You owe us a solid, Volkswagen. No, I’m not talking about making up for Dieselgate; I’m referring to the current rather lackluster model lineup and the unqualified disaster that the revived Type 2 “bus” turned into. Honestly, VW needs to do themselves a favor and atone for these missteps.
Thankfully, I can see a product that would likely be a true attention-getting hit for them and give the market a product we’ve been begging for but just haven’t gotten. Yes, VW, we need you to do an EREV thing for us. Not a thing, but the Thing.
Is This Thing On?
One of the earliest things I can remember is a nighttime drive past a local VW dealership in the early seventies. As I watched the world roll by from the back seat, the illuminated, brightly colored cars were literally seared into my retinas. Just look at these gumdrops that made up Wolfsburg’s finely crafted lineup at the time:
If I say “Volkswagen,” what cars appear in your head? I’m guessing a Beetle, a Karmann Ghia, or maybe a black GTI forms as a mental image. I’m almost certain you are not picturing anything on VW’s current website, a collection of somewhat dull crossovers and remaining sedans. I got a rental Jetta a little while back since Enterprise was out of Toyota products, and I honestly don’t remember anything about it. I think it was like a Camry, which I am sure is what Volkswagen intended in a marketing move that is both logical and flawed at the same time.
Yes, Volkswagen obviously needs affordable products in popular categories to hit the competition head-on. But if there aren’t any truly distinctive values to their comparable offerings, why wouldn’t buyers just get the Toyota or Honda competitors and just be done with it? Absolutely nobody believes that the German-branded products will offer the forget-about-it reliability of the top sellers, so the VWs need that extra something to be appealing. Currently, I don’t know if they have it.
The New Beetle was certainly such a product when it was released back in 1997, and we had high hopes for the ID Buzz. When we heard about this supposedly $40,000 electric reboot of the Type 2 VW Bus, I had a feeling that we might need to have local police controlling the traffic around Volkswagen dealers when the first ones appeared. Sadly, the product we got looked great but only sat two in the third-row bench, realistically had around a 200-mile range, and ended up with a sticker of over $70,000 when fully equipped. Sales proved so dismal that we didn’t even get a 2026 model as some dealers still had 2025s on the lot a year later.
Is there something that Volkswagen could do to help us forget about this unfortunate flub? Well, the Thing is..
It’s A VW Thing- You Wouldn’t Understand
It’s possible that one of the ID Buzz’s failures in the American marketplace was the lack of interest in minivans, or at least the inability to see it as a high-end, aspirational vehicle, which the steep price demanded that you did. If VW launched another New Beetle today similar to the earlier one, it would likely fail as well since nobody has much interest in small hatchback coupes. You might remember that I suggested a four door New Beetle based on the compact crossover SUV platform of the EV Porsche Macan, since that’s what it would need to be to sell:
No, for better or worse, the public seems to want SUVs or car-based crossovers, and oddly enough, Volkswagen was one of the pioneers in this area. In 1968, they launched what was officially called Type 181: a mild off-roading vehicle that used components from VW’s air-cooled, rear-engined passenger cars (such as Karmann Ghia floorpans and Type 2 rear axles). This was a continuation of a formula that had begun with their World War II-era Beetle-based Kubelwagen, which was essentially the Germans’ take on the Jeep concept.
Americans didn’t get the Type 181 until 1974, likely spurred on by the popular dune buggy conversions of Beetles. Why wouldn’t VW offer their own factory-built buggy since they had one sitting right there?
Naturally, this was back in the time when VW of America had great marketing and a sense of humor, so they changed the numeric name of this thing to, literally, “Thing.”
With only rear-wheel drive and limited ground clearance, it didn’t have the complete capabilities of a contemporaneous Jeep CJ, Ford Bronco, or International Scout, but around 25,000 buyers found that it was the perfect mix of soft-top playfulness and practicality in the two years it was sold here. Even our own Toledo-transfer-case-juice-in-his-blood David Tracy saw the appeal when he experienced one for himself:
As someone who has extensive Jeep experience and limited VW experience, what did I think of the Thing? Well, I think in many ways it may be superior to the Jeep.
