Buy This Subaru STI-Powered 1965 Volkswagen Beetle Before We Do
This German-market Bug has been upgraded in every way, including Subaru STI power.
Move over, Herbie. As much as we love the movie car, it has nothing on this one-of-a-kind build currently for sale on eBay. It began life as an ordinary German-spec 1965 Type 1. At some point, it found its way to the US, and into its current owner's hands in 2004. Finally, in 2013, it rolled out of Radium Engineering transformed into a fire breathing monster ready to lay waste to any and all competition.
This may be a bit of an exaggeration but look at the thing. It's been completely rebuilt from the ground up, as you can see from the build video. The original 40 horsepower engine has been replaced by the king of four-cylinder boxers, a turbo Subaru EJ25 from an STI. The wheels are Porsche Fuchs, and the headlights are also by Porsche. The suspension and brakes have also been upgraded to handle many times the car's original horsepower rating from the Subaru engine. Early pictures show a Porsche 911 inspired whale tail rear wing, but later pictures, including the eBay listing, show the car with a traditional Volkswagen engine cover–though partly open at the top, somewhat like the original Fiat 500 Abarth.
Despite its high-tech modern underpinnings, the car is amazingly faithful to its original appearance, if you can forgive its significantly lower ride height than stock. It looks rather plain on the outside which makes it a great sleeper, though its Hoosier drag radials tend to give it away. The inside is similarly spartan, though there is a full roll cage, and the original speedometer has been replaced with a Porsche tachometer, since that's the only gauge that matters when you're racing. Pop open the glove box to reveal a modern looking control panel with numerous buttons and gauges, including the starter. But when you shut the glove box door the original character of the classic interior is intact.
At the time of this writing, the current bid on this car is $7,700 and going up fast. I grew up in the front seat of my mom's 1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle. Herbie the Love Bug was my hero. So you might say I'm a fan, to put it lightly. But Herbie has nothing on this beast. Somebody buy this car before I sell my Jetta Ute, take out a second mortgage, and buy it myself. Please.
