Volkswagen chief executive Thomas Schafer has ruled out the idea of reviving the Beetle as a fully electric model, a stance echoed after a report from Autocar in Britain. Schafer stressed that some nameplates have run their course and that there is little incentive to resurrect a retro-styled icon when the market demands new technology and contemporary design language. The Beetle, a longtime symbol in Volkswagen’s portfolio, continues to live on in the brand lineup and remains a touchstone in the global auto industry, but not in the form of a modern EV reboot that captures nostalgia at the expense of engineering progress.
In contrast, former Volkswagen chief Herbert Diess had previously explored the possibility of introducing a fresh Beetle generation, pitched as a four-door electric hatchback. The current leadership, however, appears to view such nostalgia-driven ventures as dead ends, arguing that reviving retro models may distract from the core strategy of electrification, software integration, and scalable platform economics. The discussion reflects a broader industry question about how legacy nameplates can fit into a future dominated by battery technology, autonomous capabilities, and more efficient production footprints, rather than serving as mere memory lane tributes.
Meanwhile, other industry movements keep making headlines. In Kaliningrad, Avtotor reportedly began test assembly for BAIC BJ40 sport utility vehicles, signaling regional capacity expansion and potential shifts in the supply chain for mid-size SUVs. This development underscores how automotive groups balance heritage branding with new manufacturing ventures and foreign partnerships to adapt to evolving demand patterns across North America and beyond. The automotive landscape continues to evolve as brands weigh the value of iconic names against the realities of electrification, regional markets, and the imperative to optimize production efficiency for a competitive global market. [Citation: Autocar UK]