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VW Beetle Dune concept revealed

The Beetle Dune boasts a 5cm suspension lift and off-road styling tweaks compared to the production Beetle coupe.

The first images of Volkswagen’s new Beetle Dune concept have appeared online, ahead of its public unveiling in Detroit this week.

Teased in a single sketch last week, the Beetle Dune boasts a 5cm suspension lift and off-road styling tweaks compared to the production Beetle coupe, harking back to the previous Dune concept shown at the 2000 Los Angeles motor show.

The interior has been given the Dune treatment too, with black and yellow trim, an enlarged touchscreen interface, extra gauges atop the dash and a new dash-mounted grab handle for front seat passengers.

Unlike the earlier concept, Volkswagen admits that the new Dune “is a lot more feasible ... potential for a new production version of the sportiest Beetle".

“The Beetle Dune is very much based on the current production model”, Volkwagen says.

Despite its off-road pretence, the Dune uses a front-wheel drive layout, with the 155kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four from the limited-edition Beetle R-Line sold overseas, backed by a six-speed DSG dual-clutch auto.