Volkswagen announced on Thursday it would stop producing its Beetle compact car globally in 2019 as the automaker prepares for a leap toward a future of mass-market electric cars. The VW Beetle and the VW minibus became symbols of the small-is-beautiful esthetic of many in the post-war baby boom and the crescent shaped car was revived with the "New Beetle" of the late 1990s, which featured a built-in flower vase. More recently the car's U.S. sales have suffered along with most other small cars. U.S. consumers looking for a small Volkswagen vehicle overwhelmingly prefer the Jetta sedan, or a Tiguan compact sport utility vehicle. The company said two special models will be part of the final lineup — Final Edition SE and Final Edition SEL — in the U.S. and would offer driver-assistance technology.

Source: CBC News September 13, 2018 19:50 UTC