This Bonkers VW Beetle Has Subaru STI Power And It’s For Sale

There are two kinds of Beetlemania. One involves a notable 1960’s rock group, while the other revolves around a rear-engined runabout that’s not remotely fast or nimble, yet makes up for that with biblical levels of charm and character.

That is, except for this particular Beetle which is insanely fast. And yes, it’s for sale on eBay.

 

 

What we have here is a 1965 Volkswagen Beetle, which came from the factory with a 1,200cc air-cooled engine that was rated at approximately 36 horsepower. According to the auction it was originally built for German markets, but found its way to the United States where it was purchased in 2004 and modified. A lot. As in seriously stripped and rebuilt with a single purpose in life – to be flipping awesome.

Don’t believe us? Check out the build video below showing the process from start to finish. Spoiler alert – the contents include a completely updated suspension, big brakes, a powercoated frame, roll cage, all to help the Beetle deal with a tweaked 2.5-liter EJ25 turbocharged four-pot ripped from a Subaru WRX STI. We have no idea how much power it makes, but even a bone-stock STI mill is good for 300 ponies – almost ten times the bug's original horsepower. The only thing missing from this car is a red cape with a gigantic S on it.

 

 

 

As far as custom cars go, this one has it all. Not only does the work appear to be top notch, the build was meticulously documented from start to finish. We love that it still retains a fairly stock appearance on the outside, though the fat rear wheels and slightly raised engine cover or the optional whale tail wing do suggest something crazy is going on beneath the Beetle’s bodywork. The project was completed in 2013, and though we don’t know why the seller is parting ways with it, we suspect this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime finds for which standard rules do not apply.

---

---

As of this posting on August 3, bidding on eBay is at a reserve-not-met price of $16,700 with 54 bids already logged. With over four days still to go, the sky is the limit on this bonkers Beetle. Anyone care to guess just how high the bidding will go? 

Source: eBay

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motor1.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The Motor1.com Team