Garage owner spends £100K transforming Beetle into 280mph dragster

4,000bhp 'Nitro Bug' now capable of reaching 280mph in under six seconds

Garage owner spends £100K transforming Beetle into 280mph dragster
Andy and his race partner spent more than four years working on the Beetle with friends and now plan to take it to drag strips across the country.

A Suffolk-based garage owner has spent four years and £100,000 to transform a Volkswagen Beetle into one of the fastest cars in the world.

Andy Raw of AMR Motors and TSR Engine Conversions in Newmarket, Suffolk said his creation can sprint from 0-60mph in under one second before going on to reach speeds of up to 280mph in just under six seconds.

The 4,000bhp ‘Nitro Bug’ is fuelled by Nitromethane and requires a special Explosives Precursors & Poisons (EPP) Licence from the Home Office to have it fuelled.

Andy said: “I’ve spend thousands of hours on the car, which is classed as a nostalgic nitro funny car.

“It can do 0.60mph in 0.9 seconds and at top whack will be able to do between 250 and 280mph.

“Hang on for dear life”

“When you put your foot down it’s like a bomb going off for just under six seconds – you hang on for dear life.

“The hit is when you take your foot off the accelerator – the negative Gs are so strong you can get detached retinas.

“You’re only racing in the car for just under six seconds, but it leaves you completely exhausted mentally and physically – your legs are like jelly when you get out as the adrenaline rush is so strong.”

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