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"Spied! 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt;   When Volkswagen introduced the New Beetle convertible back in 2003 it replaced the iconic Golf Cabriolet that had been on the market since soon after the demise of the original Beetle Convertible. Not long afterward, Volkswagen also introduced the Eos Convertible with a retractable hardtop.   VW Convertibles are in Demand   New versions of both the Eos Convertible and the upcoming next-generation Beetle Convertible are hitting the market this year so it was somewhat surprising when Volkswagen announced an all-new Golf Cabriolet that is being unveiled this week at the Geneva Auto Show.   Since the launch of the original convertible Beetle, Volkswagen has sold over 1.4 million convertibles, making the Wolfsburg company one of the world&amp;#039;s biggest producers of them. Obviously, the company sees room for three different convertible models in its lineup, even if they are all based on the same platform.   The 2012 Golf Cabriolet is 8 in. shorter than the Eos but has the same wheelbase, giving it much the same interior space for accommodating four passengers. The electro-hydraulic soft top opens in just 9.5 seconds and can be opened or closed at speeds of up to 18 mph.    No Visible Rollbar on this Cabrio   Unlike with previous Golf Cabriolets, there is no visible rollbar. Instead, there&amp;#039;s an automatically deployable rollbar that has already seen use in the Beetle Convertible. Apart from this active rollover protection system, the Golf Cabriolet also has ABS, ESP stability control, airbags all round and a driver&amp;#039;s knee airbag. A reinforced window frame and structural modifications to the underbody, side panels, crossmembers and doors give the Golf Cabriolet an extremely high level of torsional rigidity, which benefits safety, comfort and refinement.   Speaking of which, the Golf Cabriolet&amp;#039;s fabric roof has an additional exterior skin, as well as new window and door seals to keep noise levels down. The heated rear windscreen is integrated in the soft top with high frequency welding. Also, when the top is down, the upper side of the leading edge that directly connects to the windscreen frame covers the entire top surface of the roof storage box, eliminating the need for a separate cover.   According to Volkswagen, this design contributes to the very rapid opening time, and also means it does not need to descend as deeply into the trunk, consequently providing improved luggage space.    In Europe, the Golf Cabriolet will be available with a choice of four turbocharged gasoline engines: a 105-bhp 1.2-liter, a 122- bhp 1.4-liter, a 160-bhp 1.4-liter and a 210 bhp 2.0-liter, all 4-cylinder engines. There will be two turbocharged diesel offerings: a 105-bhp 1.6-liter TDI and a 140-bhp 2.0-liter TDI. Four transmissions will be available: a 5-speed or a 6-speed manual, and a 6-speed or 7-speed DSG.   Design wise, the front of the new 2012 Golf Cabriolet is essentially the same as the 2011 Golf, although it has a more raked windshield. At the rear the Cabriolet has LED taillights adapted from the GTI. The trunk lid extends down to the bumper and swings up high for better access to the cargo compartment. When the 50/50 split rear seat is folded down there is a 20 in. x15 in. cargo pass-through available for increased cargo capacity.   At this time, Volkswagen says the 2012 Golf Cabriolet will not be offered for sale in the U.S. However, VW has been known to change its mind when enough people ask for models that are not initially available on this side of the Atlantic. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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