- 23,902
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
Looks like a kitcar. I’ll just have a early Boxster S. Or given its potential price tag, a 981 Boxster Spyder.
The Memminger Roadster 2.7 Is a 210hp Mid-Engined Ultimate Beetle
- Thread starter GTPNewsWire
- 46 comments
- 5,830 views
- 1,029
- Uruguay
Wow, absolutely stunning. Would prefer it in a Coupé myself, but still a great looking machine and finally someone putting the Beetle engine back where it belongs (well, at least part way back to where it belongs).
Interesting choice to use the Type IV motor, my car (see my Avatar to left) uses the Porsche reworked Type IV, and it's a nice-running, air-cooled flat-4 with plenty of torque and way more longevity than the older VW aircooled motors (which I also love, own, and drive). The old Type 1s, 2s and 3s where, realistically, good for about 100k miles before they needed a full rebuild (yes, they could be run a LOT longer, but the loss of power, oil consumption, etc really indicate a rebuild around 100k - 120k at the outside). The Type IV is more like a 180k -200k motor, so a lot better. However, it's such an usual engine that it can be really hard to find parts for - for example getting good replacement main bearings. I'm not saying it's impossible, but often you have to luck-out and find good NOS parts (like I managed to do thanks to a contact in the Formula-V and Super-V world) or make-due with replacements that don't seem to be built anywhere close to as well as they should be.
IMHO, going with something a bit more modern (Subaru flat-4, for example) would have been a more logical decision.
Interesting choice to use the Type IV motor, my car (see my Avatar to left) uses the Porsche reworked Type IV, and it's a nice-running, air-cooled flat-4 with plenty of torque and way more longevity than the older VW aircooled motors (which I also love, own, and drive). The old Type 1s, 2s and 3s where, realistically, good for about 100k miles before they needed a full rebuild (yes, they could be run a LOT longer, but the loss of power, oil consumption, etc really indicate a rebuild around 100k - 120k at the outside). The Type IV is more like a 180k -200k motor, so a lot better. However, it's such an usual engine that it can be really hard to find parts for - for example getting good replacement main bearings. I'm not saying it's impossible, but often you have to luck-out and find good NOS parts (like I managed to do thanks to a contact in the Formula-V and Super-V world) or make-due with replacements that don't seem to be built anywhere close to as well as they should be.
IMHO, going with something a bit more modern (Subaru flat-4, for example) would have been a more logical decision.
- 31,545
- Buckwheat City
- Dennisch
Since this car will probably cost way too much, they should have gone with the new Porsche Flat 4 to keep it in the family .
Joey D
Premium
- 47,364
- Lakes of the North, MI
- GTP_Joey
- GTP Joey
Per its website, Memminger makes a 2.7L crate engine you can buy. I'm not sure if fits nicely into a Beetle or not, but if you want one, they'll build it with all its parts and send it to you. I'm also guessing it isn't remotely cheap either.
- 31,545
- Buckwheat City
- Dennisch
A normal Memminger Beetle convertible with 210 hp starts at roughly €95.000 and go as far as €175.000.
I can imagine that quite a bit of that goes in to the running bits, as there isn't a lot more car to spent money on,
- 29,705
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
Bernie Bergmann sells a 2498cc Type 4 that I'd wager puts out around 140hp for a "mere" $9,895. Bigger gets more expensive because of the case clearancing required, not to mention the special crankshaft and "jugs and slugs," and the displacement increase doesn't account for the entire power difference, so you're looking at additional hi-po goodies--I suspect a remanufactured 2.7 and Getrag G86 could easily be a bargain in comparison.
- 13,140
- Seattle-ish
Vertexauto has remanufactured 2.7 Boxster engines for $8495. So $1400 less.
- 29,705
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
than the less powerful Bergmann 2498. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the extra 70 or so ponies command an additional $5000, and that's if you're talking conventional induction and ignition systems; but this thing (like many of those "German Lookers") whiffs of programmable EFI and a crank-triggered stand-alone ignition unit. The G86/01 (spec'd for the 2.7 base Boxsters) is easily in that difference.
Edit: In fairness, I'd prefer an aircooled four, as it would be more spritely at 180hp than a stock 225hp Boxster 2.7...this is merely addressing the "what would you get for that" proposition.
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- 29,705
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
I really don't think anyone's suggesting 210hp is the ultimate in internal combustion engine power production. Seeing as the subject that the adjective "ultimate" is attributed to is Beetle, it's not unreasonable to have this example, with all that's gone into it, in contention for the title..."Ultimate Beetle."
You're probably looking at 53hp for the car on which this one is loosely based.
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