The new beetle will have a flatter roof, a less round shape, narrowed windows and a sharp crease along the side. The built-in flower vase on the dashboard is gone.
It's the first overhaul since 1998 when Volkswagen came up with the new Beetle.
The company says the goal is to triple U.S. car and truck sales over the next decade. Officials hope these changes appeal to more buyers, especially men.
The design is based not on the New Beetle but on the original Beetle, which was created in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. It came to the U.S. after World War II and became a counterculture favorite because of its low cost and unusual look.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
