Abt is combining the new Volkswagen Beetle with its performance tuning to come up with what it nicknames a "Speedle" - speed Beetle.

Company boss Hans-Jurgen Abt says the tuning options for the new Beetle remind him of his first car, a Beetle tuned by his own fair hands that had a 90bhp engine implanted from VW Bus.

For the new Beetle, Abt is a little more high tech and tunes the existing engines, offering up to 240bhp from the 2.0-litre turbo motor. The 1.2 TSI unit is uprated to 140bhp and the 1.4 TSI engine gets a boost to 210bhp.

Abt has not forgotten the 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine and it receives an upgrade from 104- to 123bhp, while the 2.0-litre turbodiesel is tuned from 138- to 167bhp.

To deal with the extra power, Abt offers its performance springs for the suspension. Customers can also choose a body kit in the usual Abt style of front spoiler, side skirts, rear bumper and oval exhaust pipes. There are also "eyebrow" inserts for the headlights and 19-inch alloy wheels to Abt's own design.

Alisdair Suttie - 10 Aug 2011