For all those Porsche haters out there who say the 911 is nothing more than a hotted-up Beetle, this news is for you. The VW enthusiasts at VWvortex were lucky enough to get early access to the new 2012 Beetle for a little visual tuning and came up with the machine pictured.
The upgraded Beetle clearly draws inspiration from the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, including the hot-right-now bright orange 20-inch alloys and matching decals with the words Beetle RS, just like on the Porsche. The look is finished with some blacked-out chrome detailing.
There’s not much in terms of mechanical upgrades except a 14″ brake discs package from Brembo. Apparently VWvortex will be waiting for the new Beetle to begin rolling off the production line before it starts tweaking the engine. But once it does, mods like a turbocharger upgrade, new exhaust and even a locking diff are planned. To cap off the Beetle/911 look a full size GT3 RS-style rear wing is also expected. Continue reading “Porsche GT3 styling gets blended into new VW Beetle” »
VW has just pulled the covers off its Golf R Cabriolet concept and its set to give the fans exactly what they want. Designed to demonstrate the “inexhaustible potential of the Golf,” the concept is very similar to the Golf R hatch and stands out with an aggressive front fascia, aerodynamic side skirts and a center-mounted dual exhaust system. Other treats include a sport-tuned suspension, high-performance 17-inch brakes and 19-inch alloy wheels.
Extensive details and specs haven’t been disclosed yet but the Polo will be powered by a 1.6-litre TSI engine that develops around 221kW of power. The engine will be mated to a sequential transmission and VW has confirmed that it will use an all-wheel-drive system. The Polo R WRC will also be equipped with direct injection and turbocharging, as stipulated by FIA’s World Rally Championship regulations.
This next-generation 2012 VW Beetle, has now dropped the word ‘new’ from its name and comes out 73 years after the launch of the original Beetle in 1938.
Now, a decade on, VW is positioned very strongly and is trying out the concept again at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. This time around it’s called the Volkswagen Bulli, and like its 2001 predecessor, is designed to look and function like the brand’s famous Kombi. This Geneva concept is powered by an 84kW electric motor drawing charge from a lithium-ion battery pack. When fully charged, the Bulli has a theoretical range of around 300km before needing recharging. When a top up is required, VW says the Bulli can be fully charged in less than an hour.
hydraulic drive that can be raised or lowered in just 9.5 seconds at speeds up to 30 km/h. It’s a two-door but can seat four and has similar styling to the current Mk6 Golf but it features a unique rear section, lower profile roof line and more swept-back angle of its front windscreen frame.