2005 Volkswagen Beetle Ragster

World premiere – the hottest Beetle ever

Study of the New Beetle Ragster with a roof lowered by 150 millimeters

Large-sized ragtop, newly designed exterior, racing car bucket seats, cargo area
Wolfsburg / Detroit, 9. January 2005 - It's a statement, an automotive way of life. More than 800.000 drive one, the Volkswagen with the perhaps most famous design in the world: the New Beetle. For the North American International Auto Show in Detroit the German company presents the hot potential of the design classic – with a study on the New Beetle Ragster. Its most visible characteristic: a drastically dropped roof with a large ragtop.

Ragtop + Speedster = Ragster The development team based the Ragster on the reinforced convertible, shortening the A-pillars by about 90 millimeters and creating a set u-shaped roof fixing for the Ragtop's frame. It becomes instantly clear where the „Hot Rod' with its ragtop and speedster dimensions got its name.


New design: The Ragster shows new visual ways. And this does not only hold true for the top. The fenders, bumpers, headlights, tail lights and 19' aluminum rims are all newly designed as well and more progressive and sporty than ever. Newly designed interior: Racing car bucket seats, sports car type steering wheel with integrated engine start button (right side) and ragtop control (left side), center console and the extremely clean designed cargo area.


Power? Anything goes: The drive - A powerful gasoline engine or a high torque TDI are imaginable. Although it has yet to be determined which motor will be built and if the study will be produced in series – Anything goes. Just as in Concept 1, the study on the New Beetle, which also started in Detroit. - A great place for a world premiere…

Source - VW Media

It is a statement for all those whose car reflects their way of life. More than 800.000 drive one, the Volkswagen with the perhaps most famous design in the world: the New Beetle. Three semicircles are all you need to create a stylized drawing of the New Beetle or the closed New Beetle Convertible. Those lines are as famous as the car itself. Ever since Concept 1, the first study on the New Beetle, they have been the logo of the model series. Starting now there will be a second version - with a clearly flatter center element. It represents the design of the New Beetle Ragster – a study, a sports car and a window to the future.

Volkswagen presents the new New Beetle ragtop version at its world premiere during the North American International Auto Show 2005. It is the hottest New Beetle ever. Because the engineers and designers didn't just 'cut' a hole out of the top. Instead, as a basis for the extremely low Ragster, they turned to the already reinforced convertible, shortened the Apillar by about 90 millimeters and designed a u-shaped roof fixing as a kind of frame for the ragtop. It is instantly clear where the „Rebel- White' coated Hot Rod with a ragtop and speedster dimensions got it's name.

Visually, the Ragster clearly sets itself apart from the well-known New Beetle. And this is not only due to the silver double stripes on the middle of the car and the powerful Brembo brakes, but the designers also created new fenders, head and tail lights, bumpers and new 19' aluminum rims suitable for 235 mm (9 ¼') tires. A New Beetle sports car. Imagine –even if it is still to be determined – a powerful gasoline engine or a high torque TDI under the Ragster hood.

In the front the Ragster story starts with a windshield about 90 centimeters lower. The in this case shiny black A-pillars are of identical height. Where they start, Ragster's newly styled, correspondingly flatter exterior mirrors are located.

Every child recognizes the Ragster from the front as the New Beetle. But it also realizes that this one somehow looks different. More character? If that's at all possible. More speed? Okay. Sure, the hood is as it always was. The headlights have a new design, they're more oval shaped and succinct. Below now there are very flat, wider turn signals as part of the new front. With three large cooling air vents. Anyway: The car's front drives through the wind like an arrow, adding to the car's power and masculinity.

From the side the noticeable and in case of its serial production ideally made of brushed aluminum roof rail is staged. It frames the ragtop, flows in a harmonious line to the back part and exhibits its most succinct C-pillars. Beneath follows the coolest design of side windows of the year. Frame less, completely retractable. All the way at the bottom the fenders of the study show the newly designed wheel housings. They're rim is straight and steep softly leading into the rounded shapes of the fenders.

The ragtop can be opened and closed electronically (using a flip switch built into the steering wheel). When the top is lowered you get the real convertible feeling, especially since the side windows as shown are fully retractable and in a serial model the rear window would also be removable. The window is part of the tailgate known from the classical New Beetle which is put to practical use in the Ragster. Practical, because behind it is a noble and spacious cargo area featuring the qualities of a pick-up.

Newly designed tail lights with completely modified technique, more oval shaped than circular, are part of the clearly contoured bumpers. The overall sportive character of the study is emphasized through a chromium plated double pipe end muffler which, by the way are already available as Real VW parts.

The New Beetle Ragster is a 2+2 seater. Its newly designed sports car bucket seats ergonomics are very good. Its quilted pattern visually emphasizes that the concept of the New Beetle is focused on the driver. The center console between the seats is also new and features the same color as the body. Parts of the instrument panel, the door linings and the leather racing car bucket seats are colored in '6 pm' which for the first time was featured in the study Concept R. The new sports car steering wheel is also the same ultra dark brown color. The engineers and designers integrated into the valence not only the ragtop control switch but also the startstop-button for the engine. In addition, the round air exhausts received chromium rings.

The back two seats are retractable and when folded become one cargo area colored in the body color. It is perfect for transporting a „Fender' guitar and an amplifier to sessions or concerts or for just stretching your legs or storing wet bathing suits. The story with the legendary Fender is not coincidental: The designers, when creating the cargo area, actually did think of being able to perfectly store music equipment in this clean designed space.

Source - Volkswagen