Volkswagen just unveiled the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI, an oil-burning version of the recently revised and manliness-infused Beetle. America's only diesel two-door (VW considers this a coupe and the Golf a hatch) will go on sale this summer.
The engine is VW's familiar 2.0 liter turbocharged and direct-injected 4-cylinder, now sporting a common-rail fuel injection setup and putting 140 horsepower and 238 lb/ft of torque into your choice of six-speed transmissions: either a traditional manual or the DSG semiautomatic. EPA fuel economy scores of 29 mpg city and 39 mpg highway have been confirmed.
From the outside it's hard to tell this is a diesel model without the badging, but under the chopped-roof there's an additional set of instruments that include a boost gauge, oil temperature display, and a stopwatch... so you can time how fast you're saving fuel?
The compression-ignition Beetle will be available in three trim levels: TDI, TDI with Sunroof, and (deep breath) TDI with Sunroof, Sound and Navigation. We hope that the retro-perfect hubcap wheels from the standard model will be available. Pricing has not yet been announced.