You used to see Beetles in rallycross all the time, especially back in the sports European heyday of the seventies. Rip off the wings, tweak the engine and fit some chunky tyres and then go and mix it in the mud with Escorts and Minis.
This one's a bit different. For a start, this Beetle is a works effort, being jointly run by Volkswagen USA and Andretti Racing, the eponymous team owned and run by Michael 'Son Of Mario' Andretti. Secondly, this is no tweaked up 1300 used-to-belong-to-someone's-mum Beetle. This is a proper racer with a direct injection TSI turbo engine developing more than 560hp.
The series it's running in isn't some weekend clubman event either, but a massive series sponsored by Red Bull that is currently claimed to be the fastest growing form of motorsport in the US. Hardly surprising with a bunch of 550hp+ cars tackling a closed course that's a mix of tarmac and dirt with, wait for it, a 70-foot jump as well. How could this be any less than fantastically entertaining?
The Rockstar Energy drink-sponsored Beetle will also have celebrity on its side as one of the drivers will be Tanner Foust, 2011 and 2012 Global Rallycross Champ and probably best known as a presenter of the US version of Top Gear. Whatever else happens, he'll be quick and brave - he's already driven a real car through a full-size Hot Wheels loop track... The team's other driver will be former Torro Rosso F1 driver Scott Speed whose car will be sponsored by 7Up.
"Red Bull Global Rallycross is the perfect form of motor sports for a youthful, exuberant, and growing brand in the U.S. market," said Michael Horn, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. "We're excited to partner with Andretti Autosport, one of the great names in American motor sports, and delighted that we will be running the iconic Beetle in the series."
Michael Andretti, CEO of Andretti Autosport, added: "I'm thrilled to be entering the series, and especially happy about teaming with Volkswagen. We are excited about our driver line-up of Tanner Foust and Scott Speed; I believe we have the best drivers in the series and will be a top contender."
Anything else?
The Red Bull Global Rallycross series opens in May. The Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team will attend with a pair of Polo cars driven by Foust and Speed. The definitive GRC Beetle will appear at the X Games in June in Austin, Texas.