Hot Rod art meets Beetlemania. Knud Tiroch and Spies Hecker present a globally unique project: introducing … the Volksrodder.

A powerful engine. Chunky tyres. A chopped, low-riding body. And yet it’s still visibly a Beetle at heart. It’s an art project, and a statement on behalf of Volkswagen’s cult car.
A car with a heart

The artist has been specialising in “pimping up” muscle cars and hot rods for many years now. In his Hot Rod Hangar in Vienna, Knud Tiroch and his son Dominic have breathed new life into the “Pretzel Beetle”. “The Beetle is a car that’s accompanied people down the years, from one generation to the next,” says Tiroch. “As a military utility vehicle in the war. And then as the first car that became affordable to many in the Fifties. It has seen revolutions, and experienced Flower Power in the Sixties. It’s the Volkswagen per se.” The Beetle has charmed many people, and the Spies Hecker team in Cologne is no exception. This is where the entire body has been rebuilt and painted with Permahyd Hi-TEC 480.
 
Flame motifs and the Volksrodder logo have been incorporated in the paint finish. There’s a hint of barbed wire trailing across the body, reminding us of history. The interior of the Volksrodder is reminiscent of that of a B-52 bomber. Lots of brushed aluminium, heavy bomber seats, retro style and plenty of brass. The windows are of red solar glass to provide protection from the UV radiation on the salt lake. “Its look harks back to the high-speed races on American salt flats, the Bonneville Salt Flat Races,” says Tiroch, explaining the interior. The position of the 700 hp V8 engine is typical of a hot rod. Originally at the back of the Beetle, it is now at the front in a powered-up version. Strongly accentuated with body parts of milled aluminium.

A masterly feat

Technically, the project was a real challenge for the Spies Hecker team. “Despite the historic body of bare steel with its new add-on parts, we’ve managed to apply an absolutely immaculate paint finish,” says Frank Barduna, Technical Manager at Spies Hecker. Tiroch: “I appreciate these guys with their paint expertise and enthusiasm.” And that’s not all, for he adds: “For my projects I need the best technical solutions available on the market. I therefore chose the Hi-TEC waterborne basecoat system for the finish.”
The Volksrodder was unveiled in April at the Custom Motor Show, a major Hot Rod show in Jönköping in Sweden – and made a big impression, winning three cups.