VW gives us a butchier Beetle
The Beetle Dune trim line harkens back to the old baja bugs of yore, but don't put on your sand goggles just yet.
When Volkswagen flew me out to Las Vegas to drive the 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Dune, I had high hopes. I learned to drive in a sand rail buggy with an air-cooled engine, I've traveled up and down the baja peninsula in a 1969 air-cooled baja bug, and I currently race a two-seater 1600cc air-cooled race car in desert endurance races.
Could a new dune buggy from Volkswagen, based on the current front-engine Beetle, measure up to those past examples?
Alas, my off-road dreams were not to be realized. While the Dune is a fine special edition and a great way to keep the Beetle fresh in consumers' minds, it was never meant to be a real dune buggy, despite the name.
Go big or go home
There are a few nods to the baja bugs of yore, like a slightly wider stance and ride height. And when I mean slight I mean hardly enough to make a functional difference, though the proportions do make it look a bit more aggressive.
Other off-road inspirational touches include a large central air intake that widens toward the bottom, a lighting package with bi-xenon headlamps and LED daytime running lights, and a rear diffuser that acts as a skid plate. I just wouldn't trust those skid plates to deflect anything besides small road debris. And while we didn't get a chance to sample the Dune at night, I doubt those headlamps would cut through a dark desert night, bi-xenon or no.
And don't even get me started on the 18-inch aluminum wheels. They look pretty, but wouldn't make it five miles through the rocks of the desert before bending, breaking the bead on your tire.
You can see a few similarities between the new Beetle Dune and the class 11 race car of Desert Dingo in the background.
Still, once you get past the fact that the Dune was never met for any kind of off-road travel past a graded dirt road, it's a pretty zippy car to drive. The 1.8-liter turbocharged engine spools up quickly and offers up 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.
The only transmission option is a six-speed automatic with a shiftable sport mode. No paddle shifters in sight though; all gear changes are done on the stick. Leaving the transmission to itself results in fairly quick shifts, and it pushes into a higher gear as soon as possible, all in the name of better fuel economy. Shifting yourself means you can eke out every last drop of power, but be warned that it will shift for you should you let the rpms go too high or too low.
EPA fuel ratings are 25 mpg in the city, 34 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg combined. My afternoon in the car netted 27.3 mpg over 200 miles or so, much of that on snowy mountain roads.
From desert sand to mountain snow
Yes, it can snow outside of Las Vegas. Our drive took us up Mt. Charleston to about 8,000 feet in elevation. Mother Nature had dumped 4 inches of snow, but the road had been plowed and sanded. Still, it's easy to find ice at higher elevations and the Continental Pro-Contact all-season tires found their grip quite easily. Keeping the car in second gear mitigated downhill speed.
An unexpected snow storm puts the Beetle Dune in a strange environment.
The colder temperatures made the seat warmers a welcome addition. Dual-zone automatic climate control would also have been welcome, but that is only available with the technology package.
The Dune comes standard with a 6.3-inch touchscreen that allows for swiping and pinch-zooming. Bluetooth and USB connectivity are also present, as well as a rearview camera, and a parking sensor.
You'll also find Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink. Just connect your phone with the proper USB cable and the system will display a car-appropriate version of your phone's home screen on the car's infotainment system.
The Dune will be available in sandstorm yellow, pure white or deep black pearl. The Sandstorm Yellow vehicles feature body color interior trim, which adds a nice pop of brightness to the harder plastic surfaces. Contrasting piping on the sport seats is also a nice touch.
The 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Dune Coupe will go on sale in the Spring, starting at $23,995. The convertible will go on sale later in the year.
Sure, I was hoping for a more off-road worthy Beetle, but that's not going to be profitable for Volkswagen. Adding another trim line keeps the Beetle fresh in the automotive world and the slightly more aggressive stance should appeal to those think the classic VW is too feminine.
Just keep it on the pavement, folks.
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