A Rare 2001 VW New Beetle RSi with VR6 Power Heads to Auction

A rare 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle RSi, recognized as the most expensive Volkswagen Beetle ever sold new, has surfaced on Bring a Trailer. Originating from an era when VW boss Ferdinand Piëch drove the development of wild engineering projects, only 250 units of the RSi were ever sold to the public, all finished in silver.

This specific car is number 176 and shows the equivalent of just 11,000 miles on the odometer. When new, the New Beetle RSi cost the equivalent of $80,000 without adjusting for inflation, which was enough money to buy two Porsche Boxsters at the time.

Unlike a standard New Beetle, the RSi features carbon-fiber bodywork, an extremely wide 18-inch wheel and tire package, and Haldex all-wheel drive. Power comes from a 3.2-liter VR6 engine—the same powerplant found in the fourth-generation Golf R32—which generates 221 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.

The engine is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. Inside, the cabin features carbon fiber panels, aluminum accents, fixed-back racing buckets, and a dashboard grab bar for passengers.

While the bodywork is rare, the mechanical components are largely shared with VW products that reached the United States. The auction for this rare hatchback ends on October 28.