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VW Beetle GRC Is Herbie's RallyCross Brother

Back in February, Andretti Autosport and the German manufacturer took the wraps off an all-wheel drive Beetle packing "560-plus horsepower." However, the race ready machine is slightly different stylistic-wise than the car presented a few months back.
Volkswagen Beetle GRC 4 photos
Photo: VW
Volkswagen Beetle GRCVolkswagen Beetle GRCVolkswagen Beetle GRC
Until now, Top Gear USA co-host Tanner Foust and Scott Speed competed for Andretti in the 2014 season of the Red Bull Global Rallycross series with two highly modified Polos. But both drivers will switch rides with the Beetle GRC starting with the Washington round, slated to take place on June 22th at the RFK Stadium.

So what does this evil-looking Herbie have under its rough-and-ready bodyshell? Contain your excitement 'cause you're gonna love what you hear next: it's a peppy 1.6-liter four-pot TSI turbocharged mill that packs a whopping 544 ponies. Coupled to a sequential six-speed tranny and a fixed-ratio all-wheel-drive system, Andretti predicts the naught to 60 mph sprint is dealt with in a mind boggling 2.1 seconds.

Quite possibly the ultimate expression of the third-gen VW Beetle, the car uses strut-type suspension with ZF dampers and about 9.1 inches of travel on all four corners. 17-inch wheels shod with Yokohama competition rubber and performance brakes with four-piston aluminum calipers are other hardware highlights. Aside from the ginormous rear wing, exterior modifications also include widebody fenders and an aggressive front fascia design.

"After Volkswagen of America's impressive start on the rallycross scene with the Polo, the launch of the new Beetle GRC rallycross car represents the next major milestone,"
declared Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport director. Tanner Foust added: "I can't wait to race the #34 Rockstar Energy Drink Beetle. There's no cooler looking car in the series."
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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