MTVW: MTV Helps Volkswagen Launch New Beetle

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.

At the MTV World Stage event in New York, The Black Eyed Peas will perform while on the Berlin MTV World Stage event, Belgian brothers and DJ duo 2manydjs will headline and perform a DJ set at the city’s E-Werk space. The New York performance will be streamed live on (except in the UK), with highlights following on MTV networks around the world.

“The Beetle is an icon of the automotive world, just like MTV is an icon of the music world. In the context of this marketing alliance, we are taking the new Volkswagen directly to customers and fans of the Volkswagen brand – and we are doing it globally,” stated Luca de Meo, Director of Marketing, Volkswagen Group and Volkswagen Brand Passenger Cars, in a press release. “We are certain that the car’s one-of-a-kind styling combined with the latest technology will be very well received by customers.”

VW described what it's calling "The 21st Century Beetle" as "an automotive icon, reinvented. Its exterior reinterprets the silhouette of the famous Volkswagen Beetle, combining stylistic elements borrowed from the original coupled with the latest technology. The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle guarantees drivers a fun and unique driving experience."

VW International also launched BeetleStories.com, a look back at the classic "automotive icon":