Milivié, a newly established company from Germany, announced its first product – a restomod of the iconic VW Beetle. The vehicle, previewed by a series of sketches, will be built in just 22 examples, as a nod to the 22 million units of the Beetle’s production. One of the highlights is the eye-watering starting price of € 570,000 (US$ 599,511).
Milivié was founded by engineer Jonathan
Engler with the goal of re-engineering “extinct German automotive icons”. What
better place to start from than the VW Beetle, one of the most famous cars in
history. Each Milivié 1 will be based on a Beetle 1303, with the team spending
over a thousand hours on restoring and improving every aspect of it, according
to the company. In the end, only the metal monocoque section of the body and
the floorboards remain unchanged.
Starting with the exterior, the Milivié 1
is instantly recognizable as a Beetle but the original body panels have been
modernized with cleaner lines, removing the chrome trim and adding
Porsche-inspired details. All VW badges are gone, replaced by Milivié’s own
branding. The bespoke front and rear fenders are wider and house new LED
lighting units, the redesigned bonnet is longer, the base of the curved
windscreen has been moved forwards, the 19-inch alloy wheels have a five-spoke
design, and there are also new flush door handles, modern door mirrors, a new
ducktail spoiler on the engine cover, and dual tailpipes featuring titanium or
black chrome finish.
The chassis is rebuilt with independent
double-wishbone suspension front and rear, twin-tube dampers, and bespoke
springs. The 2.28-liter flat-four air-cooled engine with dual Weber carburetors
is rebuilt and specifically tuned for each Milivié, combined with a free-flow
stainless steel exhaust system. Curiously, power is sent to the rear wheels
through a 4-speed ZF automatic transmission sourced by a Porsche Carrera 2 but
it will also offer a manual mode. Braking has been upgraded with new discs
measuring 343 mm and lightweight monoblock calipers.
Inside, the ultimate highlight is the free-standing digital cockpit with dual 12.3-inch screens and bespoke graphics, thanks to the in-house-developed software. The dashboard has been redesigned with open storage compartments and piano wood accents, while the door cards were inspired by the Porsche 911.
The cabin has enough room for four
passengers on four individual and heated bucket seats made of carbon fiber.
Amenities include wireless charging, USB ports, a fancy nine-speaker audio
system with an intelligent amplifier, dual camera, parking sensors, automatic
lights and wipers, electronically assisted steering, and a new air-conditioning
system. Additionally, each model will come with a bespoke luggage piece
designed by Bill Amberg, matching the colors of the cabin upholstery.
The company is already accepting reservations with a starting price of € 570,000 (US$ 599,511) per vehicle. Milivié will deliver the first model in July 2023, with the entire production run of 22 units set to be completed by May 2025.
