One of the most interesting cars of this year’s Detroit Motor Show is, without a doubt, the Volkswagen Beetle Dune Concept. It’s a crossover, funster version of the Beetle, and if the rumors we’re hearing are true, it is more than just a show car.

The Beetle Dune Concept was first conceived as a tribute to the original Dune Concept of the year 2000. That too was a jacked-up, kitted-out Beetle designed for having fun on beaches and what not. It wasn’t a feasible production idea, though. The new one is – at least according to VW officials.

They do have a point, because looking at the Volkswagen Beetle Dune Concept we really don’t see anything out of the ordinary. It is a normal Beetle that is jacked-up a bit, fitted with some fancy sills and bumpers, and some large wheels. It is not even an open-top. Producing such a car for VW is a piece of cake. The question is, will anybody buy it? Are there that many hippies still in existence, and are they rich enough to buy this car, to justify the cost of production.

That is what we will hopefully find out at the Detroit Motor Show. For now, check out the first set of official pictures of the Volkswagen Beetle Dune Concept below. It is based on the R-Line Beetle and features a 210-hp TSI engine, and a tri-tone black, white and yellow interior.