Volkswagen might not be done just yet with the Beetle. Next week at the Detroit Auto Show, the folk from Wolfsburg will wheel-out a Beetle crossover/SUV called the ‘Beetle Dune’.
This should not be confused with the identically-named five-cylinder model from the previous generation which appeared at Motor Shows back in 2000.
Nope, the latest Volkswagen Beetle Dune we’ll see next week is based on the current generation Beetle and word on the street is the show car is actually very close to production-ready. And in the Volkswagen world this means we’re seeing a car which will hit the assemble lines soon – possibly as early as next year for Northern hemisphere markets.
Under the bonnet is Volkswagen’s popular turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine driving through six-speed automatic transmission.
The Volkswagen Beetle Dune rides on suspension which is 5.0cms higher than standard and large off-road 19-inch alloy wheels. Volkswagen says the off-road Beetle is also wider than the regular version.
Underneath is the full kit of off-road kit – protection plates, underbody protection, running boards etc. Again this suggests the car in Detroit is more than just a whimsical display vehicle.
