With its lower roof and more aggressive styling, the 2012 Beetle seems like a more natural candidate for the sport treatment than its bubbly predecessor. German tuner Abt saw this potential, an took the opportunity to come up with a suite of accessories to enhance the new model’s appeal. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the exterior graphics package might not be to everyone’s liking. But some of the available hardware should appeal to anyone that enjoys enthusiastic driving.
On the outside, the Abt Beetle features headlight “eyelids,” taillight covers and a rear license plate surround (apparently for the long, skinny Euro-style plates. To add additional styling flair, Abt offers a graphics package that includes carbon-look vinyl, and a red surround around the the side windows. Abt also offers an optional rear decklid spoiler.
For those more interested in performance than appearance, Abt offers an ECU upgrade that nets 40 more horsepower for the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, bringing the total to 240 hp. In addition to the engine software tuning, Abt offers a dual-outlet sport exhaust, and a suspension package designed to improve handling. Buyers can choose wheel sizes between 18 and 20 inches. To complement the new rolling stock, as well as improve braking performance, the Abt braking package includes new black-painted calipers with the company’s logo.
