DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Volkswagen Beetle Dune Concept teased
Sketches of a new concept hint at a sporty, rugged Baja Bug variantA sketch of Volkswagen’s new Beetle concept has surfaced ahead of its official unveiling at the 2014 Detroit motor show next week.
Dubbed the Volkswagen Beetle Dune Concept, the aggressively styled Beetle is be the sportiest version of the car yet, whose lineage dates back to 1938.
To achieve the assertive styling, Volkswagen has taken the existing Beetle and raised ground clearance by 50mm, while fitting off-road tyres, metal scuff plates and a few other design tweaks.
To be packaged with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and the same 155kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine found in the Golf GTI Mk6, the Beetle Dune Concept should be plenty fast.
However, the "can do" styling (complete with skis mounted to the roof) and its capable engine belie the front-wheel driven Beetle Dune. We can't help but feel cruising the beaches or snow slopes in an all-wheel driven Bug would have been much cooler.
It's not the first 'Dune' concept Volkswagen has toyed with either. In 2000 the German car maker introduced a yellow New Beetle Dune (second image) that never got past the prototype stage.
It remains to be seen whether the new 2014 Dune concept will be met with the same fate.
Look for an official reveal from Volkswagen during the 2014 Detroit motor show next week.
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