The Memminger Roadster 2.7 takes the classic Volkswagen Beetle as its starting point, then turns it into a low, open two-seat sports car with a mid-mounted engine. In 2018, it was presented as a concept with a proposed run of up to 20 cars—not as a Volkswagen factory model or a confirmed modern Beetle successor. The available reports establish the car’s period specifications and plans, but not whether that production run was completed or whether one can be bought today.
Is the Memminger Roadster 2.7 a real Beetle?
It is Beetle-based, but it is not a standard Beetle with a cosmetic makeover. Contemporary reports describe a classic Beetle chassis or floorpan beneath extensive structural and mechanical changes. HELLA gives the car a 2,444 mm wheelbase and describes an original Beetle as its basis. That makes the Roadster’s connection to the classic car more substantial than its styling alone, while the modifications make it a distinct specialist-built project.
The scale of the Beetle’s history helps explain the appeal of that starting point: HELLA says more than 22.5 million Beetles were produced between 1938 and 2003. Memminger’s stated ambition, reproduced by HELLA from the company website, was: “Wir haben uns zum Ziel gesetzt, nichts weniger als den besten Käfer zu bauen” (“We have set ourselves the goal of building nothing less than the best Beetle”).
What changed from a standard Beetle?
The clearest technical departure is engine placement. A standard Beetle puts its engine at the rear; Top Gear describes the Roadster’s engine as mid-mounted. That change accompanies a two-seat, roofless body intended to feel like a focused sports car rather than a practical small car.
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Body and seating
Reports describe a shortened windscreen, broad stance, roll hoops behind the occupants and a rear spoiler. The result keeps recognizable Beetle cues while adopting the lower, wider proportions of an open sports roadster. Motor1’s 2018 comparison framed it against the VW 1303 Cabriolet, but the Roadster’s mid-engine layout and two-seat configuration set it apart from a conventional Beetle convertible.
Structure and running gear
Auto motor und sport reported a steel-tube frame welded to the Beetle chassis, revised rear suspension, strengthened front components and Porsche-sourced brakes. The reports do not identify a specific Porsche donor model. They also list 18-inch wheels, with 225/45 tires at the front and 255/40 at the rear; those are reported fitment details for this car, not guidance for modifying a regular Beetle.
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What engine and performance did reports give it?
The 2018 specification coverage lists an air-cooled 2.7-litre four-cylinder boxer producing 210 PS and 247 Nm, paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. Those figures describe the announced Roadster 2.7 specification, not an independently tested result.
HELLA and Automobil Industrie report a weight of 800 kg. Auto motor und sport said no acceleration time had been supplied and reported a claimed top speed of more than 200 km/h. The top-speed figure should therefore be read as a claim, not a verified test measurement.
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Was the Roadster 2.7 put into production?
In April 2018, auto motor und sport reported a planned maximum of 20 cars and said no price had been announced. Automobil Industrie’s May 2018 account described the concept as the only car built at that point; projected future dates in that article were forecasts, not confirmation that customer cars followed.
These launch-period reports do not establish the final production count, present-day availability, current price or road-registration eligibility in any country. Anyone considering a purchase would need current confirmation from Memminger or a seller, along with documentation for the individual car and its market.
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- CLASSIC REPLICA: Authentic 1:32 scale die-cast metal model of the iconic 1967 Volkswagen Classic Beetle in a beautifal paint finish
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How should you think about it beside a Beetle or a modern retro car?
The Roadster is best understood as a bespoke reinterpretation rather than a direct successor. Its classic Beetle underpinnings and visual references provide the lineage; the mid-engine arrangement, two-seat body, structural changes and sports-car intent define the departure. Unlike a factory retro model, the 2018 evidence describes a specialist concept and proposed limited run, with no established current supply or direct road-test comparison against a standard Beetle.
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- CLASSIC REPLICA: Authentic 1:32 scale die-cast metal model of the iconic 1967 Volkswagen Classic Beetle in a beautifal paint finish
- DETAILED DESIGN: Features include chrome-style bumpers, realistic headlights, detailed wheels, and accurate body styling
- DIMENSIONS: Approximately 5 inches in length, perfect size for display or play
- INTERIOR FEATURES: Detailed cabin with beige interior, visible dashboard, and clear windows
- CONSTRUCTION: Durable die-cast metal body with plastic components and rolling rubber wheels
- Choose the Beetle comparison for lineage: the Roadster retains a Beetle chassis connection and classic cues, but changes the layout and purpose.
- Choose the production-car comparison for context: ask whether a retro-inspired car was a factory model or a bespoke conversion, and whether its availability is documented.
- Treat the numbers according to their evidence: engine specifications were reported in 2018; the weight is a secondary-source figure; and the top speed is a claim without an acceleration time or independent result in the cited coverage.
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