VW Beetle Dune goes on sale in UK from £21,300
Volkswagen's rugged new Dune version of the Beetle is available to order from 5th April, in hatch and cabrio form.
After it debuted at the LA Motor Show late last year, UK order books will open for VW's Beetle Dune on 5th April. It's priced from £21,300, with a choice of one petrol and one diesel engine.
Although not a true 'dune buggy' and more of a lifestyle crossover design, the Beetle Dune has been designed primarily for the American market and to hark back to the original 'Baja Bugs'. But VW is still offering both versions to Brit buyers.
Available as a coupe or convertible (from £24,255), the Dune gets chunky retro wheelarch extensions to widen the body by 14mm, while a wider track also features (7mm front, 6mm rear). It's also 10mm further from the ground to give it a touch of off-road style.
The slightly elevated ride also brings with it sportier front and rear bumpers, 18-inch alloy wheels and bespoke Sandstorm Yellow metallic paintwork with 'Dune' side decals (four other colours are available). Despite the rugged look and jacked-up suspension, four-wheel drive isn't an option.
The entry level version is a 1.2-litre TSI petrol with 104bhp and a choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG auto, based on the Beetle's existing Design spec. That means it gets a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, and DAB radio, auto lights and wipers and parking sensors front and rear. Sports seats with contrast stitching and new badging complete the interior look.
The other engine choice is a 148bhp 2.0 TDI with a six-speed manual or optional six-speed DSG automatic 'box, from £23,805. That engine emits as little as 118g/km of CO2 and claims 62.8mpg combined, while the petrol emits 126g/km and claims 51.4mpg.
We previously drove a near production-ready concept version of the Beetle Dune in the US, which gave us a good idea of what to expect from the finished product.
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