. It might have stemmed from the feeling that I was too far away from the windscreen; the driver's seat is located very near to the middle of the car. There's a choice of five engines, the 75bhp 1.4-litre, the 102bhp 1.6-litre, the peppier 2.0-litre 115bhp unit, the 150bhp 1.8-litre Turbo or the 1.9TDI diesel, now uprated to 105bhp. There's also an option of a six-speed automatic gearbox with

I would love to look out the window and see this in my driveway. Its cute, it's quirky and it would get envious applause from all my female friends. I may have to beg my other half to sit in the passenger seat, but who cares? I have definitely been bitten by the Love Bug.