VWvortex Present the First Tuned 2012 Bug: the Beetle RS Project - Stage I

It’s only been a few months since the Volkswagen Beetle got its big global reveal on three continents, and some tuners have gotten ahold of it and have decided to mess with our heads by making it look a bit like a Porsche GT3 RS.

We’re talking about VWvortex, who have turned a regular 2012 Bug into what they call the Beetle RS Project - Stage I. Despite sounding like a turbocharger kit, this is actually a purely cosmetic project. Why? Because the team could only get their hands on a preproduction autoshow car.

Basically, it’s only good at looking hot: no registration, no plates, no airbags. It can’t be driven so there’s no point in making it go fast.

The second reason is that this is a rush-job, due to the fact that they only had 2.5 weeks to finish it before VW shows it to its dealers this week to give them an idea of what the tuning world can do with the 2012 Beetle.

With the clock ticking, VWvortex grabbed the idea of a GT3 RS Beetle. The first stop was the Porsche’s huge VMR710 20" x 9" wheels with a 35 offset, finished in orange and wrapped in Continental ExtremeContact DW 245-35ZR20 tires.

The next step was fitting a set of H&R standard Golf/GTI 6 suspension setup that bolted straight onto the 2012 Beetle. The guys at VWvortex here really in uncharted waters, but they were surprised to discover that most of the underbody looked identical to the Golf. Without hesitation, they tried fitting a Borla exhaust and found no alterations were needed to make it fit with the exception of a slight extension needed because the Beetle is slightly longer at the back.