(static/tail end of an eyecatch)

(fade into commercial, black and white.  It is a VW dealership, as it would
have looked in 1950, complete with salesmen in suits and split window beetles.

A small group of people, about seven, in tee-shirts and jeans walk in.  Three
are female, four male, four human, three obviously youkai.  One of the women
talks to one of the salesmen, and money changes hands.

She walks back, positions herself at the front bumper, bends her knees and
gets a good grip on it.  The others grab the car by various parts, and with a
little strain pick it up and carry it forward.

After about twelve steps a wipe shifts everything to color, and a modern VW
dealership.)

Voice Over:	Some things are worth going back for.

(the group sets down the car, which isn't the same one that they picked up,
although only a VW afficianado is likely to notice.)

VO:		Introducing the 1996 Volkswagen Beetle Neon.

		A new Beetle for a new generation.

(beginning of some boring commercial/static)

(excerpt from "Dune Buggies and Hot VWs", June 1995)

[picture of red Beetle Neon]

	We got to drive one of the new Beetle Neons, finally!

	They actually live up to all of the hype about them.  They are, in all
the ways that one notices on the first blush, exactly like the '50
Split-window Beetle they are styled after, with sticky vinyl seats, German
felt-type carpeting, and a four speed transmission.

	Looking at the instruments it takes a moment to realize the importance
of the most startling aspect of the Neon -- there is no gas gauge.

[picture of instruments, though the steering wheel]

	There is no gas gauge because, as you've doubtless already heard, the
BN utilizes a DKG-built motor.  This motor, according to the data we've been
given, will run, at full output, for a hundred thousand years before it will
need to be recharged.

	The motor has an limiter built in, which keeps the motor below
15,000 RPM, and the car ships with the accelerator cable adjusted to only allow
it to reach 10,000 RPM.

[picture of motor]

	The most astounding thing, at least to me, is that most of the parts
are fully interchangable with old beetle parts.

	The new DKG parts, including the motors, will be available on the
aftermarket within six weeks, sources say.

	How does the Beetle Neon perform?  We took our sample out on the road,
and drove around LA for a while, then took it up to San Francisco, and it
handled as nicely as any car I've ever driven.  The DKG motor and transmission
were remarkably quiet, and even put up with such remarkably stupid things as
starting in third gear without any complaints.

[picture of Beetle with Coit Tower in background]

	After that we took it to our local race-track, and did a few laps.
The speedo, which goes only to a hundred and fifty mile per hour, was quickly
buried.  

	After adjusting the accelerator cable to allow the full 15,000 RPM the
radar gun clocked our driver at two hundred and ten, a speed at which, the
driver says, there was a slight shimmy.

[Beetle on track]

	In these days of increasing compromise to protect our environment, it
is a wonderful feeling to find that the most environmentally sound vehicle on
the market is also, unequivicably, the most attractive.

	VW says that the Beetle Neon will sell for about $20,000.

	DKG's price lists have BN motors for $1,200, BN brake rotors for $90,
and full BN suspension kits for $3,000

	DKG's low-volume sales number is 1-800-867-5309, and they will take
orders for one to five hundred parts, or provide the high-volume number if
they cannot fill the order. 

---
log:
2000:		plotting
2000/Sept/22:	format decision, written