By Miles Downard
If I said the word Beetle most people would think about a little insect, those of the motoring-persuasion would think of the VW Beetle like Herbie from those awful movies of that spanned decades from the 60s. That car is likely the world’s most successful example of motorised transport having been in production for over 60 years throughout which more than 21 million were made.
But perhaps even more impressive is a Beetle capable of 330km/h. Granted it’s not the original one, but VW’s more recent recreation that’s based on the Golf platform. Regardless, 330km/h is eye watering quick. So here’s how and where they did it.
Sporting VW’s EA888 four cylinder motor (the same one that comes in production versions) and a bunch of specialists at THR Manufacturing gave the 2.0-litre power plant a new turbocharger, pistons, camshafts and connecting rods to up power and keep the thing from melting. The result is 407kW and 570 torques. To give some perspective that’s almost as much as a Ferrari 458.
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Then VW themselves got hold of the rest of the car, lowering the suspension, fitting better wheels and tyres, and stripping out the interior and filling it with bits of scaffolding in the hopes of protecting the poor soul who was to drive this thing.
That brave man is Preston Lerner in whose hands the VW clocked 330km/h on the salt flats of Bonneville, in Utah making it comfortably the quickest Beetle in human history, even outstripping old Herbie.
“Exceeding 200 miles per hour in the Beetle LSR was a serious thrill,” said Lerner afterwards.
“We had enough power to go even faster if the salt hadn’t been so sketchy. But seeing 208 miles per hour briefly on the digital readout was an experience I’ll never forget.”
I think that’s a pretty safe assumption, Mr Lerner.
