Unlike old soldiers, good project cars don't fade away. They are simply reinvented. Boston Acoustics' New Beetle was one of the first such cars to be sold in the United States, and it made its first rounds on the industry show circuit before even the turn of the century. Its introductory run was ended by a fit of vandalism at the last of its show stops-but now it's back.
To give the overall package a radically different look-it used to be painted like Herbie, then in Boston Acoustics' company colors-the exterior was first on the list of revisions. A complete Caractere body kit from Landspeed USA was hung from its factory metal, comprised of new bumper covers, hatch wing, roof wing and side skirts. Then the car was coated in a brilliant skin of three-stage Lamborghini Giallo Orion Metallic, an O.E. color currently employed by the Italian exotic manufacturer.
As an early production model equipped with VW's lackluster 2.0-liter mill, the Bug sorely needed comprehensive performance upgrades to bring its street capabilities up to par with its thundering stereo. Neuspeed's supercharger kit was installed, along with the company's P-Flow intake, re-calibrated P-Chip and Energy Suspension urethane motor mounts.
The suspension was also upgraded using Neuspeed goods, namely Neuspeed race springs, Koni adjustable shocks and larger front and rear Neuspeed anti-sway bars. Energy Suspension front bushings have also been used to replace the flexible stock rubber. Striking 19-in. BBS wheels reside in the fender wells. At 8 in. wide front and rear, these deep dishes are strung with Yokohama AVS Sport rubber and cage enlarged Stoptech brake assemblies in the front, along with Axxis metallic brake pads and Neuspeed braided stainless-steel lines.
Within the cockpit, gray vinyl and carbon fiber accents abound. The stock steering wheel, shift knob and pedals were swapped for Momo accessories, while the front seats were replaced with Sparco Torino buckets.
Naturally, the stereo is this project's centerpiece. It's a state-of-the-art 5.1 Dolby Digital/DTS/Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound system that likely outshines most home systems. The car's electrical system has been upgraded to supply the needed spark, with all-new Monster Cable battery and ground wiring and a Bosch 120-amp alternator in place of the 90-amp factory unit. Drop-in Boston Acoustics Pro60 speakers were, well, dropped into the O.E. component locations in the doors and Neo3R ambient tweeters in the A-pillars, while a custom rear deck houses BA SL80 rear surround speakers, which were relocated for improved performance. An attractive sub enclosure rests where the back seat used to be. It houses four 10-in. BA subs, and behind it a one-piece mounting rack accommodates dual BA amplifiers.
All this equipment is controlled by an Alpine DVA-7990 source unit that resides below a 7-in. widescreen Rosen monitor placed in the center dash. The monitor's location dictated that the climate controls be relocated to a lower position on the dash. The passenger-side handle bar has been modified to support the Alpine surround sound controller-a very cool and innovative addition-and a custom panel was fabricated to support BA's SL80 center channel speaker. In the rear cargo area, behind the amp rack, there's a lone GT22 amp to power the center speaker, as well as the processor unit for the Alpine surround sound. Monster Cable M Series connectors, wiring and cables were used throughout.