Volkswagen Unveils Beetle Dune Concept At The 2014 NAIAS

With the world premiere of the Beetle Dune at the NAIAS 2014 in Detroit, USA, Volkswagen is giving the public the chance to see a Beetle with a cool off-road look. The Dune concept shows the potential for a new production version of the sportiest Beetle ever. The iconic basic design and Bi-Xenon round headlights were preserved, but the front end’s dynamic has been changed by the adoption of a new hood, which has a raised center section flanked by prominent air vents, which have a honeycomb appearance with a central chrome strip. The front apron, which has also been redesigned, features a large central air intake, a typical design feature of the Volkswagen Cross models. The intake widens towards its bottom edge, highlighting the front end’s sporty look: the black honeycomb screen has a chrome-plated surround that morphs into the underbody protection.

OneShift Editorial Team

14 Jan 2014

The interior has been revamped, with two particular areas of attention. First the dashboard which is painted in the "Arizona' exterior color, does not have the classic Beetle bin on the passenger side. It has been replaced by another classic original Beetle feature, a grab handle that features contrasting black soft-touch material with Arizona and aluminium accents.

Second, the entire infotainment system incorporates a digital interface with a high-resolution 7.7 inch touch screen. An AMOLED display is used to render extremely fine detail. The seat design is sophisticated and sporty. The outer surfaces of the front sport seats and the two rear seats are upholstered in “Titan Black” leather, while the center surfaces are made of “Ceramique” colored “Gobi” breathable sport fabric. The leather and fabric areas and the front and rear of the head restraints have decorative stitching in the “Arizona” color.

The Dune uses the running gear from the Beetle R-Line. Under the hood, there is a 210 hp turbocharged and direct-injection TSI 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine. Combined with a 6-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Beetle Dune has a manufacturer estimated fuel economy rating of 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. It retains the Beetle's front-wheel-drive layout and strut-type front suspension and multilink rear arrangement.

Take a closer look at the Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept in our gallery.

Credits: Oneshift News Team