Skip to main content

Ratty Rescue: Not-So-Super Beetle

With Volkswagen’s recent semi-announcement of the death of the Beetle, we’re having our first-ever Beetle Week at VWVortex. The Bug is an automotive icon, and we want to give it the attention it rightly deserves. Today’s Ratty Rescue is the pinnacle of New Beetle performance in the United States, so if you’re looking for a peppy project car, this one could be for you.

Now we know what you’re thinking “A New Beetle!? As an enthusiast’s car? You can’t be serious.” Yes, we’re serious. The media heaped praise on the little car when it was introduced in 1998, especially for its lively handling and fun-to-drive demeanor.

While it was never a sports car, it was sporty. And in 2003 with some parts-bin sharing, the little Bug went from cute to seriously quick with the introduction of the New Beetle Turbo S. The Turbo S is the first VW product to feature the 180HP 1.8T engine (vs. the 150HP 1.8T). The S speeds to 60MPH in a respectable 7.4 seconds. Power flows to the front wheels through a standard 6-speed manual transmission. It’s the only transmission available on the S.

To complement the added power, the Turbo S sports a number of visual enhancements: revised front and rear fascia’s, 17″ inch “Delta X” wheels, and like the GTI, the car is only available in four colors: silver, platinum grey, black, and red. Inside the S takes inspiration from the MK1 Audi TT with genuine aluminum accents with a ‘dimple’ pattern on the steering wheel spokes, shift knob, and glove box latch. And all Turbo S’s have nicely bolstered sport seats covered in two-tone leather with silver stitching.

This Ratty Rescue is actually not too ratty. Well, from what we can see in the four photos. The fog lights are missing. The clearcoat has seen better days. The headlights need a good polishing. And the front and rear emblems have faded (a common problem on these cars). Sadly, there are no interior photos. And with only 93,000 miles, there’s plenty of life left in this little car.

If you’re looking for a fun and uncommon project car, this could be the one for you. This 2003 Turbo S is located in Portland Oregon at Volkswagen of Salem. Current asking price is $2000. If you’re interested, don’t wait: the “Wholesale” banner on the first photo makes us think it won’t be on the dealership’s lot for long.

The post Ratty Rescue: Not-So-Super Beetle appeared first on VWVortex.



from VWVortex http://ift.tt/2tWQOEO
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Saying Goodbye to the CC V6

For all its size and its global reach, Volkswagen is still, in many ways, a deeply human company. There was, for instance, the Bugatti Veyron an ego project if ever there was one. Then the purchase of Ducati, a move most called folly. And then there was the Phaeton, the Volkswagen that most folks can’t afford. Not only were these moves all strange, I’m sure that they made VW’s accountants furious. None of them made good business sense, but they were all deeply interesting and they all are evidence of the heart that beats at the center of VW. Among these follies is the CC, a car that everyone agrees is rakishly handsome, but that no one really wanted to buy. The car couldn’t last, but the world is brighter for its having been in it. With the approach debut of the Arteon, it seems like a good time to look back on its sadly departing predecessor. The version I drove, because I live in Canada, is a V6 Wolfsburg Edition, which apparently isn’t available in the States. Nor is the V6, not as...
Post a Comment
Read more

Waterfest Moves to Atco Dragway

Waterfest 24 will be held at Atco Dragway, in Atco, New Jersey. The summer event will take place at its new venue on July 21 and 22. Long held in Englishtown, New Jersey, the festival has been such a large part of the VW scene that the latest iteration of the Golf even comes with optional “Englishtown” wheels . The new venue, however, is an NHRA drag track a scant 52 miles southwest of Englishtown. The ¼ mile drag track opened in 1960, which makes it the oldest drag strip in New Jersey. The announcement came today on a social media post that announced the new location. Waterfest is North America’s largest VW/Audi show. As many 20,000 people show up for the annual show, making the second largest show in the world—with Worthersee being number one. 2018 will be Waterfest’s 24 th year in existence. The post Waterfest Moves to Atco Dragway appeared first on VWVortex . from VWVortex http://ift.tt/2GQjkuc via IFTTT
Post a Comment
Read more

European Passat GTE launches as Saloon and Variant

Volkswagen continues e-motoring offensive with plug-in hybrid Passat GTE delivers 218 PS and travels up to 50 kilometres on all-electric power First Volkswagen plug-in hybrid in the high-volume segment of large family cars The Volkswagen continues to electrify! Following the Golf GTE*, comes the next high-volume model with a plug-in drive system: this time the German carmaker is electrifying the new Passat GTE. Its launch marks the debut of a new generation of business and family cars – zero-emission vehicle and long-distance touring car all in one. A Volkswagen that combines the present and the future. A car that boasts not only one of the most progressive drive systems of our time, but also an array of innovative assistance and infotainment systems that is ground-breaking in the segment of large family cars. With superb system output of 160 kW / 218 PS, frugal NEDC consumption of just 1.6 l/100 km and 12.2 kWh/100 km (Variant: 12.4 kWh) and an all-electric range of up to 50 k...
Post a Comment
Read more