ABT Volkswagen Beetle 2012

Say hello to the 2012 edition of Herbie!

Of course this one is the creation of German Volkswagen tuner ABT and they call it the Speedle, but the inspirations are taken from the good ol’ Herbie. With a unique body kit and that paint job on the top, it certainly is a head-turner. Probably not in a good way, but still!

The front spoiler, rear skirt insert, rear skirt set with rear muffler and oval exhaust pipes, or even the side skirts underline the classic bodywork of the Beetle. With the front and rear headlight brows the car looks pleasant, fresh and sharp.

And it’s not just the looks either. ABT has an extensive engine tuning program. These levels are realistic, based on the experience of the Development Department at ABT: with the 1.2 TSI the series standard 105 HP (77 kW) will be increased to around 140 HP (103 kW), while with the 1.4 TSI (series standard: 160 HP/118 kW) around 210 HP (154 kW) can be expected. “The two-litre turbo VW offers 200 HP or 147 kW, and we expect that the ABT version will provide 230/240 HP”, says Hans-J?rgen Abt. The diesel versions of the Beetle will be economically-conscious Speedles: the 1.6 litre diesel engine will provide 125 HP (92 kW) instead of 105 HP (77 kW), and the 2.0 TDI will have 170 HP or 125 kW (series standard: 140 HP/103 kW).

The official debut of the car is set for a major motor show later this year.