Automotive dreams don’t often come true, but it looks like Volkswagen might be about to buck that trend by building the Dune concept it showed off in Detroit earlier this year. If it does so, it’ll definitely put a massive smile on the face of every VW lover on the planet.
According to Jalopnik, the German car giant has had a working model of the car driving around the town of Sylt and is making some pretty promising noises about taking the Dune from concept to fully functional road car.
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Here’s what VW currently has to say about the Dune:
It’s now made a reappearance on the road in sunny Sylt, Germany, and while it remains a concept car, everything about it is feasible – it is practically a production vehicle.
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This Volkswagen was made for fun on any terrain: the body has been raised by 50 mm compared with a standard Beetle, while 19-inch wheels with large tyres lend an all-terrain look. A rear-mounted ski-rack is reminiscent of those fitted to classic Beetles, and makes a perfect accessory for the season. In the summer, it could hold a sandboard – the ideal accessory for surfing the sand dunes from which the Beetle Dune takes its name.
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The Beetle Dune concept is based on the current production model, using the same 210 PS turbocharged petrol engine and six-speed DSG gearbox, providing power to the front wheels.
The fact that the concept is based on the existing Beetle means that it should be pretty easy to get it up and running. It also means that a rumored launch at the Los Angeles Auto Show isn’t all that implausible.
One thing’s for sure though: if it really does launch we’ll be among those queuing up to throw it around a convenient patch of dirt.
