Just Story Guys Experience Review Story
It is the second youngest beetle in the world. Because it was the penultimate of the 21,529,464 produced – then, on July 30, 2003 in Puebla, Mexico. The VW Beetle EU (short for ltima Edición, Spanish for “last edition”) with registration number HH-BZ 974 has been ridden in the AUTO BILD KLASSIK fleet ever since.
Classic car fans can use it
The last beetle created was only allowed with special permission, which AUTO BILD once helped to publish. Typically, every car in the EU with a gasoline engine made after 2000 requires built-in diagnostics (OBD) to monitor emissions-related functions. Mexican beetles don’t have this.
Our Beetle with registration number HH-BZ 974 is the second youngest cult crawler ever built.
VW Beetle with digital engine management
The Kax308;fer has had a controlled cat since 1993, combined with a number of changes to their boxer engine. At first glance it still looks like a 1935 prototype. But instead of a carburetor, there’s a throttle body in its place. And a lot of wires is an indication of digital machine management.
Drive Beetle ltima Edición like that is very convenient. He prefers to relax on country roads.
46 hp is a meager payoff, also because the engine is tuned to Mexican bell water with 87 octane, which wouldn’t even fit in a lawn mower in this country. But it’s 46 hp that gets the penultimate of its kind from the starting block and lets it spin effortlessly.
It is best to continue comfortably on country roads
The tempo 90 overland suits him, then he’s also fed up, because the steering wheel is a bit playful. In addition, he is satisfied with this speed with seven liters and points out that at least the Beetle consumption is not better in the past.
The driving characteristics of the Mexican variant are almost no different from the German model. The comfort of our Mexican suspension is still commendable today, especially the gentle rolling of the 165 balloon tires pumped up to just 1.4 bar up front. The built body is very sturdy too. Apart from the Beetle, there is only one vehicle in the world that can make such a rich door closing sound: the Mercedes G model.
The Mexican beetle has this problem area
Until 1985, VW officially imported the Beetle into Germany. After that, commercial importers made up for the low demand for the new Beetle. Rust is the biggest problem with models made in Mexico, which ship with almost no preservation.
Models with 1600i engines imported from 1992 were particularly susceptible to spoilage. Many specimens are then cavity protected by the importer or owner. Or they are already welded.
In 2003, AUTO BILD naturally insisted on taking the Beetle in Mexico itself.
Here the rust really likes to bite the VW
A classic among the rust spots on the Beetle is the frame head, which holds up the front axle and is difficult to weld. The entire front end is often affected, including the spare wheel dent and the fender in the headlight pot area.
Platform frame with center tube bolted to body. Rust often forms along the edges of the screws and on the running boards installed there.
The hydraulic tappet is considered a possible weak point on the Mexican Beetle engine.
The platform itself is weathered in the battery area under the rear seats and at the jack points. The heating line is also frequently affected, as are the reinforcing plates in the rear wheel housing.
The Mexican engine’s weak points were the hydraulic tappet rattling and valve springs breaking. Sensors are also prone to failure.
Our Mexican Beetle technical data
VW Beetle Ultima Edition; Engine: Boxer four cylinder/rear longitudinal • Valve/camshaft: 2 per cylinder/1 • Displacement: 1584 ccm • Output: 34 kW (46 hp) at 4100 rpm • Max torque: 97 Nm at 2200 rpm • Peak: 130 km/ hours • 0-100 km/h: 22.5 s • Transmission/drive: four-speed manual/rear wheel drive • Tank/fuel: 40 l/super • L/W/H: 4060/1550/1500 mm • Volume baggage: 130 l • Empty/load weight: 820/380 kg • New price (2003): 13,000 euros
