With a little under a month to go before the Volkswagen Beetle’s local launch, Volkswagen has revealed an R-Line styling package overseas. The R-Line pack applies both interior and exterior enhancements, which are meant to add a bit more purpose to the Beetle’s lovable nature.
The R-Line pack adds 18-inch ‘Twister’ alloys (19-inch ‘Tornado’ alloys are a further option), black air inlets, chrome surrounds for the indicators at the front, a diffuser at the back, together with a rear spoiler, wider side panels, body-coloured door mirrors and ‘R’ logos set on the front side panels and door sills.
The R-Line interior trim includes sports seats in ‘Kyalami’ design, (a name we can appreciate here in South Africa), with embossed ‘R’ logos. There is also a leather wrapped sports steering wheel, gear lever boot and handbrake, all decorated with grey stitching and dark trim inlays.
Volkswagen South Africa hasn’t said whether the R-Line package will be available when the new Beetle arrives locally and if so, what the price could be. In Germany the Beetle Sport 1.4 TSI sells for €23 125, with the exterior R-Line package costing €1 305, or €1 675 with the interior package included. This represents a price premium of roughly 5.5 and7.5 percent.
The new Beetle will be launched in South Africa towards mid-October, at which time we’ll bring you our first impressions and full details of local specifications. The engine line-up is expected to include 1.4- and 2.0-litre TSI petrol engines and a 2.0-litre TDI diesel.