If you’re not doing crazy off-roading, the Thing is better for the driver and for the rider — it is an absolutely fantastic package, and a whole lot of fun.
Jeep gods, you may now strike me with your wrath.
Yeah, that’s David talking; you can imagine that Average Joe or Jane would agree. I was offered a “free upgrade” to a Wrangler on a recent trip that was going to involve five or six hours of driving. I said absolutely not, to which the Enterprise person replied that I made a good choice. Imagine what an earlier CJ was like; fifty years on, we can really see the 181/Thing was a right option for most on-road driving.
New safety regulation for 1975 ended the Thing’s brief run here, and European production stopped by 1978 with VW’s move towards water-cooled, front-engined rides. Anyone seeing a surviving example of these ugly runts on US roads today can’t help but point and smile. That kind of joy-sparking is something we could all use now on our grey metallic world, especially struggling Volkswagen. Let’s make it happen!
I Did A Thing
As you’d expect, a bunch of AI imprecations of a New Thing exist online but, to me at least, most miss the mark. I think it’s like the Wrangler; if you make it too civilized-looking, you fail. I want a Thing that, from fifty feet away, would seem like a restomod. I started with a boring Teams meeting scribble:
As with the first Ford GT, at first glance it would appear to be identical to the car it’s emulating, but on closer inspection it shares very little. The proportions are different, and I’ve moved the cut line for the frunk down to be parallel with the “reinforcement bumps” on the flanks.
There’s a license plate recess on the front that can be blocked off with a body-colored panel if you don’t need or want a front tag; this one has an available illuminated VW logo as well (with a plug in the round hole above for the standard small logo). Per my rough sketch, headlights are LED DRL rings surrounding projector lamps, and “frosted crystal” turn signals on top mimic the originals. Tough-looking steel bumpers would allow for hooks or adding a winch, but beyond that it’s a Thing, pure and simple.
In back, the soft top model would have a taillight panel with LED lights simulating the Thing’s “elephant foot” Beetle taillights. Sections inside shapes would illuminate as brake and turn signal lights per Jason Torchinsky’s instructions; backup lamps are next to the license plate while lights in the bumper would be rear fog lights or repeaters for when the trunk lid is open. Note also the high-mounted cabin exhaust vents that mimic the original’s engine intakes; these would be great for crossing streams.
That trunk lid on this soft top might be replaced by a hatchback on ones with an optional hard top. With the top down, it stacks rather high in back but that’s part of the convertible air-cooled VW charm. The remaining roll bar system is rather reminiscent of the structure on VW Rabbit Cabrios. Frameless door glass seals against the “roll cage” edges, not unlike the current Bronco. You can see on the example below the license plate hole cover removed and the smaller “OG” style logo; if you don’t want to use a front plate, you could also fill the space with lighting.
Inside, the original Thing was an exercise in simplicity with a Jeep-like steel dash containing a bunch of Beetle gauges and switches, including the FASTEN SEAT BELTS light, which was placed so you had to turn your head sideways to read it.
For the New Thing, I’ll rehash the dashboard from my proposed Macan Beetle but add some body-colored inserts:
I got in trouble at the Chicago Auto Show by lifting the center console box out of the ID Buzz. Not a good interaction:
Bystander: Oh, that is so cool! The center box is a cooler!
VW Person: Sir, please put that back! It doesn’t do that!
Bystander: Damn, that sucks then.
You can be sure the center console boxes of the New Thing will absolutely come out. I might even have two of them; one as a cooler and another for more belongings.
With a totally flat floor, we could add another twist by stealing from the two-door Land Rover Defender. As an option, a center front seat would be available to allow the New Thing to accommodate a total of six passengers: as much as the standard ID Buzz! You could replicate that picture I showed earlier of the impromptu Thing band jam.
