VW has once again brought a blast from the past back, this time in the form of the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR.
Don’t remember the 1970s original? Just 3,500 copies of the Gelb-Schwarzer Renner (literally: Yellow Black Racer) gained legendary status among cognoscenti as one of the hottest factory Beetles of all time.
For 2014, another 3,500 are on their way to dealers worldwide as part of the reborn GSR project, a stepping stone for VW’s R-Line of performance-oriented cars.
Leaps and bounds
Back in the day, the original Beetle was only capable of 50 horsepower. Flash forward to 2014, and the reconfigured and newly-toned and sculpted Beetle is now the recipient of VW Group’s 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 210 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. A bigger sibling to the new 1.8T engine found in the 2014 Passat and Jetta, it also powers the standard Beetle Turbo lineup.
New technologies are found through the reconfiguration of the cylinder head on this front-driver. Utilizing an internal exhaust header, rather than an externally-mounted header set and combining it with coolant chambers manages to chill the exhaust gasses by 160-degrees for a more dense charge when they hit the turbocharger. The end result is more power and efficiency.
Power gets to the front-driven wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. The entire package is tied together through a MacPherson struts package with lower control arms, coil springs and shocks in front, and a-new-for-2014 multi-link kit with coilovers at the rear that replaces the torsion beam setup from last year. The set is tied together with anti-roll bars at both ends. An electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering system helps the tillerman to point the way.
Stings like a bee
Then there’s that color. Bright lemon yellow, it is a direct throwback to the original. Black accents abound, including a flow-over scheme that starts on the hood, helping to hide the darkened moonroof, over a rear decklid spoiler and finally finishing up on the trunk lid.
Black striping with GSR logos on the side and 19-inch “Tornado” wheels are icing on this R-line based cake.
The GSR package carries over inside as well, with a leather-wrapped and numbered steering wheel, a special GSR shift knob and embroidered sports seats. Subtle yellow stitching is seen throughout and does its best to remind you this is no run-of-the-mill Bug.
Go (not flower) power
As VW continues to attempt to dispel the cutesy image of the (old) New Beetle, the automaker is emphasizing that its latest creation is more like a hot hatch with a retro body.
We found the inline turbocharged four-cylinder offered great acceleration that showed responsiveness throughout the power band. Chilling the exhaust with coolant allows the use of less fuel without resulting in reduced performance.
With turbo ducting now an integral part within the cylinder head, the engine enjoys a lower overall weight, as well. VW claims the design allows for more instantaneous response and horsepower versus the older engine.
Offering a spirited romp through the gears from a standing start, this huffed four-banger turned in an exhilarating performance through the mountain logging roads near the Silverado trail in Napa Valley, California. The gearbox felt like a precision unit found in some of its larger, more expensive German brothers, offering correct shifting without the hunting that seems characteristic of some gearboxes from the Pacific Rim. Very precise. We wish all shifters were this good. Sixth gear felt relaxed even while climbing slight mountain grades.
We found steering at times a bit on the light side, which we got used to as time in the GSR went on. The new suspension configuration offered flat cornering through most turns including some hairy switchbacks that had us questioning the sanity of some of the region’s highway designers. This is a confidence-inspiring chassis, even if it lacks the hard road feel of a more dedicated sporting car.
Leftlane’s bottom line
Volkswagen revisits a respected model from its storied past as an attempt to “butch” up its Beetle range. The 2014 Beetle GSR helps to add a dash of pepper to the R-Line lineup, even if the engine is located at the wrong end of the car (!). But time, and technology continue to move on, and the technology seen in the GSR is definitely top shelf.
We do miss that asthmatic sounding air-cooled wheeze that used to come from the Beetles of old, though.
2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR base price, $30,815.
Photos by Mark Elias.<![CDATA[
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