What if it is VW’s longest-serving model, Wolfsburg allegedly wants to pull the plug on the Beetle in the next couple of years.

Volkswagen will allegedly kill the iconic nameplate and shift its attention towards development of crossovers and SUVs to capitulate on the increased demand in the segment.

As Autoline reports, the Beetle will not be replaced as “sales are slowing to a trickle and VW needs more CUVs.” The info hasn’t been confirmed by the automaker but, with Beetle slow sales despite attempts to spice it up with special editions like the Dune or Denim, the bean counters might have just convinced the decision makers.

In late 2018, the last units of the chic vehicle are believed to roll off the assembly line, marking the model’s 21st anniversary since the name was revised.

This isn’t the first time we heard about VW letting the Beetle go: last year, another report suggested that, besides the cheeky vehicle, the three-door Polo will be dropped from the lineup too, in an attempt to save around €200 million ($225 million).

Introduced in 2011, the current version of the Beetle didn’t enjoy the popularity of the New Beetle launched in 1998 and it never rose to the splash made by the original Type 1.

Note: VW Beetle Dune pictured

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