The 2012 SEMA Auto Show is underway in glitzy Las Vegas and now is our chance to see often times mundane vehicles become brightly colored powerhouses.  The iconic VW Beetle is no exception and this years show brings one of the most powerful (and tasteful) we’ve come across.  Appropriately named the “Super Beetle,” this matte blue bug produces a whopping 500hp from 4 turbocharged cylinders.  Some might be able to recall the Beetle RSi model from the early millennium which lends its now-conservative power figures to a 3.2 liter V6, but this Super Beetle produces massive power while staying true to its small-displacement origins.  In addition, the car features an AWD system pulled from the Golf R.  All in all, to achieve these power ratings the VWvortex team used a 2013 Beetle Turbo as a base, adding an ECU upgrade, high-flow cylinder head and intake manifold, high-performance intercooler, and an uprated Turbo system.  Transmission and other engine internals are reinforced for the power increase as well.  Japanese Tuner Newing provided a body kit alongside 19-inch rims.  Transforming a Beetle into a bonified sports car is no easy task, but this is one we’d really like to put through its paces.

-Evan W.

Full Story at Left Lane News