Much like the special edition Super Beetle released last year, the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR is a throwback to the 1973 vehicle of the same name. Short for Gelb Schwarzer Rennr, or yellow/black racer, the original hopped up VW Bug was much like today’s GSR—loud, quick, and attention getting.
Limited to 3,500 editions worldwide, you might not see one of these very often. But when you do, you will spot it from a mile away. Offered only with a Saturn Yellow paint job with black accents, the car looks like a real-life Hot Wheels toy. Accents might be a misleading term because there is a lot of contrasting on this car: black roof, hatch, side mirrors, door striping, racing stripes on the hood and body, and more. There is also a large “GSR” decal on the bottom of the doors.
Color notwithstanding, the Beetle retains all the visually pleasing aspects of the 2011 redesign with the R-Line performance styling. There’s the lower, more muscular profile, a big spoiler on the back, and intricate bi-xenon headlamps with a curvy strip of LED running lights, with smoked housings and covers for the low beams that look like eyelids. The GSR gets large polished “Tornado” split-spoke alloy wheels as well.
The inside is a little tamer, but there are still some reminders that you’re not in a regular Beetle. A trio of gauges sit atop the dashboard (oil temperature, analog clock, and boost pressure), GSR badge on the glovebox door, black/yellow leather seating surfaces, contrast stitching, and carbon fibre style trim. At the base of the steering wheel there’s a little metal badge indicating in what order your particular special-edition model rolled off the assembly line: the press car was number 187/3500. The Beetle is a four seater. There is loads of room in the back, and during a short road trip all my passengers (driver included) were happily comfortable.
Let’s get to the real meat of the story: the powertrain. A 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, 210-horsepower TSI engine drives the GSR, combined with, on my tester, the six-speed automatic Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) with Tiptronic. A six-speed manual is also available. Being a turbocharged vehicle, a hint of lag is detectable before the car rumbles its way from 0-60 in less than seven seconds. Torque produced is 207 lb-ft at a low 1,700 rpm, which explains its quickness.
Having two gear sets and clutches helps the DSG handle shifting duties smoothly and without problems. Every tug of the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters produces an immediate and predictable response. At the end of the day though, the Beetle is still on the heavier side at 3,056 pounds, which is felt when you toss it into the corners at higher speeds.
I’ve heard that Volkswagen’s TSI (Turbocharged Stratified Injection) engines were fuel efficient, and my week in the GSR proved that—averaging 23.5 mpg in combined city and highway conditions.
The MSRP of the GSR starts at $30,815, and goes up to $31,915 if you opt for the dual-clutch automatic transmission. That’s an awful lot to pay for a modern Beetle, considering the regular version is more than 10 grand less. But if you’re feeling nostalgic, in the mood for something funky, and like to be in exclusive company, then this might be the Bug for you.
MSRP: $30,815
Motor: 2.0-liter, four cylinder TSI
Horsepower: 210 @ 5,300 rpm
Torque (lb-ft): 207 @ 1,700 rpm
Gearbox: six-speed automatic DSG
Layout: front engine, front-wheel drive
Fuel economy: 23.5 mpg combined (observed)
Seats: four
