The 2000s were a golden era for custom cars and modification, and the key touchpoints of that age can all be found within this Beetle: the billet wheels, the digi dials, the PlayStation 2 and the TVs in the seatbacks, it all speaks of an era when Max Power was ebbing away and Pimp My Ride was striding forward and challenging perceptions. And this Beetle is no retro throwback, it is in fact an authentic 2000s-era build; an incredibly high-end one, that’s had an enormous amount of money spent on getting it absolutely tip-top, ready to wow the show scene as well as being hugely entertaining to drive.

What’s particularly interesting to note is that the restoration and customisation work was carried out across 2008-2009, yet the car has driven only a hundred miles or so since. (Bizarrely, it was built as a birthday present for someone who didn’t really want it, so it was just tucked away in storage.) The work was carried out by DC Customs in the West Midlands, involving a full repaint, oversize fibreglass rear wings, one-piece windows, pre-’67 lights, a modified fuel tank with a central bonnet filler, and a smooth dash with a suite of digital gauges. The engine is a 1641 on twin Webers, the car’s lowered on GAZ suspension with a narrowed front beam, and there’s £3000-worth of billet wheels.

The car has recently been recommissioned, with around £1800 spent on new fuel lines, rebuilt lights, new tyres, new electronic ignition, plus a service and a fresh MOT – so this old-school hero is ready to enjoy!

 

The exterior is beautifully presented, with the rich blue paint beautifully complementing the Beetle’s curvaceous lines. There’s no corrosion evident, and every panel is straight and true. The rear wings have been replaced with oversized fibreglass items to better accommodate the supremely stylish 17” wheels; these rims cost around £3000, with each one being machined from a single aluminium billet, and they’ve just been treated to a new set of tyres. The front and rear lights are pre-’67 style, and there are stainless bumpers and running boards along with one-piece windows and Mexican seals. The only notable blemish we can find is a very small area of crazing to the centre of the bonnet toward its lower edge, most likely caused by it being slammed down.

 The interior is highly impressive, having been tastefully retrimmed to a high standard in two-tone leather. There are new carpets throughout and an Alcantara headliner. The seats are Porsche tombstones with 7” Alpine LCD monitors mounted in the seatbacks, the rear bench is a custom item with moulded headrests and centre armrest, and there’s a PlayStation 2 mounted beneath the rear seats. A Kenwood CD head unit runs through 13cm front speakers and rear 6x9s. The steering wheel is a small-diameter Mountney item with a remote control for the stereo; the dash has been smoothed and fitted with digital dials, and the shifter is an EMPI trigger. In the front boot, the fuel tank has been colour-coded to match the body, its filler extended through the centre of the bonnet.
 

The engine has been replaced with a VW Heritage RemTec 1641, which wears twin 34mm Weber carbs and all sorts of show-worthy tinware; there’s a dyno printout clocking it at 69bhp. Having recently been recommissioned and serviced, it runs like a dream, firing on the first twist of the key, idling sweetly even when cold, and pulling keenly through the revs. The stainless hideaway exhaust system makes some delightful noises, and the car is fun to hustle thanks to its slick short-shift and Airkewld disc brakes all around, which really inspire confidence. The Beetle’s been lowered on GAZ adjustable suspension, with a narrowed front beam, and it rides very well indeed – not harsh or jarring, just planted like a well set-up Bug should be. It’s just as delightful to drive as it is to look at.
 

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