In late 1972, Volkswagen introduced a ‘performance’ version of the Beetle called the GSR. Unlike the Mitsubishi moniker that you may be more familiar with, GSR here stood for ‘Gelb Schwarzer Renner’ – or ‘yellow-black racer’, which is how they were delivered. Output from the 1.6-liter flat-four was a meager 50 horsepower, but the GSR did get styled steel wheels and sport seats.
Fast forward to 2014, and Volkswagen decided to reintroduce the GSR. The R-Line name meant that it was the turbocharged variant, so performance was quite a bit more impressive than the original. The GSR was equipped with a 210-horsepower FSI motor, sport suspension, 19″ wheels, leather upholstery, special trim, a rear spoiler, xenon headlights, a sunroof, and a few special trim pieces to help you stand out.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR R-Line on eBay
Year: 2014
Model: Beetle GSR R-Line
VIN: 3VW4T7AT4EM616926
Engine: 2.0 liter turbocharged inline-4
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 69,000 mi
Location: San Diego, California
Price: $22,995 Buy It Now
Description
2014 Volkswagen Beetle Coupe Turbo GSR
** Yellow On Black Leather Interior **
** Heated Seats **
** Manual Transmission **
** Premium Fender Sound **
** Panoramic Roof / Black Racing Stripes **
** Rare Car!! Fresh Service Completed!! **
All in all, the GSR is a pretty cool package. This one looks to be in good shape with relatively moderate mileage. Would I pay a premium for the Beetle over a GTI? Probably not. To me, a 4-Door GTI makes a lot more sense than a shouty Beetle. But, the GSR was limited to around 3,500 units – so I wouldn’t be hugely surprised to see these become more collectable in the future.
-Carter
These new turbo beetles are fun, but I will always remember my mother’s stories about how much she absolutely hated the beetle her parents bought her back in the 1960s.