#VwBeetleR

Volkswagen has begun development on its wildest bug ever: the Beetle R. 

Looking a bit like a junior DTM car,  Volkswagen today showed off the “Concept” Volkswagen Beetle R, the same car that made its world debut a few months ago in  Frankfurt – and it looks just as production ready today as it did then.

Auto shows are known for their wild and wacky concept cars, and while a high-horsepower turbocharged AWD Volkswagen Beetle might sound like the stuff concepts are made from, the Beetle R unveiled today at the Frankfurt Auto Show looks production ready.

The latest rumors are that a Beetle R version will bow at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September of this year, and this will feature the engine from the Golf R. That means it will have an output of nearly 270-hp from a 2.0-liter turbocharged unit. The current engines available in the Beetle include the 2.5-liter five-cylinder motor producing 170-hp and the 2.0-liter turbo, four-cylinder that produces 200-hp.

Now that Volkswagen has unveiled the upcoming 2012 Beetle to the general public, it’s exciting to hear that the German automaker will also be bringing a Beetle R version, as well as a Beetle convertible to America. The convertible version will be available next year while Volkswagen hasn’t confirmed when the Beetle R will arrive.