- Oct 9, 1999
- 72,636
- 47
- 91
I can see the little ladies screaming to wrap their fingers around this stick 
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/48571/article.html
<< Get within 50 yards of this VW and you'll likely notice the 17 x 7-inch "Delta X" alloy wheels that come standard on all Turbo S models. With thick triangles separated by five rectangular slots, the wheels almost look like a reverse Hot Wheels toy-car design. Wearing P225/45 tires, the sportiest of New Beetles promises sharper turn-in and reduced body roll. The Turbo S delivers on both promises, but with the H-rated all-season tires found on our test model, ultimate grip was not up to the levels offered by some less expensive performance hatchbacks, including the new Ford SVT Focus.
On the plus side, character traits often associated with low-profile tires, such as a tendency to hop over expansion joints and crash over road imperfections, were largely absent in the Turbo S. The relaxed, friendly ride that so many have come to expect from this "cute" car was largely unaffected by the wheel and tire upgrade. Credit the suspension tuning, which VW officials told us was only "slightly stiffer" than lower-line Beetles, for the car's retained easy-going nature. While die-hard performance fans will likely find the Turbo S too flabby, most customers will appreciate the balance between improved handling manners and retained ride quality.
But even the fastest and most furious of import enthusiasts will appreciate the Turbo S model's powertrain improvements. Effectively pilfering the base Audi TT's drivetrain, Volkswagen has equipped this Beetle with a 180 horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged engine and hooked it to a six-speed manual transmission. That's a 20-percent boost in horsepower over the standard Turbo Beetle, and combines with a peak torque of 173 lb-ft to give the S model a 0-to-60 time of 7.4 seconds, according to Volkswagen. Our highly calibrated seat-of-the-pants-o-meter doesn't dispute those numbers, with the Beetle launching from a standing start and pulling hard beyond 6,000 rpm. For those interested in displaying their Turbo S Beetle's power, disabling the ESP makes it easy to spin the tires freely all the way through first gear. >>
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/48571/article.html
<< Get within 50 yards of this VW and you'll likely notice the 17 x 7-inch "Delta X" alloy wheels that come standard on all Turbo S models. With thick triangles separated by five rectangular slots, the wheels almost look like a reverse Hot Wheels toy-car design. Wearing P225/45 tires, the sportiest of New Beetles promises sharper turn-in and reduced body roll. The Turbo S delivers on both promises, but with the H-rated all-season tires found on our test model, ultimate grip was not up to the levels offered by some less expensive performance hatchbacks, including the new Ford SVT Focus.
On the plus side, character traits often associated with low-profile tires, such as a tendency to hop over expansion joints and crash over road imperfections, were largely absent in the Turbo S. The relaxed, friendly ride that so many have come to expect from this "cute" car was largely unaffected by the wheel and tire upgrade. Credit the suspension tuning, which VW officials told us was only "slightly stiffer" than lower-line Beetles, for the car's retained easy-going nature. While die-hard performance fans will likely find the Turbo S too flabby, most customers will appreciate the balance between improved handling manners and retained ride quality.
But even the fastest and most furious of import enthusiasts will appreciate the Turbo S model's powertrain improvements. Effectively pilfering the base Audi TT's drivetrain, Volkswagen has equipped this Beetle with a 180 horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged engine and hooked it to a six-speed manual transmission. That's a 20-percent boost in horsepower over the standard Turbo Beetle, and combines with a peak torque of 173 lb-ft to give the S model a 0-to-60 time of 7.4 seconds, according to Volkswagen. Our highly calibrated seat-of-the-pants-o-meter doesn't dispute those numbers, with the Beetle launching from a standing start and pulling hard beyond 6,000 rpm. For those interested in displaying their Turbo S Beetle's power, disabling the ESP makes it easy to spin the tires freely all the way through first gear. >>
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