There are plenty of reasons to buy a Volkswagen Beetle — it’s round, it’s cheap, it’s good on gas, and it even comes with a little flower vase on the dash. Wait, they don’t do that anymore? No matter, because Volkswagen just gave you one more reason to love the Bug — or perhaps two.
Starting Thursday, Volkswagen is auctioning off a limited-edition pink Beetle for breast cancer awareness. Officially dubbed #PinkBeetle, the vehicle first appeared at the 2015 New York Auto Show and features fuchsia metallic paint and a color-coordinated interior. If the look wasn’t enough to make the car stand out, the #PinkBeetle is actually the first factory-offered vehicle named after its own hashtag.
To help take the fight to breast cancer, VW is partnering with The Pink Agenda, which has raised nearly $2 million for cancer research thus far. The brand is also linking with TV personality Giuliana Rancic’s Fab-U-Wish initiative, which is similar to the Make-a-Wish Foundation but tailored specifically toward women undergoing cancer treatment.
“The timing of the launch of #PinkBeetle makes it a natural tie-in to support the fight against breast cancer,” said Vinay Shahani, senior vice president for marketing at VW of America. “We are proud to team with The Pink Agenda, FAB-U-WISH, and Giuliana Rancic for this cause. Volkswagen is committed to being an active member of the communities where we sell and service products; we hope that auctioning the #PinkBeetle will not only raise awareness for the cause, but also provide much-needed funds to help find a cure.”
The auction’s winner will be the very first to own the #PinkBeetle, but they’ll also get the chance to fly to New York City to attend the Pink Agenda’s Aannual gala. Bids will be accepted at charitybuzz.com/vwpinkbeetle from September 1-22.
If the auction passes you by, fear not because the #PinkBeetle will undergo a limited production run as a 2017 model. The Bug will be offered in both coupe and convertible forms when it goes on sale in October.