VW showcases sportier Beetle R

Volkswagen unveiled a sportier version of its new Beetle, the Beetle R concept, at the Frankfurt motor show. Although it’s still in concept form, this hints that VW might add an extra model to its high-performance ‘R’ sub-brand in the future.

The Beetle R Concept, which VW calls its ‘sportiest Beetle ever’, features customised front and rear sections and rides on 20-inch alloy wheels. Although official performance figures haven’t been revealed by VW, the Wolfsburg manufacturer says it would be reasonable to expect similar power to the Golf R (266bhp) and Scirocco R (261bhp).

The concept car is painted in what VW refers to as ‘serious grey’ and has bigger alloys than the R versions of the Golf and Scirocco. It boasts flared wheel arches and redesigned front and rear bumpers that are 30mm wider than the conventional Beetle.

The front bumper, which is designed as a motorsport-inspired splitter, features three air intakes – the middle one that channels air to the engine and the outer two that cool the brakes. The bonnet has air vents for extra ventilation.

The rear end has an integrated rear diffuser and a rear spoiler that is larger than the production Beetle, as well as two sets of dual-chrome tailpipes.

The car is finished in a grey and black-gloss colour scheme. The interior features black Nappa leather sports seats, brushed aluminium pedal caps, upgraded door sill plates and an instrument cluster that’s specifically styled for the R models.

In the current global line-up, the sportiest Volkswagen Beetle is the 2.0 TSI, offering 197bhp. Will its mantle ever be taken over by the Beetle R Concept? Well, a 'hot' Beetle would fit in with VW's bid to make the new version of the famous car appeal to a masculine audience.