# Sand-Conquering City Cars The Beetle Dune is Designed for Off-Roading Adventures By Michael Hines | Published 2014-01-13 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beetle-dune References: [carbuzz](http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2014/1/9/VW-Bringing-New-Beetle-Dune-Concept-to-Detroit-7718015/) & [vw](http://www.vw.com/en.html) Most people don’t think “off-roading” when they think of the [Volkswagen](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/volkswagen-atlas-peak-edition) Beetle, but that could all change with the Beetle Dune. The Dune is a concept car designed for the great outdoors. Beetles have actually been redesigned by enthusiasts for off-road use since their inception; those modified models are known as Baja Bugs. The Beetle Dune sits up much higher than the street-going version and has chrome plates on its front and rear. The interior is bathed in yellow and features what looks to be a touchscreen infotainment system. One noticeable addition is a handlebar in place of the glove box. Again, the Beetle Dune is only a design study, but if enough consumers get behind the idea then [VW](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/porsche-x-vw-renndienst-idbuzz-bus) could sign off on a limited production run. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.6/10 - Popularity: 8% | Activity: 1% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Off-road City Cars:** The trend of designing cars for off-road use in the city, like the Volkswagen Beetle Dune, presents an opportunity in the automobile industry for disruptive innovation. - **Customized Baja Bugs:** The trend of modifying Volkswagen Beetles for off-road use presents an opportunity in the automobile industry for custom car shops to offer unique and specialized modifications. - **Innovative Infotainment Systems:** The trend of incorporating touchscreen infotainment systems in cars, like the Beetle Dune, presents an opportunity in the technology industry for further development of innovative in-car systems. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Automobile:** The automobile industry can capitalize on the trend of designing off-road city cars like the Volkswagen Beetle Dune for a new and unique market. - **Custom Car Modification:** The trend of modifying Volkswagen Beetles for off-road use presents a new market for custom car shops to offer unique and specialized modifications that cater to off-road enthusiasts. - **Technology:** The trend of incorporating touchscreen infotainment systems in cars, like the Beetle Dune, presents a new market for technology companies to offer innovative in-car systems that meet increasing consumer demand for high-tech experiences during their commutes. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Rugged Off-Road Concept Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jeep-dune.md) - [Landscape-Inspired Off-Road SUVs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/volkswagen-atlas-peak-edition.md) - [Outdoor-Focused Concept Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/manifesto-concept-car.md) - [All-Electric Dune Buggies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/manx-20-electric.md) - [Custom-Modified Off-Road Vans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/volkswagen-halftrack-fox.md) - [Adventurous Pint-Sized EVs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/opel-rocks-electric-extreme-concept.md) - [Cabin-Transformed Vintage Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1970-volkswagen-beetle.md) - [Off-Road Electric SUV Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/q6-etron-offroad-concept.md) - [Desert Competition SUV Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/land-rover-dakar-rally-defender.md)