VW's New Bug: Cute But...

Boomers aren't thinking small these days. They're older, and wider. And they want room, and zoom.

It's the kind of car that might inspire another Cheech and Chong road trip. From its groovy arched roof and fenders to a funky blue speedometer, the new Beetle--introduced last week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit--is a motorized monument to Flower Power nostalgia. All that's missing is a Day-Glo paint job and a roach clip in the ashtray. But the Beetle will be a much trickier resurrection than bell-bottoms now that boomers seem partial to cars and trucks big enough to fit a Bug in the back.

With a starting price of $15,200, the new Beetle can't...

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