It doesn’t get any cuter than this

Necessity may certainly be the mother of invention, or as is the case at Volkswagen, the mother of dusting off a model last seen so long ago only a retiree or ardent VW loyalist would remember it. 

In an attempt to breathe a little life into sagging sales and generate some showroom traffic, Volkswagen of America has begun offering a lineup of special edition models with unique characteristics.

Among the offerings are the Wolfsburg Edition Jetta, Fahrenheit GTI and GLI and the Triple White New Beetle convertible.  The Triple White New Beetle takes its color palette from the original Triple White Super Beetle convertible of 1979. 

I was somewhat puzzled by the name when the tester showed up with a black convertible top over the unique Campanella white exterior and white leatherette interior.  Maybe VW meant “Double White.”  A quick call to their press folks quickly solved the mystery, explaining that the white cover for the folded top completed the “triple” designation.

I must admit, the Triple White edition is as cute as a bug’s ear, drawing plenty of attention from my wife and female co-workers - who practically gushed over it.  Conversely, not most but rather all of my guy friends were quick to point out it wasn’t me, and I looked a little, well, silly driving the thing.

The special edition has a base price of $25,990, compared to $22,120 for the regular New Beetle convertible.  The special edition, of course, adds some options that up the base price including an automatic transmission, 17” alloy wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel, heated white perforated leatherette seats and center armrest, floor mats, special door panels and Sirius Satellite Radio.   There’s also a New Beetle convertible icon embossed on the front headrests.

My Triple White included an impressive list of safety features including dual front and side air bags with head protection and “automatic rollover supports,” a pair of steel beams hidden under the rear headrests that “pop up” to protect occupants as soon as a rollover is detected.  Anti-lock brakes, traction control and vehicle stability control were also included.

A 2.5-liter 150-horsepower five-cylinder engine mated to a smooth-shifting six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission powered my New Beetle.  I was quite impressed with its spirited acceleration; according to VW, it will go from 0-60 miles per hour in about 9 seconds. But this vehicle isn’t about speed; it’s about nostalgic, top-down cruising on warm Arizona nights with Mo-town music playing on the Sirius Satellite radio.  Fuel economy is rated at a decent 22-mpg city and 30 highway.

The steering wheel tilts and telescopes and the front seat room is exceptionally generous, providing ample legroom for my 6’6” frame.  Because the windshield is so far forward, the dash is deep and made me feel almost like I was driving from the backseat.

And speaking of the backseat, don’t expect anyone to sit there for long - especially adults.  There just isn’t enough room and the back cushions are straight up to allow room for the top to fold.  Besides, you’ll need the space to stow gear since the trunk is among the smallest I’ve seen in any vehicle since the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky.

The three-layer cloth, power convertible top retracts quickly at the flip and twist of a lever located above the rear-view mirror.  With the top up, I was pleasantly surprised to find how quiet the interior is, even at highway speeds. 

The Triple White convertible brought smiles, waves and “thumbs up” everywhere I drove. Volkswagen only plans to produce 3,000 Triple Whites and if my wife had her way, one of them would be parked in our garage.