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Bertie the Beetle Will be the Welsh Rally’s Fourth VW

On October 27 Sebastien Ogier, fresh off his championship winning performance in Spain, will be in Wales fighting to get his team, Volkswagen Motorsport, the manufacturer’s title. With him, he’ll have his two teammates, and some moral support from Bertie the Beetle

Bertie is a 1958 Volkswagen Beetle that spent its formative years driving the people of Hereford, UK around as a taxi. Following an accident with a bus it was repaired and then prepared for rally duty by Bill Bengry, a legendary VW specialist, in the early ‘60s.

Bertie the Bettle contesting the 2015 WRGB National Rally 2

It rallied and raced extensively in the day, then was put into storage. In 1990, Bertie got a new lease on life, competing in the Monte Carlo Rally that year.

To mark the 25th anniversary of that adventure, Bob Beales entered the Beetle into last year’s Wales Rally Great Britain and won his class.

“Competing in Wales Rally GB last year was a brilliant experience,” says Beales. “It was very hard on the old car and the weather made it all the tougher – there was lots of aquaplaning. But that’s what makes it such a great event – it’s a monumental challenge.”

Bertie the Bettle contesting the 2015 WRGB National Rally 3

The rally was such a success that they’ve decided to enter again. Beales doesn’t really expect to keep up with the Polo R WRCs, though.

“The technology in those cars is just brilliant, although I’m not sure if I’m man enough to give one a go,” he says. “That said, I actually passed one of the Polos on last November’s event when Jari-Matti Latvala got  stuck in a ditch.”

And he isn’t the only one who remembers it: “I reminded Jari-Matti  about it when I saw him at Goodwood ealier this year, and he remembered seeing Bertie going past—it’s one of those cars you just can’t forget.”

The post Bertie the Beetle Will be the Welsh Rally’s Fourth VW appeared first on VWVortex.



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