Basically I was a good kid. Rarely did my folks have any reason for concern, but I did play hookey from school twice: once to buy tickets for a concert and the other to go buy a magazine I'd overheard a classmate talking about.
Not that kind of magazine - a car one. It was 1987, I was 13, and three weeks' worth of pocket money bought me the first issue of VolksWorld. Beetles quickly became my world. A schoolmate's brother's early banana yellow, stripped and lowered "Cal-look" example was just about the coolest car in my world.
Despite my childhood obsession, I never bought one; indeed, I hadn't even driven one until today. It's everything I expected: simple without being crude, compact without being cramped, and slow. No provisos on the latter; it's exactly that. Slow. But there's no denying it's packed with charm. Volkswagen's classic department has dusted off a few old smokers to exhibit the bloodline at the launch of the 2012 model. There are few traces of the outgoing version here. Volkswagen is evidently trying to forget the somewhat cartoonish pastiche Beetle that arrived in 1998.
It's a wise move because despite respectable - if not spectacular - sales, the outgoing Beetle never really caught on. It was too sweet for all but the obsessed. Even I, with a residual fascination with all things Beetle, found it a bit lacking in substance. The new Beetle aims to change that, with Volkswagen's people incessantly referring to it as more masculine than before.
That's undeniable, but it's unlikely to cause a flood of blokes into Volkswagen's showrooms. Lower, longer and wider than before, the Beetle has lost its overtly cutesy lines and does assert some of that much-talked-about masculinity. It could only be a Beetle, too: the arching roofline and pronounced curves over the wheels recreate the iconic shape very smartly indeed.
The detailing is neat as well, with protruding lower sills aping the running boards of the original, the chrome-rimmed round headlamps (featuring LED technology, naturally) and bonnet line reminiscent of the later versions of the rear-engined, air-cooled original. The spoiler on Sport models looks strange, but otherwise it's all rather nicely executed.
That's true of the interior, too, which plunders the Beetle's rich past and brings back body-coloured dashboard insets and a useful top-hinged glove box with a delightful push and pull handle. The vase for flowers is gone (not masculine enough, it seems). The materials on all the surfaces are tactile and look high quality, but Volkswagen has scrimped on some of the plastics on the out-of reach, out-of-eye-line areas. The overall effect, though, is positive.
It's not just smart inside, but more practical. The rear seats remain tricky to access and aren't hugely accommodating, but they're handy for occasional use.
More important are the changes to the boot. Next to hopeless on the outgoing Beetle, the luggage compartment is only 40 litres smaller than that of Volkswagen's own Golf.
That comparison is apt, too, since underneath the Beetle's familiar lines it shares a lot with its more sober-suited relative. That's not to say it's identical to drive, though, because the Beetle lacks the dynamic polish of the Golf. The suspension and steering just don't feel as sophisticated. The Beetle's ride is firm and sometimes harsh rather than taut, yet at the same time compliant. The steering, an all-electric system, lacks any real feel at the wheel.
The wider track brings more cornering prowess and stability at speed, but that's missing the point, really. Even in 2.0-litre TSI guise, with 200hp and an entertaining engine, few will buy the Beetle for how it drives. It's a how-it-looks car, which nicely balances retro with modernity inside and out.
Volkswagen promises that it will be decently specified, too, though since it's not quite yet ready to reach the showroom, we'll have to wait for final specifications. Engine choices will ape that of its Golf relative, but without quite the breadth of choice. So expect about four petrol units; a diesel is planned, though probably not for the UAE.
It's unlikely that the new Beetle will have schoolboys missing lessons to buy a magazine to read about it, but then the world has moved on. The Beetle has, too, and it's kept apace in its new guise. Would I buy one? I might, if I liked the idea of a Golf with a bit more character. Sure, the Beetle would bring compromises over its sensible relative but that's part of its appeal. Sensible is boring and that's not something you could ever accuse the new Beetle of. Is it more masculine? Sure, but everyone is still going to think you've borrowed the car off your wife or girlfriend. It's just that kind of car. And really, there's nothing at all wrong with that.
VW Middle East has yet to announce when the new Beetle will reach the UAE; final prices have also not been set.
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)
Defenders Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Chilwell (Chelsea), Coady (Wolves), Dier (Tottenham), Gomez (Liverpool), James (Chelsea), Keane (Everton), Maguire (Manchester United), Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Mings (Aston Villa), Saka (Arsenal), Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Foden (Manchester City), Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa), Mount (Chelsea), Rice (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Winks (Tottenham)
Forwards: Abraham (Chelsea), Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Manchester United), Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Sterling (Manchester City)
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Dubai Creek Open in numbers
- The Dubai Creek Open is the 10th tournament on this year's Mena Tour
- It is the first of five events before the season-concluding Mena Tour Championship
- This week's field comprises 120 players, 21 of which are amateurs
- 15 previous Mena Tour winners are competing at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
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