Letters

Beetle JuiceWhat a great choice for ICOY. Owning a New Beetle has been an experience. Whether driving it, washing it, or just answering questions, the two months and 2500 miles in my red (sport-package-equipped) Beetle have been a treat. The workmanship is excellent, the interior space fits my 6-foot-7 frame comfortably, and the warranty and standard equipment are unequaled for the price. The dealer sold the car "at sticker," with no markup. I looked at other cars in the price range, but the Beetle won me over. I'm glad it did! All cars should be this much fun! Great choice, MT.Bob WoodillLancaster, N.Y.

First, I'd like to thank MT for being the best automotive magazine there is. I've enjoyed and agreed with many of the articles and reviews-until today. I was so disappointed when I saw a commercial saying that the VW New Beetle is the MT [Import] Car of the Year. What happened to the new BMW 328i? Or the Infiniti G20? The Beetle shouldn't win simply because of Baby-Boomers tickled pink by a car that reminds them of their youth, or Gen-X college girls with rich parents who think it's "cute." Motor Trend's Car of the Year, a title that carries tremendous weight and honor, should be reserved only for the driver's machine, or should I say, "The Ultimate Driving Machine."Christopher CummingsLaurel, Md.

I eagerly await next month's issue of MT declaring the real winner of the Motor Trend Import Car of the Year. I must admit, you guys pulled a real good one on us by picking the VW New Beetle over a BMW 328 and a Porsche 911. You guys were joking, right?Justin MurphySpringfield, Mo.

While the new 3 Series and 911 are fantastic performers and perhaps best in their segments, our staff judged their new designs to be not as significant as the Beetle's.-Ed.

I couldn't be more pleased the New Beetle is getting the attention it so richly deserves. When I saw this car the first time at the 1998 International Auto Show, I knew it was something special. The styling is unique, futuristic yet familiar, and better than I expected. And seeing the positive way people react to the car is truly amazing. I believe it may make its mark in history, again-this time by introducing it to a new market segment: fond pedestrian cars of yesteryear. Chevy could bring back the Nova, Chrysler could resurrect the Dart, and Ford could dust off the old Maverick blueprints. However, it would be challenging for any manufacturer to come up with a design as well conceived as the New Beetle.Chris PanellaCollingswood, N.J.

Thanks, we needed thatI just read the letter from Don Faxon in your March issue, where he proceeded to sandblast trucks, your magazine, and the Ford Mustang by suggesting a comparison to the Honda Civic. Wow, talk about psychological issues! Anyway, you guys don't get enough positive feedback. Everyone writes about how there are too many trucks, the cars are too expensive, the cars aren't expensive enough, you're not covering this, you're eating too much peanut butter, motor oil and 10W30 aren't the same thing, whatever. You guys do an excellent job. Motor Trend is my automotive equivalent of Playboy. There are lots of pretty pictures, sometimes the articles are pretty good (in your case, more often than not), and they both depict things I probably won't get hold of in my lifetime without a large influx of cash. The trick is the amazing balance you maintain between affordability and exotic powerhouses. I love it! I'm a mass communications student, and I just wanted to let you know that, not only do you appeal to the masses, but to weirdos like myself. Keep up the great work.Eric JacobsonFletcher, N.C.