Assassin Bug: This Volkswagen Beetle Is A Wild Handful Down The Track At Route 66 Raceway!


Assassin Bug: This Volkswagen Beetle Is A Wild Handful Down The Track At Route 66 Raceway!

When you look at a Volkswagen Beetle…the real one, with a flat four out back, rear drive, and absolutely nothing in common with that Jetta-in-drag late model version…is the first thing that comes to mind a horrible little German car that made noises that sounded like a whistling twitter crossed with a questionable bodily function? Do you picture hippies out in a field somewhere? Or maybe a Mexican taxicab? The Beetle’s impact on the automotive world, and indeed, the world itself, is broad-reaching and storied, but one thing that usually gets left out of most of the storyline is the Beetle’s performance capability. To be fair: the stock versions had absolutely no sporting ability other than being designed to survive on the German autobahns. Double-digit horsepower and skinny little tires took care of the safety aspect. But what can be done with the little air-cooled engines is nothing short of astounding…and more often than not, is done without forced induction.

The 1960 VW you see here is using 2.5 liters of air-cooled anger and if there is a turbo anywhere on this car, we will be very surprised. Anybody knocking the engine based on size needs to understand two points: the car weighs in at maybe three-quarters of a ton max, with fuel and driver, and two and a half liters is more than enough to make a car that light run as if the apocalypse is on it’s back bumper. Check this thing out!


  • Share This
  • Pinterest
  • 0