VW Beetle GRC rallycross edition makes public debut with 544 hp

Volkswagen has unveiled its finalized Beetle GRC race car, which is now ready to run in the Red Bull Global Rallycross championship.

The car resembles a third-generation Beetle, however it has been built from the ground up as a GRC car with a sequential six-speed transmission and fixed-ratio all-wheel-drive system.

The rally build is powered by a lower-displacement engine than its street counterpart, squeezing 544 horsepower out of VW’s 1.6-liter four-cylinder TSI engine. Output is slightly below the initial estimate of 560 ponies, but still provides enough power to bring the car up to 60 mph from a standstill in an estimated 2.1 seconds.

Other modifications include new strut suspension all around, providing 9.1 inches of travel for the off-road portions of the course, along with an outsize rear wing and an aggressive front fascia.

The car is being operated by the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team, clad in No. 34 Rockstar Energy Drink livery with Tanner Foust and Scott Speed behind the wheel.

“There’s no cooler looking car in the series,” Foust claims.