Volkswagen Beetle Gr.3

Volkswagen Beetle Gr.3
Appears in	Gran Turismo Sport Gran Turismo 7
Category in GT Sport/GT7	Gr.3
Manufacturer	Volkswagen
Drivetrain	FR
Max Power	591 BHP
Length	4369 mm
Width	1958 mm
Height	1347 mm
Weight	1,200 kilograms (2,600 lb)
Power/Weight Ratio	2.03 kg (4.5 lb) per horsepower

The Volkswagen Beetle Gr.3 is a race car produced by Volkswagen, based on the A5 (2011-2019) Volkswagen Beetle. It appears in Gran Turismo Sport and Gran Turismo 7.

Liveries

Two liveries are available for this car:

• Variation (#53 Volkswagen Motorsport GTC, GT7 only)
• #53 Volkswagen Motorsport (unlisted in-game)

In-game description

The Beetle is an important part of Volkswagen's history and heritage. But contrary to its cute looks, this car has also had its time in the limelight of motorsports as far back as the 1950s. Early in its history the Beetle had won the East African Safari Rally 3 times, and was a part of the top group in the Greek Acropolis Rally. There have been one make races based on the new Beetle that debuted in 1998, and in more recent years it has seen notable success in the Global Rallycross held in the U.S.

This Beetle Gr.3 is a model that traces this racing legacy of the Beetle. The greatly modified exterior and internals contain the essence of racing victory that Volkswagen has nurtured over the years. The body is widened to allow bigger diameter wheels, and the roof has been lowered to reduce the frontal projected area, giving it a look similar to a modified classic chop-top Beetle. The front spoiler, the air outlets from the front tires to the door panels, combined with a giant wing in the rear tells a lot about the performance levels of this car.

The powertrain consists of a DOHC 2-litre inline-4 with a high-pressure turbocharger, combined with VW's proven 7-speed DSG. Its power will vary depending on the Balance of Performance (BoP) per race, but is of course more than adequate for fighting in the Gr.3 class races.

This racing Beetle lives in a different dimension to the cute Beetles you see on the streets.

Brand Central (GT7)

This Gr.3 racing car is a Gran Turismo exclusive based on the Volkswagen Beetle. It's undergone a number of special updates and improvements, including a switch from an FF to an FR drivetrain. With its wide fenders and chopped roof, this is one seriously sporty makeover.

Acquisition

GT Sport

This car can be purchased in the Volkswagen section of Brand Central for 450,000 Credits. It can also be obtained by signing a Manufacturer Series contract with Volkswagen, which is valid for one Manufacturer Series season and allows the car to be used in Manufacturer Series races.

GT7

This car can be purchased Volkswagen section of Brand Central for 450,000 Credits. It can also be obtained by signing a Manufacturer Cup contract with Volkswagen, which is valid for one Manufacturer Series season and allows the car to be used in Manufacturer Cup races.

Trivia

The embossed GT logo on the car's rear cabin

The embossed GT logo on the headrest, alongside the "BTL" logo on the side of the headrest and the default driver names on the side windows

A Beetle Gr.3 with forced Michelin tire stickers in GT Sport; tire stickers typically cannot be changed on this car.

• The default car number on this car is a reference to the Herbie the Love Bug film series, which features a first-generation Beetle that sports the car number #53 in all appearances. This applies to both its regular and alternate variant livery in GT7.
• According to developer/tester Kazuki "YAM23" Yamada (at the 2019 Japan National Sports Festival eSports finals stream), the car was designed by Volkswagen Motorsport rather than by Polyphony Digital themselves, as it was the case with fictional Gr.3 cars. However, according to Volkswagen, the design was made by Polyphony Digital's design team in Los Angeles.
  • Because of this, it is the only fictional Gr.3 car in the game with its own unique description. Usually, fictional race cars would have an extension to their descriptions stating that it was tuned to a specific category's regulations, with no specifics whatsoever. The Beetle Gr.3's design features were also unique compared to most fictional Gr.3 cars.
  • The GT by Citroën Gr.4 is another fictional racing car made newly for the game with a unique description, as the modifications for the car were designed by Takumi Yamamoto, the designer for the original car.
• Unlike most fictional Gr.3 cars, the car features driver names by default: Bjoern Hackbarth (Germany), Tom Holden (Great Britain), and Xavier Delvallée (France), all of which are, or were, designers hired by Volkswagen at one point.
• Unusually for a non-Vision GT based Gr.3 car, the tire stickers of the car cannot be changed in the Livery Editor. However, in Gran Turismo World Tour events, the car has been shown running with Michelin tire stickers, and as of update 1.61 (GT Sport)/2022 post-season exhibition seasons (GT7), the Michelin Pilot Sport tire stickers will override any other tire stickers in FIAGTC/GTWS races in Sport Mode.
• Embossed Gran Turismo logos can be found on a rear area of the car's interior and the head restraint of the driver's seat, which also features an embossed "BTL" logo on the outside sides.
• A German tuner, JP Performance, created a real-life replica of the car using a road-going A5 Beetle. Unlike the in-game car, the replica features a 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo, a DSG gearbox, and four-wheel drivetrain, and is not meant to be raced professionally.
• The alternate variant livery in GT7 is based on the Volkswagen Golf GTI GTC that competed in South African Global Touring Car series. Unlike the original livery, the variation livery is missing a hot surface warning on the side exhaust.
• The road-going version of the "A5" Beetle, which this car is based on, is yet to appear in a Gran Turismo game.