Bizarre but Brilliant: Twisted Reimagines VW with a Wild Baja-Style Design

For its latest project, British tuning company Twisted Automotive stepped away from its usual Land Rover Defender builds and turned its attention to a German classic — the Volkswagen Beetle. The result is the TBug, an unusual off-road reinterpretation inspired by the legendary Baja Bug culture of the 1960s.

Twisted is best known for its rugged, high-end Defender restorations with aggressive off-road tires and luxury interiors. This time, however, the company surprised enthusiasts with its take on the classic Baja Bug. The original Baja conversions appeared in Southern California in the late 1960s and were named after the famous Baja 1000 desert race.

Back then, lightweight dune buggies like the Meyers Manx — built on the Beetle platform — proved incredibly capable thanks to the simple and durable air-cooled Volkswagen engine.

Instead of replacing the entire Beetle body with fiberglass panels as Meyers did, many enthusiasts simply cut and modified the original steel body, lifted the suspension, and created a rugged off-road machine. By the 1970s, thousands of Beetles had been transformed this way.

Twisted’s TBug follows that same visual template. The wheel arches are trimmed for additional clearance, the front trunk lid is shortened, and the redesigned front fascia features two closely mounted LED headlights reminiscent of classic Baja racers. The look is completed by a heavily cut rear section that exposes the iconic air-cooled flat-four engine.

According to Twisted, the boxer engine’s output has doubled compared with the original Beetle — though that still means the TBug produces just under 80 horsepower (79 hp). Still, the vehicle gains several important upgrades, including reinforced long-travel suspension and BF Goodrich off-road tires mounted on custom wheels.

As expected from a Twisted build, the interior receives just as much attention as the exterior. Each customer can personalize the cabin with bespoke materials and finishes.

The company has not yet revealed pricing or production numbers. Twisted may still be evaluating demand and project viability. However, considering that most TBug donor cars will require a full restoration before the Baja transformation even begins — and that Twisted Defender builds often cost well over £150,000 — it’s safe to assume this quirky off-roader won’t come cheap.