Various versions of this model continued to be produced in Puebla, Mexico, until the final car left the assembly line on 10 July 2019.

[citation needed] Strong public reaction to the Concept One convinced the company that it should develop a production version which was launched as the New Beetle in 1997 for the 1998 model-year, based on the Golf IV's larger PQ34 platform.

[6] The New Beetle is related to the original only in name and appearance (including the absence of a car emblem script with the exception of the VW logo).

In June 2005, Volkswagen announced a facelift of the New Beetle featuring revised bumpers, wheels, lamps, VW emblems, sharper lines and a different interior.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the New Beetle a Good overall score in their frontal crash test.

It also included a sport suspension, six-speed manual transmission, aluminum interior trim, revised front/rear fascias, and bigger wheels and tires.

It came standard with the 150 hp (112 kW) 1.8 turbo gasoline engine, 5-speed manual gearbox, speed-activated rear spoiler, power windows/sunroof/door locks, heated leather seats, and fog lamps.

It included a 224 PS (165 kW; 221 hp) 3.2-litre VR6 engine,[11] a 6-speed gearbox, and Volkswagen's four-wheel drive system 4motion, Remus twin-pipe exhaust.

At the 2005 North American International Auto Show, the Volkswagen New Beetle Ragster concept car was introduced.

[citation needed] The base of the Ragster (the name denoting a cross between a "ragtop" and a speedster) was a New Beetle Convertible modified with a new roof, giving it a much lower roofline, and a unique paint job with silver double stripes.

The interior was also modified, featuring black and white leather seats with a '10' logo on the headrest and in the footwells, with a decoration showing the production number of the Beetle.

All BlackOrange Editions came with 17-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, leatherette seat upholstery, cruise control, front fog lights, tinted rear side/rear windows, aluminium pedals and leather-bound steering wheel/gear knob.