VW's Latest Concept Car Is A Beetle That's Made For Skiing

When it comes to concept cars, the key question is not so much "why?" as "why not?" That's definitely the case with Volkswagen's Beetle Dune Concept, unveiled today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Named for the desert, it's no city car: The Dune is made for off-roading.

Yet it's no pipe dream: Everything VW says indicates that the Dune could actually make it into production.

The concept, according to the automaker, "shows the potential for a new production version of the sportiest Beetle ever."

If the Dune ever comes to market, it would be the second coming of the Baja Bug, the late 1960s Beetle modified to go off-road.

Under the hood of the Dune is a 210-horsepower engine, and the car sits two inches higher off the ground than the Beetle R on which it's based. The color, dubbed "Arizona," is a yellow-orange metallic that continues with the desert theme.

Yet the most eye-catching bit of the concept is the ski rack - which can also hold a snowboard, and will let owners hit the mountains in the winter, or go sandboarding in warmer weather. We have to admit, the look is growing on us:

Here's a closer look at the rack, which slides open to let you get skis or a snowboard in and out: