It was 2005 when Volkswagen pulled the plug on the Lupo, replacing it with the Fox which, in turn, was retired by the Up!.
Nowadays, you can pick one up in decent running condition for as low as a few hundred bucks (well, euros, to be precise) and use it like it was always intended to. But as much as you’d like, you cannot buy this silver example, for two good reasons: first, it’s not for sale, and second, you’ll have to fork out way more than the budget for tires on a family car if it were.
Also Read: VW Lupo GTI: The Forgotten Successor Of The Original Golf GTI
Modified by a Dutch company named Van Vught Tuning, the old A-segment hatchback has been known in the world of drag racing for a few years now, thanks to its immense output. On a normal day, this is a 10-second car, but when everything works in its favor, the time drops to the 9-second zone. It’s said to have a jaw-dropping 700+ horsepower available on tap and numerous other upgrades, and was taken to the Santa Pod Raceway a few weeks ago to cause mayhem.
However, as impressive as this Lupo’s performance may be, it pales next to yet another example that attended the same drag racing event. That one is hardly a Lupo anymore, but a true hot rod. And like every self-respecting hot rod out there, it has enough power to chew through its tires in a matter of seconds: 1,800 hp, obtained via a dual-engine setup, apparently.
You can check that one out here, after seeing what its less powerful sibling can do down below.