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2000 Volkswagen Beetle RSi: Fast Car History Lesson

The forgotten, super rare six-pot Super Bug

2000 Volkswagen Beetle RSI Fast Car History Lesson
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At the turn of the century, the automotive trend du jour was retro.

BMW brought back the Mini, Holden revived the Monaro and VW introduced the New Beetle. Unlike the ground-breaking original, Beetle 2.0 was utterly conventional, based on the engines and chassis of a humble Golf.

2000 Volkswagen Beetle RSI Rear Jpg
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Nonetheless, it worked, buyers lining up for a literal dose of flower power (there was a flower on the dash – yes, really!). Still, with its cutesy, Noddy-like proportions, the New Beetle was about as masculine as a Twilight movie marathon. In an effort to butch up the Bug’s image, VW created the RSi.

Just what RSi stood for is unclear; and despite the whale-tail wing, 18-inch multispoke wheels, flared guards and front air dam, it wasn’t that good looking, the end result being a bit Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Left-hand drive only, just 251 were built, a 250-unit production run plus the initial concept, all in silver except No. 002 which was blue and built for VW overlord Ferdinand Piech.

2000 Volkswagen Beetle RSI Blue Front Jpg
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Under the bonnet sat VW’s narrow-angle 3.2-litre V6, feeding 165kW/317Nm to all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. This drivetrain would reappear following the RSi’s demise in the form of the Golf R32. Giving the Bug the bark to match its bite was a Remus exhaust, while the suspension received an overhaul in an effort to sharpen the standard Beetle’s soggy handling.

It worked, to a point. Despite the RSi’s LHD-only status, VW Australia was so smitten it imported two Ultra Bugs for “promotional purposes”. One was entered into Targa Tasmania (and crashed into a bus stop) while the other was converted to RHD, made appearances at motor shows and in various motoring media, including this magazine.

2000 Volkswagen Beetle RSI Interior Jpg
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The drivetrain was great, with a torquey, snarling six and sweet manual ’box, while the Recaros cuddled you tighter than a new parent. Shame, then, about the brittle ride and insistent understeer. Oh, and the AUD$125K price tag!

Butch Stylin'

2000 Volkswagen Beetle RSI Side Profile Bodykit Jpg
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Bodykit was taken from the one-make Beetle Cup racer and thus actually provided functional downforce; as for the fate of the two Aussie RSis, one was bought by a dealer and the other sold into a private collection.

2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE RSi SPECS
Engine: 3189cc V6, DOHC, 24v
Power: 165kW @ 6200rpm
Torque: 317Nm @ 3000rpm
0-100km/h: 7.98sec (tested June 2002)
Price: $125,000 (new)

Scott Newman
Contributor

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