Doors can be removed with a simple twist-lock system inside the car and stacked neatly in the trunk or even frunk (the fixed quarter glass on the rear windows pops off to reduce door size).
Sizewise, my New Thing’s length and width would be nearly as big as the Wrangler or Bronco. That’s gargantuan next to the original Thing, but don’t forget that the original Jeep was significantly shorter than Volkswagen’s proto-SUV, so the size creep is to be expected. What’s also nice is that unlike the four-door Jeeps and Broncos that never, ever existed back in the day, the Thing was always a “sedan” so a new one would be true to its roots.
The question is, do we really need another Wrangler/Bronco product in the mix? I think we do, for two big reasons. At the Autopian, many of us believe that range-extended EVs are the answer for the current charging infrastructure in American. Stratospheric sales of hybrids versus all-electrics are proving that’s what the buyers want. With a rather subpar range, the ID Buzz’s failure was sealed by the lack of usefulness as a distance cruiser. The New Thing would solve that with an optional under-floor gas extender motor, making it a unique product in the marketplace. With the aerodynamics of the New Thing, I am guessing it will need the help! Fold down that back seat, and you’d have a heaping hunk of cargo space for sure, even without the frunk.
Also, while the Wrangler and Bronco are obviously hardcore off-roaders, the New Thing would totally avoid the body-on-frame and live axle seriousness of those products. Some crazies would cry foul, but the average buyer will happily trade some Moab-climbing capability for independent suspension comfort. Seriously, if Jeep started building Wranglers for suburban markets with the transfer case secretly removed, how long would it take for anyone to notice? Would they ever?
Here’s an animation of the two modern 1940s-era successors:
Not that the New Thing wouldn’t be a capable off-roader; with locking differentials, it could undoubtedly go where what began as its World War II rival could, with a few exceptions. More importantly, it would have that look which The People want.
Nutin’ But A Baby G Thang
Like the original Thing, the new one would also prove that you can have top-and-doors-off beyond-the-pavement excitement with more efficiency and better on-road comfort than the usual players (don’t get David started on his Jeep-rear-seats-are-useless rants). The archaic looks combined with state-of-the-art mechanicals would make it sort of an affordable Mercedes G-Wagen; a good thing since it’s likely that the New Thing would be likely be more expensive than Broncos or most Wranglers.
No, a VW New Thing would not be enough to save the company, but it would point the direction for Volkswagen to take and get back to their roots of being practical, fun, and different. Remember that as hot as VWs were in the early seventies, they were forced to rapidly change direction and start from scratch with entirely new cars after 1974. Instead of failing, they ended up building what was arguably the greatest front-wheel-drive compact of the latter part of the twentieth century. Volkswagen could have such a second act again.
This funny-looking SUV might be a great place to start. What does VW have to lose? At this point, they should be willing to try any Thing.
Top graphic base image: Jeep
I like it, one question – why base your mock ups off the 4 door Wrangler rather than the VW Owned Scout (concept)? Seems like they could VW-Platform Share that Scout EREV and make a VW Thing version of it relatively straightforwardly.
Keep the Scouts off-roady and make the Thing a 4 door convertible cruiser.
I think because I wanted to use the flat surfaces of the jeep for my renderings. Also the Scout is even bigger than the Bronco, which is admittedly too big for a Thing. If Scout ever happens that is.
Always had a thing for the old Thing. Dig the looks of the concept, though not sold on the upsize. Broncos and Wranglers suffer the same modern bloat, so probably no avoiding some. Anyway, some Thing is better than no Thing. Still, you’re never going to get me to say I’d like to get my hands on the Bishop’s Thing … D’oh!!
VW is overall a damaged brand. At one point they were quirky, different, interesting cars and now they’re vanilla and generic like everyone else except they come with that infamous German reliability, or lack thereof. They fucked up the launch of that new microbus so they’d do the same with the thing- taking 30 years to get it from paper to the sales floor and by then everyone would be tired of it.
And it would be 2x the cost of the competition.
