This Volkswagen Is A 500hp Skyline-Powered Super Bug

I doubt you’re likely to find a vehicle that’s more universally loved than Volksawgen’s classic Beetle. It’s been the star of movies, the centerpiece of just about all automotive nic nac and memorabilia and the cause of a few bruised arms on long road trips as kids played Punch Buggy (no returns!).

There’s been 21,500,000 Beetles built over the years, making them the longest running and most manufactured single platform ever and while there’s been single make race series, drag cars and everything in between based off the Bug, I don’t know that anyone ever successfully matured the VW in to a bonafide performance car.

English fabricator and performance enthusiast Matt Dennett didn’t manage to either, but that’s not to say that he didn’t build a pretty sweet Beetle.

Full disclosure, I’m entirely comfortable knowing nothing about VWs but I am fairly familiar with the Nissan RB engine that he’s stuffed into his 1972 Beetle, and let’s be honest, that’s the coolest thing about the car.

We should also probably point out now that the only thing ‘VW Beetle’ about the car is the shell. The chassis underneath is a BMW E36 - Matt’s drift car that he unified to the body of his first ever car in the form of the Volksy.

The engine is an RB25 that’s been built with forged internals. Thanks to the usual bolt-ons (intake and turbo) the combo makes in the vicinity of 500rwhp, while the car itself only tips the scales at around 1000kg.

The story behind the build, including Matt’s commitment to doing everything himself, has been captured by the team at Motor Addicts. Check it out below.