VW Beetle R Concept revealed

Volkswagen has revealed a performance version of the new Beetle, with the VW Beetle R Concept bowing in at Frankfurt.

We did speculate back in June that Volkswagen were planning on giving the new VW Beetle some butch credentials by endowing it with a new performance range-topper – the VW Beetle R. And today at Frankfurt the new hot Beetle takes a bow.

VW are dubbing the Beetle R Concept, but it’s clear that they want the new Beetle to be perceived as more appealing to men as well as women; to those who enjoy the drive as well as to those who buy a car to make a style declaration.

So the Beetle gets endowed with the same R lump we find in the Golf R and Scirocco R, although VW aren’t saying exactly what output the engine will get in a Beetle R. But it should mean somewhere around 265bhp, unless VW decide the Beetle R should make do with a bit less poke than its performance siblings.

The Beetle R comes with a ‘Serious Grey’ paint job, 20″ Talladega wheels and blue ‘R Design’ brake callipers. Interestingly, that’s a bigger et of alloys than either the Golf or Scirocco.

Butchness is a must, so the Beetle R gets new bumpers – 300mm wider than on the standard Beetle – and big air vents in the front. The front spoiler is designed as a flat splitter and there are vents on both sides of the bonnet.

The back bumper also gets air slots and a diffuser integrated in to the new bumper and there’s a bigger spoiler too. There’s also a set of twin, chromed exhaust pipes.

inside there’s a set of nappa leather-clad motorsport shell seats complete with the required ‘R’ logos and seat piping in Space Blue. The trim is trendy gloss black and there’s a set of ‘R’ instruments with a big rev counter in the middle. The sill plates get ‘R’ logos and the pedals are brushed aluminium.

VW may dub the Beetle R a concept, but you wouldn’t be far off if you expected a production Beetle R in 2012.