The Limited-Edition 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR Is a Car Bumblebee Would Love

2014 Beetle GSR

The new, limited-edition 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR debuted at the Chicago Auto Show with a distinctive yellow and black paint scheme that is sure to make Bumblebee jealous. With a production run of just 3500 units worldwide, this sporty version of the Beetle harkens back to the GSR (Gelb Schwarzer Renner or “Yellow Black Racer”) introduced forty years ago.

The GSR marks the  debut of the new EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder TSI engine which generates 210 horsepower. You’ll also see this engine on the Jetta GLI and Beetle Turbo for the 2013 model year and it’ll give them an additional 10 horsepower.

Drawing on the original yellow and black stylings of the 1970’s version, the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR features the same fun colors but with a modern update in their application. The body and bumpers are yellow with a hood that’s primarily black as are the trunk lid, roof and mirror caps. It also features “GSR” lettering over the side skirts and a big rear spoiler .

There’s a wider stance thanks to 19-inch Tornado aluminum-alloy wheels and 235/40 tires. A bit of a change over the original GSR’s 15-inch steel wheels and 175- section tires. The brake calipers are also painted black to finish the look.

Inside the theme continues with black sports seats and a black leather steering wheel with bright yellow contrast stitching. There’s also a GSR shift lever, a leather handbrake lever, and black floormats with contrasting yellow embroidery. A special badge on the steering wheel is also marked with the vehicle’s edition number.

The engine boasts 210 horsepower with 207 pound-feet of torque and can go 0 to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds for a top track speed of 130 mph. It comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission or a dual-clutch DSG six-speed automatic transmission as an option.

Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. When not drooling over cars, Nicole writes for Wired’s GeekMom.