The 06 beetle is still gay, I tried my best

[JamesonGT282]

Some of you who I talk to online already know the story. I worked for VW in Jan 04 on a launch to refresh the Beetle. I graduated in May 04 hoping to become a full time staff designer but they had let go of 5000 people and surely there funding for a designer had dissapeared.

The good news is my main concept revolving around a power opening roof, converting trunk system made it to this tears Concept car, the Ragster. It was in all the car mags and was dubbed a hit. So much so that VW is considering making a limited run of 5-10k. I was not able to show people the concept origination sketches because I would be in trouble. But now that the car has been released tot he public I camn go ahead and show you how the idea started on paper.

[JamesonGT282]

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[JamesonGT282]

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[JamesonGT282]

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[JamesonGT282]

Lastly some rims I did for them. It looks like the real 06 uses a wheel design dervied from some of them. I also did a body kit for them which I will have to wait and see if its a dealer option.

[JamesonGT282]

Thats everything. I always find it cool to see something start as a sketch and then be made into something tangible.

[Doubt_Incarnate]

not bad, i like that roof. and those wheels kick ass.

[JamesonGT282]

The Ragster seems to only get props for the roof. The mags were often quoted saying everything is forgettable except for the roof. So when people hate on the car I dont care, but when they say they only like the roof then I get a smile on my face since it was very much unchanged from the original skecthes and concept.

Things that didnt make it to the cut:

I had proposed center exit exhaust. The original had it so I thought it would be a nice aggressive throw back.

The color keyed optional wheels. It went over really well, I am sure it was cut due to budget constraints.

A lowered looking hood by changing the bumper to share the trailing edge with the hood. They loved it since the hood stamping was too expensive to change. I think they may still do it since they want the car to last till 2010, so it might appear for the next mild refreshening.

I proposed the canvas top two ways, one of the ways had the rear window on a sliding track, once the canvas is reclined the window slides over head by push of the button. I proposed the window to be removeable as well to be more cost effective....they are cheap they went with the latter.

I also showed them 20 different front and rear fascias. All were much more edgy and aggressive. The ones they went with were very timid, but atleast they are better.

[Doubt_Incarnate]

at least you had a cool job like that, im a cook, been in the same forsaken restaraunt for 8 years. way ahead of me

[JamesonGT282]

It was a great gig, but it was short. Atleast you have had security. It was eluded that VW loved my work and said "you really get Vw and what we are about" after a long meeting where I talked about marketing and why I thought the Phaeton was a bad idea. But about that time VW took a hit, fired 5k people and cut almost all funding for the Beetle. So my job was not going to be there after graduation. They had the nerve, after my concepts were getting big play inside the company to ask me to be a speaker and address 600 employees and factory workers.....but didnt have the money to pay me or pay for a flight or hotel. Hence why I began shopping for other car companies :P