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Volkswagen Beetle GSR

The Volkswagen Beetle GSR is a limited edition Beetle that might become a collector's item someday.

In the late 1930s Germany needed a people carrier an affordable car for the masses if you will. Thus the Volkswagen Beetle which was officially called the Volkswagen Type 1 was born. It went on to sell 21 million units and became the most manufactured car of all time that was designed on a single platform. Later models of the Beetle were designated as the VW 1200, 1300, 1500, 1302 or 1303. The later two were improved versions of the Beetle which purists give mixed reviews.

Volkswagen is now offering the Beetle GSR, which is reminiscent of the 1970s era of the limited run 1303 S. Volkswagen claim that the new GSR is designed solely with dynamics in mind. Unlike most VWs the GSR will have a limited production of 3,500 units and will have its world premier at the Chicago Auto Show on the 7th of February.

The new Beetle GSR pays homage to its predecessor with its yellow/black paint scheme. Unlike its ancestor the front bonnet is no longer fully black and the roof that was once yellow is now black. Personally, the new GSR racing stripes layouts on the bonnet and on the side sills of the car seem more appealing than its predecessors setup. The 15-inch steel wheels of yesteryear are gone instead they have been replaced with “Tornado” 19-inch alloys wrapped with 235/40 tyres.

The interior of the GSR follows the same colour scheme as the body, yellow stitching can be seen on the leather wrapped sports steering wheel and fabric covered R-Line racing track sports seats. Thankfully the dashboard doesn’t follow the same design as the conventional “New Beetle”. Instead it has an “ R-Line dash pad” which is considered a designer panel for the dashboard. Other kit include a R-Line logo with a limited edition badge on the steering wheel, GSR gear stick, leather handbrake lever and black floor mats adorned with yellow embroidery.

The engine is a turbocharged unit producing 210 PS that’s able to take the GSR to 100 km/h in just 7.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 229 km/h. Volkswagen boasts that the torque of the GSR is more impressive than its pure road performance. It’s rated at 280 Nm and available from 1,700 rpm to 5,200 rpm. Despite having these figures, the VW GSR will still manage to return 7.3l/100 km, which is impressive for a performance vehicle. Transmission options include a 6-Speed manual and a 6-speed automatic (DSG) unit.

Though the GSR will have a limited production run, it will be available worldwide and VW expects it to become a collector’s item, as was its predecessor the 1303 S.