By the time the New Beetle was introduced in 1998, the 2.0 had already spent several years as the base engine in the Golf, Jetta, and GTI. Even then, the 2.0 wasn't remarkably different than the 1.8 liter it replaced, and that engine in turn traced it's roots all the way back to the original 1975 VW Rabbit. The 2.0 was built to be cheap, reliable, efficient, and clean. Speed was not a priority, hence the nickname “Two Point Slow.” During it's time powering the New Beetle, the 2.0 underwent several changes, nearly all to improve emissions. Probably the most important was the conversion to EPC (Electronic Power Control AKA drive by wire.)