Never has the Raid can seen a bug like this. According to Motor Authority, Volkswagen announced during the February 7th Chicago Auto Show that they have teamed up with Andretti Autosport to throw their hat( tire in the ring to compete in this year’s Global RallyCross Championship.

The season starts in May, and Volkswagen promises to have the souped-up Beetle GRC ready by June. Volkswagen divulges that the Beetle will be an all-wheel drive vehicle holding close to 600 horsepower in a turbocharged and direct-injected four-cyclinder engine.

Those familiar with the sport were excited about the new entry, and Volkswagen announcement was met with further glee with the declaration that the 2011 and 2012 GRC champion Tanner Foust will be manning the wheel of the high-powered Beetle. Foust is a professional driver who also specializes in stunt driving, and has played important parts in television shows such as Top Gear, Battle of the SuperCars, Octane Academy and more.

The Global RallyCross Championship is an extreme affair, and races are held across the world in large arenas packed with excited lovers of the sport. Cars compete on a rugged course of pavement and dirt in a timed series of heats that are completed with a 70-foot jump.

Watching a Beetle burst through the course at high speeds and fly through the air will definitely serve as an interesting visual experience for anyone, and will likely knock the socks off of avid fans later this year. Stay tuned for the official release of the car upon completion in June, and be sure to catch the first segment of the races in May in Barbados.

Image via Wiki Commons