Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept car offers features for active lifestyle

The Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept car is unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich., on Monday, Jan. 13, 2014. (AP / Tony Ding)

DETROIT -- Grab your snowboard or sandboard and go.

That's the idea behind a dune buggy concept car version of Volkswagen's Beetle unveiled Monday at the Detroit auto show.

VW wants the Beetle Dune to appeal to skiers in Aspen, Colo., or sandboarders in Florence, Ore. The company bills it as a 21st century of the Baja Bug, which is a modified Beetle that can handle tough off-road conditions, like the deserts of Baja, Calif.

The Dune is based on a high-performance Beetle R-Line, but VW has given it a special look that sets it apart from other versions of the German classic.

Two inches of additional ground clearance help the off-road performance, And VW engineers have come up with an innovative rack that's built into the roof and rear spoiler that can hold snowboards or skis.

Officially, VW says no decision has been made on whether to produce the thing. But since it's similar to a regular Beetle, there's a strong likelihood it will appear in showrooms.

The Dune does differ from other Beetles with the taller stance and black wheel arch extensions that make the car 2.2 inches wider than a stock Beetle. The front and rear wheels move outward a little, too, and the Dune is a half-inch longer than the current version.

In front, the Beetle Dune gets a new hood with a raised centre section and air vents. It also gets a large central air intake.

Outside the trunk lid, drivers can mount skis or snowboards. The skis fit into a roof spoiler at the top, secured by a belt. At the bottom, the outside of the rear spoiler swivel and can be closed to clamp the skis into place.

Inside, the dashboard is painted the same colour as the outside and the seats are stitched with the exterior colour.

The Dune gets the same 210-horsepower, 2-Liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the Beetle R-Line, which gets 23 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway.

No price or date for production was announced for the Dune. The current R-Line starts at $24,795 excluding shipping.