I think we’re seeing the same for most if not all brands. Subaru hasn’t done anything quirky either since the Baja. It’s the CUV malaise era.
Damn that Thing looks good. Like ya said, VW needs something to be a desirable brand again. I’d like to think they learned their lesson from how bad they fumbled the van, but I don’t have faith they learned the RIGHT lessons.
There’s a yellow Thing in the parking lot of my grocery store complex I see regularly. They clearly work somewhere in there but I’ve never seen them to pester them about it. Probably beat for them hahaha.
The new van is 100% failing due to the price and short range.
I think one or the other would be fine, but both?
First of all, I must admit that I somehow missed any earlier appearance of the Macan-based four-door New Beetle and despite a bit of guilt I inexplicably feel, I like it a lot. 🙂
I also like this, but would order mine with a removable body-colored hardtop that afforded another inch of headroom. It’d be great if the back seats didn’t just fold down, but also popped out easily for carrying larger cargo.
I don’t even need the fancy Scout-derived EREV version… this thing would be great with a regular full hybrid system (assuming that VW managed to make one as reliable as Toyota does), or (I know no one will concur) it’d be fine with just an ICE …of course, I’d like an older-school type of one like 2 to 2.5 liters, chain driven, port injected, etc… for servicability (another VW shortcoming IME) and longevity (ditto, again IME). Heck, just drop the drivetrain from the Mazda 3/CX-30 in there and I’d be happy.
I really appreciate the effort you went to in order to have this new Thing look lots like the original, despite all the changes to automobile engineering that’ve happened since then Bishop.
It began as something far more rounded out and contemporary, but it just didn’t look like a Thing. Besides, people love Jeep for being all flat-sided and exposed-hinged.
Though I didn’t say so earlier, another thing I really appreciate is the lack of an obligatory big screen. I like it small, and conformed to the forms of the dash, instead of an oversized iPad glommed on to it. Especially in a car like this. 🙂
The Thing is like a F117, the flat panels are what people think about, even if it was the other stuff they did was what made them awesome.
The slabs and corrugations really make it. Height and frontal area are gonna hurt EV range, but you get a little back with the rear slope.
This looks like a bucket of fun!
When I see a THING, this is what I think of…
https://youtu.be/-9GGDOUDLhc?si=iwEn7OZKrcO6BFIU
Hadn’t seen that clip, thanks for sharing! Wasn’t expecting the Pinto…
it’s a very funny movie from the folks who did Airplane!
Top Secret!
Take my money, I have wanted a vw thing since the 1970s. An EREV thing with modern safety standards would be an instant buy.
I do not agree that this Thing needs to be so G-D big. The 4 door Wranglers, especially in the bigger wheeled packages look gargantuan at this point.
I think VW might have more success coming in as a baby wrangler-like rig. I don’t think going toe to toe with Jeep and Ford in the burly off road category is going to work out well for them.
yes smaller, it would need to be small crossover sized.
here is a taos and wrangler comparison.
https://www.carsized.com/en-us/cars/compare/volkswagen-taos-2024-suv-vs-jeep-wrangler-2017-4-door-offroader-rubicon/
Yes, the Taos looks like a good base. And anything they could do to get the shoulder line down would be a plus.
Depends on what the girls think. I see more women in Jeeps and Broncos than men
Lucky you, I do not.
I guess it depends on geography, I’m outside of Boston where offroading is not plentiful
I’d be interested, although the headlights look like an afterthought.
I pass two dealerships side by side every day, and now my GF basically moved to a complex behind it so I will be seeing them a lot. Used to be one big VW-Porsche-Audi-Land Rover place but Porsche made them build a separate VW dealership next door.
In any case, as kid you would have thought passing a Porsche-Audi dealership would be cool with all forms of exotic sporty things out front to show off. Nope, it’s one long continuous row of SUVs. Bleh.
I love Things, and even had one briefly. It was a project that didn’t work out.
So I will take two of these!
