Custom VW Tackles Brutal Desert Race

A group of friends have brought their skills together to transform an old-school Volkswagen Beetle, named Tope, in order to take part in one of the world’s most ruthless races. The Baja 1000 is a Mexican desert race which takes place annually in the Baja California Peninsula. It’s the longest point to point off-road race in the world, that's run in a single day. Josh McGuckin, one of Tope's mechanics, explained how much of a challenge preparing for the race was for the team. He told Future Studios Cars: “Driving this car in the Baja 1000 can be summed up for me in one word, exhausting.” To an outsider the car would appear as just a “really old bugg” but once inside, “suddenly it just comes to life”. Starting with the VW Beetle was a huge undertaking for the team, as they had to modify the classic 1970 car to be suitable for the incredibly harsh conditions. However, the extreme nature of this race did take its toll on the well-loved vehicle, “every time you come back from a race, you’re constantly rebuilding and replacing everything”, Josh explained. The bugg may not be the fastest car, but it’s capable of doing the job for this team. And the teamwork paid off as Tope triumphantly reached the finish line. Josh spoke about his relief and elation, “every time we race this car, we learn something new."