Undeniably, when Herbie — a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle — emerged as a serious contender in racing competitions, at least in films, we all fell in love with him. Having a mind of his own and is capable of driving himself, Herbie has established itself as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, besting other cars that most will consider race-worthy.
Well, fans of the Love Bug will be happy to know that Volkswagen has unveiled a truly wicked racing Beetle — and genuine this time.
The Beetle GRC rallycross car will be Tanner Foust and Scott Speed’s steed in the Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship. The 1.6-liter turbo four has been cranked to a baffling 544 hp, all of which gets to the ground via a six-speed sequential gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system.
A custom suspension with 9.1 inches of travel and massive brakes should help the car contend with the rigors of the rallycross course. Volkswagen also threw some fancy bodywork at the car, including the obvious rear wing and the more aggressive front fascia.
We guess the next question is — will we be seeing this version here on our local roads?