Recall seeing an orange “Thing” as a kid in the ’80s. Asked dad what is was, he said “A Thing.” Modern life needs more whimsey.
I really, really like the concept. A funky off-roady Thing done VW style. Great product idea, since offroady, rugged stuff seems pretty in-vogue. The removable cooler is one of those ideas that probably wouldn’t catch on, but owners would love. And life needs ACVW references that are well-done. At least better done than the Buzz.
The problem is that I could see rabble rousers of a certain political persuasion wrapping these in full Wehrmacht livery. I dunno, perhaps it’s me, or all the terrible things I see online, or being surrounded by Punisher Flags, or some of the stuff that’s popular in FH6’s livery search. I hope we’re better than that.
Calling it the “Thing” instesad of the Kubelwagen always reminded me of Fawlty Towers – “Don’t mention the war!”
It was sold as the “Trekker” in the UK for barely a year; maybe launching it in a country where it rains much of the time had a lot to do with the failure (especially when home-grown MGs were struggling then too).
BASIL!
This is a very solid concept.
glad you like it!
Last ‘Thing’ I saw was in Hilton Head SC. Seems a perfect place for one.
I like that you basically converted early 70-series Land Cruiser marker lamps into headlamps for this.
As long as it stays nearish to the form factor of the old one, I’m totally on board with this plan. And I agree that most Wrangler owners wouldn’t notice if you took away the live axles and transfer case. I’ve owned and off-roaded a number of Jeeps and one of my best upgrades was buying a truck to tow them with. Body-on-frame with solid axles is just not fun at highway speeds for long periods.
Let’s see it’s blocky and mustard colored and called The Thing…
Must be clobberin’ time.
No, it’s the price, and the abysmal range. Somehow VW thought they could sell a 70K Minivan that could only deliver 110 miles/charge.
For half that I can get a lightly used Pacifica, that will haul more people, and drive across the country in half the time. It was pure arrogance on VWs part and frankly I find the whole thing insulting.
Okay, now that I’ve read the whole article, I love the design and think there is a definite space for this in the market and would go a long way to embracing the VW folks.
I think that a cheaper, range-extended IDBuzz in the short wheelbase could have sold. But that didn’t exist. Tossing the semi-angry eyes for obrounds and nixing the gaping mouth would have helped, too.
My feelings also. Hell the 25k Slate has a better range and sort of out People’s car the People’s car. That said, if I could snag a used Buzz for 20 to 25 I would probably do it. Another 2 years then?
Where are you getting 110 mi? I’ve seen most people saying it’s getting ~200 on the interstate.
The Cars.com for sale listings I looked at before making this comment.
I could see an episode where Patti and Selma buy a winning ticket at the Quik-E-Mart and decide to upgrade their dilapidated original to one of these. Well played indeed.
that’s awesome!
I’m a believe in a proper E-REV as a go-to solution for anyone who has a one-horse stable. The SCOUTs look interesting but not everyone needs an AWD off-road beast. A smallish battery with 80 -miles range and enough of an ICE/generator and fuel tank to go at least another 400 miles or so and you’re golden. I imagine most trips would be all battery that could easily be topped off with 120v overnight.
A smaller, affordable THING with trims that go from simple 2WD for those in the south up to a nice AWD and include trims with enough creature comforts and ride quality to work as both a daily commuter and a road-tripper and I think you’ve got a possible hit.
The convertible top is going to make it a tough sell for some, but I bet VW could find a way to engineer a variant with a hard top for those who don’t want to go around topless.
VW needs someTHING, that’s for sure!
I was proposing a bolt-on hardtop model that would incorporate a hatchback instead of the trunk lid.
I saw a presumably restored lime green Thing street parked in Clayton, NY recently. What a neat little car! Totally on point for that area of New York, too. It’s the summering area for folks who love water with as much or as little human interaction as is desired. A new Thing would fit in perfectly up there. Especially for getting down a muddy cottage path or launching a boat down a slippery ramp.
Clayton NY sounds like… room to live.