Volkswagen South Africa has a reputation for cleverly repackaging older models; adding an indefinite amount of longevity to the product’s life cycle. One of the first real success stories in this regard was the Beetle SP, tested for the January 1977 issue.
The SP (we still don’t know what the letters denote) was set apart from its lesser brethren by body stripes, an integrated chin spoiler, and Rostyle 14-inch wheels, as well as tartan cloth upholstery, shorter gearlever and sporty three-spoke steering wheel.
Despite boasting the most powerful engine available in a Beetle at the time, a twin-carburettor 1,6-litre flat-four, the range-topping SP wasn’t much quicker than the 1600-S Super Bug from two years earlier, posting an identical 0-100 km/h time of 16,8 seconds with a top speed of 142 km/h – only 4 km/h faster than before.