Volkswagen has given its New Beetle the Arnold
Schwarzenegger treatment, transforming the previously mild-mannered fun car into a musclebound giant-killer it calls the Beetle RSi. It has shoe-horned an engine with almost double the standard
car's power under the cheefully curved bonnet and given the body a serious makeover.
To ensure the 3.2-litre V6 gets its power to the ground, VW has hooked the engine up to an
all-wheel-drive system and fitted a six-speed gearbox.
The interesting news is that this is not a fantasy car, and VW sources confirm that the company will be
producing the RSi in limited numbers. Price is expected to be similar to that of the Audi TT quattro.
The RSi is expected to be on sale by the end of 2001, making it a stand-out top-of-the-range model for
the Beetle range.
It is yet a further illustration of the Volkswagen policy of having its different brands - which include Audi,
VW, Seat and Skoda, to name a few - compete head-on in the market, rather than splitting the market up into convenient, non-competing sectors.
Thus we have the Beetle RSi lined up against the Audi TT quattro, in much the same way as the Passat in its various forms throws down a challenge to the Audi A4, and which, model for model, it generally
undercuts in price.
Acceleration of the RSi from rest to 100km/h (62 mph) is claimed to be about 6.4 seconds, giving it
sufficient performance to be at least a serious rival for the four-cylinder, turbocharged Audi TT quattro, which is based on the same platform.
Volkswagen has given its New Beetle the Arnold
Schwarzenegger treatment, transforming the previously mild-mannered fun car into a musclebound giant-killer it calls the Beetle RSi.