HPA MOTORSPORTS EQUIPPED VW BEETLE TO COMPETE
IN ONE LAP OF AMERICA

The car is stripped and the original floor pan is painstakingly removed.

Original VW sheet metal parts and custom fabricated components are prepared to be welded in place.

After welding, seam sealing, prepping, and painting, the 4-motion rear end is ready to be installed.

With the 4-motion conversion complete, the twin turbo hardware is strapped on the motor

Squeezing a 3.2L 6 cylinder sporting two big turbos into a Beetle is no small feat...

Plenty of clearancing, special radiator fitment, and custom bumper rebars are all part of the drill.

A monster free flowing exhaust was built to augment the twin turbo package.

Exhaust by pass valves open up under throttle for extra flow.

KW Competition Suspension (with external fluid reservoirs) was added for ultimate track handling

Giant 8 piston front and 4 piston rear brakes are a must for this package.

Original VW Racing RSI wide body kit gives the Beetle a tough stance and makes room for a big tire patch.

The big whale tail results in plenty of downforce and 18x9 ET11 wheels provide amazing brake clearance.

A custom roll cage was designed to stiffen the chassis and offer protection to the occupants in case of the unexpected.

The bars of the cage closely follow the factory of lines of the Beetle.

Careful consideration was given to ensure maximum space inside the cabin for the long drives between events.

The harness bar is removeable to allow the front seats to recline and to give access to the back seat.

To make the Cannonball Run trek more bearable, the Beetle intended to tow its supplies and so needed a fancy hitch.

The torque output of the twin turbo engine made it possible both to haul this "little" trailer, and perform on the track.

Even after suffering a collision with a minivan during one of the transits, the Beetle happily completed the 2006 One Lap of America winning first in its class.

As part of the lightweight project, a custom aluminum dash was dreamt up.

Starting with a cardboard template before progressing to sheet metal.

Custom vents and room for NAV were integrated into the custom formed dash.

The completed project was anodized black for longevity and to reduce glare.

A Stack F1 display was integrated to monitor all systems and provide valuable feedback on the track.

The rear of the belly pan was sliced into yet again to create a box to house the racing fuel cell.

With the box reinforced and welded in place, it was time for seam seal and paint

The new configuration called for a unique method to refill the tank... a custom filler neck was integrated into the one-off fiberglass deck lid.

To monitor fuel levels, an auxiliary gauge was positioned on the firewall.

A big weight savings was found by replacing the heavy hefty steel bumper rebars with reinforced aluminum.

Attention to detail from the fabrication department ensured a perfect fit.

The power windows stripped and aluminum window cranks were machined.

The front door glass was replaced with Lexan framed with aluminum to maintain its 3 dimensional shape.

The rear quarter windows were painted black around the edges to mimic the factory look and then riveted in place

The rear window was a complex piece with many curves that were recreated by piecing together three triangular lexan panels in an arched framework.

In order to convert the car to DSG, the base RSI motor needed to be upgraded to the more modern R32 platform

The DSG drivetrain was updated with clutches and electronics to support the power output.

The finishing touch was a set of lightweight custom 18x10 wheels with 285 tires

The Little Beetle was put through its paces and managed to keep up with big boys at the 2007 One Lap

While the Beetle underwent it's lightweight DSG overhaul, a single turbo Audi TT was whipped up as a training vehicle.

The TT's factory DSG coupled with boost offered a great opportunity to become familiar with new power characteristics

Rounding out the family at the 2007 event was an HPA-prepped FT410 Touareg...

Built not just to be a capable truck on the track... someone had to tow the rig!