The Volkswagen Beetle isn’t normally a go-to project for most, especially in today’s scene. When it comes to the “tuner” generation, let’s face it, the majority are younger and are after cars that are a little more aggressive and sporty. When Volkswagen reintroduced the Beetle in the early 2000s, it was anything but aggressive and sporty. It was…for a lack of a better term, “cute,” came in a variety of bright colors, and even came with a little flower pot and flower when you purchased it. That’s not exactly something that strikes the fancy of most automotive enthusiasts. However, Volkswagen gave the New Beetle a re-design again for 2012, and decided to crank up the attitude, and produced a car that, like the original air-cooled Beetle, appealed to the masses. It was sleek, yet VW gave it a distinctive, retro-look. Omaha, Nebraska, natives Allie & Wesley Cardy certainly loved the retro look and picked one up in 2012, and a mere two-days into ownership, theirs was sitting on the ground with a frame-notch. Here’s a look at their retro-modern twist.

Being the first to do something is one way to guarantee to stand out, and the Cardy’s did just that. Their new Beetle was purchased on New Years Eve of 2012, so not only were the couple one of the first to roll home in VW’s latest Beetle, but a mere two days later Allie & Wesley had finished the air-ride setup and notched the frame to achieve the necessary lowness. Talk about working fast. Still, I think the real beauty behind this one is how simple it is. The two didn’t want to take away from the look VW gave it, but rather improve on it. They really stuck with the retro look, and did a great job of pulling it off. Some people might complain about it not having the most aggressive fitment, or the fact that it’s on factory wheels, but the overall build of the car and how well tied together it is is why it ended up here. Still, there are a few things about this car that really do stand out and back the quality behind the build. It might be simple, but there is still a lot going on here, so let’s take a closer look.

As mentioned earlier, for this Beetle to be sitting where the Cardy’s wanted it, air was the way to go. Airlift is a name synonymous with the VW/Audi crowd, so no surprises to find Airlift Slam Specialty bag kit under the arches of this Beetle. Even with literally a brand-new car, Airlift is keen to help their customers sort a bolt-on solution for their cars. Accuair was chosen for the management with their digital, switchspeed controller handling the fine-tuning abilities. The biggest challenge the Cardy’s faced is achieving the camber in the rear. We’re used to big camber here at S:N, but for these two it was a throwback to the air-cooled Beetles which achieve nice levels of tire-tippage when they are dropped to the ground. However, it was easily sorted after talking to Brandon at Innovative Design and Fabrication. To sort the issue, a set of rear lower and upper control arms were fabricated to allow for the necessary amounts of negative camber.

The tank setups is another area where some hard-graft and a little out-of-the-box thinking came into play. The VW/Audi crowd really gets it right with their air-tank setups. With the cars being relatively simple, it’s the details like this where the builds really shine. Allie & Wesley’s triple tank setup has been air-brushed with a similar, retro theme, as an intricate hard-line setup swoops about to frame the setup.

The retro theme continues to the exterior with the paint and wheel choice. I mentioned earlier that the wheels and fitment are nothing too crazy, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less unique. The OE VW Heritage wheels have been treated to red powder-coat, polished center caps, and some DIY white wall tires. It’s a throw-back to the old-school, air-cooled, Beetles, and a simple look that really works with the whole theme of the car. Simple does it.

The “paint,” or lack there-of is another interesting touch. Allie & Wesley’s Beetle is actually plasti-dipped which a trend which is catching on. Now, I’m not a big fan of plasti-dip, mainly because I haven’t seen it applied well, but when I saw the spec-list and saw this car was dipped, I had to do a double take as it looks pretty good. The color is a custom, metallic Teal that Wesley mixed up himself and it compliments the car perfectly.

The result is a simple car that makes a big impact. Allie & Wesley have been parading around the country in their Beetle and always get attention. Whether it’s that retro style, or the camber that is not often found on new VWs, there’s no denying that this Beetle demands attention. It’s cool, it’s simple, and it’s all the vision of a husband and wife who don’t let the rules of the “scene” dictate what they can and can’t do to a car. While it may be the latest iteration of Volkswagen’s iconic, Beetle, Allie & Wesley’s creation is certainly a retro tribute to the classic Bug.