Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept edging towards production

The Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept, revealed at the Detroit Motor Show in January as a high-riding modern take on a Beetle Buggy, looks to be heading for production.

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Back at the Detroit Motor Show in January, the Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept arrived as the perfect accessory for an outdoor lifestyle – especially if you’re in Southern California.

Riding higher than a regular Beetle, with big wheels and a rack on the back for surf boards, sand boards or skis, the Beetle Dune Concept looked very close to a production car.

Now, with Summer upon us, Volkswagen has released some new photos of the Dune concept frolicking around sunny locations in Germany and pointing firmly towards a production version.

VW are at pains to point out that the Dune Concept is based on the current production Beetle, complete with the same 210 PS petrol engine and DSG gearbox, 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds, a top speed of 141 mph and an electronic XDS differential lock as standard.

What seems to make the Beetle Dune an almost production certainty – apart from VW pushing the concept out again six months after its debut – is the statement it made when the concept arrived:

What is certain is that a production version of the Beetle Dune – a cross version of the Volkswagen icon – is conceivable. A car outside of the mainstream that makes people happy when they see it.

Sounds like a car with a cult following, and it is.

The only shame is that it doesn’t – at least in concept guise – come with VW’s 4MOTION 4WD.