Volkswagen Beetle V6

No Volkswagen Beetles were ever issued with a V6 engine, except for the incredibly rare VW Beetle RSI.
Written by Jasmine Kanter
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
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The
Volkswagen Beetle
is as fun and peppy as its iconic shape, but drivers hoping to find a V6 for a Volkswagen Beetle are out of luck—unless they manage to get their hands on the uber-rare RSI.
The original, popular, and longstanding VW Bug ended its run in 2019 with a 174-horsepower turbocharged inline-four. Few, however, have heard of the souped-up Beetle RSI’s 219-British-horsepower 3.2L VR6 engine—and for good reason. Between 2001 and 2003, a mere 250 were produced. 
(Well, 251 if you count the one specially manufactured for a former VW company manager.)
With a starting price tag of $80,000, rarity and age have only made these VR6-powered collectibles more expensive. We knew ye too briefly, dearest RSI! 
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Volkswagen Beetle competitors with a V6

We’re sorry to disappoint, but six-cylinder engines are an incredibly rare sight in the world of zippy, lightweight compacts. Take a look at any of Volkswagen’s competitors—like the
Honda Civic
,
Toyota Corolla
, or
Mazda3
hatchbacks—and you won’t find a V6 among them. 
Similarly-styled European offerings, like the Italian
Fiat 500X
or British
MINI Cooper
, are also restricted to three and four cylinders, respectively.
Among Volkswagen’s other models, the
Atlas SE
(with Technology Package) or
SEL
are the only ones to offer a V6. Compacts like the
Golf R
and
Golf GTI
, again, use an inline-four
It seems with the push toward electric and hybrid engines—and an emphasis on less curb weight—the days of powerful-but-tiny “pocket rockets” are coming to an end.

How to find affordable Volkswagen Beetle insurance

Whether you stick with a turbocharged I-4 engine or upgrade to a V6,
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The only Volkswagen Beetle to ever be issued with a V6 engine was the limited-run RSI, but available used models are both extremely expensive and hard to find.
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