With a three-city launch today at the press preview for the New York Auto Show, at the Shanghai Auto Show and at Volkswagen's global HQ in Berlin, VW revealed its highly anticipated new Beetle. 

Today's unveiling, marking only the second redesign of the vehicle in its 73-year history (who could forget the 1989, more feminine bud vase version?) The 2012 Beetle is sportier, fuel-efficient and more "masculine" in design, although VW's US vice president of marketing, Tim Ellis, prefers to position it as "gender-neutral."

"We’re not about to abandon a very strong base, our female segment," he told brandchannel at today's New York press event. "The idea here is to broaden the appeal of the car, not to switch focus ... with the Super Bowl, let’s face it, football is more masculine, but on the other hand, a lot of women watch the Super Bowl — it’s very disproportionate for sporting events, it has a large female viewership. So we want to still leverage the joyfulness, the energy and the vitality behind the car, but with a more masculine expression."Continue reading...

BMW and Mercedes outpace rivals in China, as Shanghai auto show opens and a new report shows the most popular brands in China are predominately foreign. Ford's China JV execs mull own brand, while Volkswagen reveals the new Beetle at events in Shanghai, New York and Berlin today. The Volkswagen Group also saw record first quarter sales as China deliveries boom.

VH1 woos female viewers with new programming, while siblings BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nick, and Spike remain holdouts on Time Warner Cable's iPad app due to Viacom lawsuit, although Cablevision's iPad app gets only grumbles.

Toyota resumes production at all Japan plants for first time since tsunami, as its Lexus brand slips behind rivals in the US. TEPCO also laid out a plan for shutting down nuclear reactor.Continue reading...

ABC cancels legendary US daytime dramas All My Children and One Life to Live.

Airbnb offers country rental with Liechtenstein offer for $70K. 

American Apparel founder Dov Charney, profiled in NYT, says he refuses to be pushed aside.

Applebee's sued by parents of child served alcoholic beverage.

Best Buy expands Buy Back program.

CBS accused of greenwashing.Continue reading...

President Obama unveils US budget plan to trim deficit, with $4 trillion in cuts over 12 years, keeping Medicare and Medicaid, and curbs on charity write-offs. The 2012 race in mind, Barack and Michelle Obama also plan to appear on Oprah's May 2nd show.

Apple's iPhone 5 said to be coming this summer, while do-not-track tool added to new Safari browser. Sony, meanwhile, lands top spot for consumer electronics in latest Harris Poll.

Barry Bonds found guilty of osbtruction of justice.

LeBron James bumps Kobe Bryant for the bestselling NBA jersey, as Bryant accused of anti-gay slur.

BP cleanup funds come under scrutiny.Continue reading...

Not many other restaurant startups have benefited from the kind of advance hype that is attending the launch of LYFE, a healthier-eating quick-serve restaurant that is slated to open soon in Palo Alto, Calif.

But then, not every fast-food startup promises to eschew fryers and white flour completely ... is led by former McDonald's executives ... and boasts a tie to the Midas touch of Oprah Winfrey.Continue reading...

After teasing the 2012 Beetle on Oprah's year-end giveaway and then with a Super Bowl spot (and memorable YouTube interactive), Volkwagen announced April 18th as the global reveal for the next generation Beetle.

The event will be simulcast online from three cities on three continents (New York, Shanghai and Berlin) in partnership with MTV, in a musical kick-off aimed at the under-40 crowd.Continue reading...

Japan assesses damage from the quake and tsunami as officials battle the continued threat from destruction at nuclear plants, US. nuclear-energy interests ponder the ramifications for America, the Nikkei falls and the central bank of Japan promises liquidity to help the economy, and Japanese auto plants remain closed.

General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt also vows help for Japanese dealing with reactor woes, as GE designed 23 U.S. nuclear reactors similar to the troubled ones in Japan.

Amazon is pressured by states wanting it to collect sales taxes.

Apple chalks up strong sales for iPad 2, seeing 70% first-time buyers.

Bank of America is the latest WikiLeaks target.

BP dispute over Russian JV intensifies.Continue reading...

The King's Speech won four Oscars including Best Picture at the Academy Awards last night, unseating early favorite The Social Network; click here for more coverage.

Apple's iPad 2 rumored to come in white as design guru Jony Ive may return to the UK.

Audi counts on accelerated sales in the US.

Baseball Hall of Famer Duke Snider dies.

Berkshire Hathaway is looking for “more major acquisitions,” Warren Buffett says.

Blackstone wins bidding for U.S. assets of Centro for $9.4 billion.Continue reading...