DETROIT, MI - When Ferdinand Porsche began mulling designs for the Volkswagen Beetle in the 1930s, he probably did not envision a model with its rear end chopped off and replaced with a souped up engine to power mudding tires.
The Baja Beetle, a sand dune-hopping off-roader cut from the mild-mannered German car, and now enjoying cult status, appears to have happened on its own in the 1960s.
Now, things have come nearly full circle, as Volkswagen launches the Beetle Dune, a car it says "successfully captures the iconic spirit of Baja Beetles."
For that spirit, VW points to more rugged wheels and other amenities not previously offered on the third-generation Beetle.
The German automaker says it raised the new Beetle's height 0.4 inches and widened its track 0.6 inches to give it more rugged stance. VW also put a new fitment on the front and rear and gave the modern Beetle pronounced, black wheel arch extensions that flow into the bumpers.
But aesthetics are where any similarities between the Beetle Dune and Baja Bug seem to begin and end. It's hard to imagine doing something like this to the new Beetle Dune:
In any case, we left a voicemail seeking comment from the man often credited with first creating the Baja Bug in 1968, Gary Emory of Parts Obsolete, seeing what he thought of the new car.
Baja Bugs were first created to be a low-cost alternative to dune buggies. With their front and rear fenders and aprons removed, giving them more ground clearance, and with off-road tires and suspension added, the little Baja Bugs are ideal for traipsing up and down sand dunes or splashing through mud. They're typically inexpensive, too.
Pricing has not yet been announced for the 2016 Beetle Dune.
It will be equipped with a 1.8-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. It may not be an off-roader, but that's a huge improvement over the older Baja Bugs, which are lucky to get 50 horsepower.
The Beetle Dune coupe arrives at dealerships in the first quarter of next year, the convertible Beetle Dune follows in the third quarter. It will be available in three exterior colors: Deep Black Pearl, Pure White or Sandstorm Yellow.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook.