Remember VW’s Beetle Dune Concept revealed at this year’s Detroit Auto Show? The German carmaker has decided to release more photos with the study, which is described as having a “near-production design.”
VW says everything about the car is feasible, which practically makes it a production vehicle. With the Beetle Dune study, Volkswagen is “looking much more realistically towards a production vehicle,” which would become the sportiest Beetle ever – always according to the carmaker.
However, the engine mounted on the study is not the most powerful VW has to offer. The turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine produces 207hp (210PS) and is mated to a six-speed DSG transmission. Still, that is good enough for a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 227 km/h (141 mph).
Just like all powerful production Beetles, the front-wheel drive Beetle Dune features a standard electronic XDS differential lock.
Of course, none of the information you have just read is new, but the simple fact that VW has decided to revisit the Beetle Dune study and organize a new photo shoot means that its intentions are serious and that we may see a production model – a cross version of the Beetle – sooner, rather than later.
By Dan Mihalascu
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