While waiting politely for a pedestrian to clear the intersection while turning right, this car received a wide grin and a giant wave from a woman wearing industrial welding goggles. She looked a bit like a bee. So does this.
It's the Beetle GSR, a special edition version of Volkswagen's Turbo Beetle that's a real honey of a car. Take that comment literally; this machine really does look like it was hatched in a hive.
The name comes from a tribute to the 1973 Gelb-Schwartz Renner (Yellow-Black Racer), a similarly bumblebee-shaded machine that is so famous, you never heard about until just now when I mentioned it. Sold only in the German home market, it had 50hp from an air-cooled 1600cc and slightly larger wheels and tires - no Muhammad Ali here.
Still, for the time, the car was fairly nippy, and marked a change for the humble people's car from modest little fuel-sipper to unlikely performance hero. This new version has 210 turbocharged horses to draw on: is it all buzz, or is there a sting in the new GSR's tail? Design: The previous generation of front-wheeldrive Beetle was very popular, but might have been accused of being a bit cutesy in its homage to the sturdy, no-nonsense original. I mean a flower vase next to the steering wheel? That's a bit much.
However, when VW decided to drop the turbocharged four-cylinder engine out of the GTI into the car, those cute looks were suddenly hilarious. Here was a car from the Care Bear /My Little Pony school that was perfectly capable of dusting off the hot hatchbacks of the day.
The new car is much less saccharinesweet, with an extended profile that gives it something of the look of a Porsche. All GSRs get the cosmetic upgrades of the R-Line cars, which means aerodynamic trim including a large spoiler, and 19" alloys shod in wide, 235-series rubber.
There's also LED strip lighting up front, and in case you missed the point, an all-over yellow-and-black graphics package that includes "GSR" proudly emblazoned on the flanks.
Environment: If yellow stitching on a flat-bottomed steering wheel can really be considered tasteful, then the inside of the GSR is more tasteful than the exterior. It's actually quite reserved in here, and you might never know it was a limited-run model - except that VW has helpfully written that fact on the steering wheel.
Just 3500 GSRs will be sold worldwide. With the original car, all were gone in just two months.
In Canada, fewer than 100 will be imported, so perhaps the rarity value is worth something.
As far as the rest of the interior goes, this is essentially just an R-Line Beetle with a few extra badges. You get comfortable, greatlooking seats that don't provide quite enough lateral support as compared to a GTI, a very VW-looking dash layout, and a multi-gauge pod. Where the regular Turbo Beetle gets a neat carbon-fibre trim, this car gets mattefinish treatment to most of the surfaces, and the aforementioned yellow stitching everywhere.
This particular version was equipped with the Beetle's Technology package, which adds satellite navigation and an 8-speaker-plussubwoofer Fender-branded premium audio. This works great for cleaning out your ears because it can and will melt your earwax.
While the Beetle's shape does limit headroom and would send most young parents tut-tutting and heading for a five-door GTI or a GLI instead, it's actually not all that bad for short distances. A child seat does (barely) fit, and an adult passenger could endure a short lift across town.
Essentially, owning this car requires something of a sense of humour, both inside and out. And, speaking of giggles, let's talk about what's under the hood.
Performance: Ten more horsepower - that's all I'm asking VW, just 10 more horsies to give this blazing-yellow Bug some genuine performance credentials over and above the regular Turbo Beetle. No dice.
Still, the original GSR didn't have any more punch-buggy than the 1600 Beetle it was based on, so perhaps tradition is being upheld. Besides which, this isn't really a car about winning races - this is a car designed around the concept of having a bit of a laugh.
Two transmissions are on offer, a six-speed manual that's a bit more engaging, or a $1400 six-speed dual-clutch gearbox that adds stop and go practicality without losing much of the fun. The 210hp, 2.0L four-cylinder turbo is the same venerable mill that's found throughout the VW line-up. It's responsive and grunty, and makes a really good noise.
So, if you've got a racing helmet with a VW sticker on it, then maybe you're best off sticking with the GTI, particularly the new one coming later this year which is simply excellent. But what if you just want to have a bit of fun? Here, the GSR becomes an out-and-out hoot.
If someone in a more-powerful Focus ST wants to stoplight race you, then just roll your eyes and let them go - the GSR isn't built for wouldbe Vin Diesels.
Instead, it's easy to drive, with better sightlines than the old car, excellent grip on long sweeping corners, and a comfortable, upright driving position.
It's not a serious car, but the world is full of serious cars stuck in traffic.
