SEMA show would have been empty without a couple of custom Beetles. So here’s some, courtesy of different American and European tuners. It’s a mixed bunch, with one car offering up to 500 horsepower, the other built for beach fun, and even one that thinks it’s a low rider.
The 500-hp Beetle is done by VWvortex, and features an APR turbocharger, large intercoolers, high flow injectors, new headers, new ECU map, new exhausts, and… To tame this overpowered Bug, the tuner has fitted it with all-wheel-drive, big brake, and H&R coilover suspension. Visually, some blue foil and 19-inch wheels do the trick.
Then there’s the Beach Battle Cruiser, featuring an FMS Automotive body kit, a roof rack with a surf board on it, and — we didn’t see this one coming — a deployable shower! Performance-wise, it gets a larger Revo Technik turbocharger, software upgrade, and intake and exhaust system, making 400 horsepower.
Galpin Auto Sports’ Chopped Beetle is another interesting car in the lineup. It has a custom chopped roof; lowered 5.5-inches at the A-pillar and 2.5-inches at the B-pillar, and wrapped in Onyx black with red accenting. Porsche-style retro wheels and vintage-style black leather surfaces with red contrast stitching for the interior are among the other features.
FMS Automotive will also display a tastefully restored 1956 Beetle with upgraded performance powertrain, four wheel drilled disk brakes, full leather interior as well as modernized exterior styling, plus a modified 2012 Beetle featuring a custom two-tone tribute paint design. The show car’s presence is enhanced with H&R springs, Rostra LED lights, and an in-house custom fabricated dual sport exhaust.