A meeting of four wolves: ballers, Beetles and 90 minutes

It is a cold autumn morning in Wolfsburg. What still looked golden just a few days ago now appears in 50 shades of grey. In front of the Volkswagen Arena, a few fans wait to catch a glimpse of their football idols during training, or maybe even to meet them in person. Two seasoned “brothers” have also confidently taken their place in front of the Nordkurve stand. Designed for sunnier times and preferably open-topped, they are particularly eye-catching in the wet and grey autumn weather: the bright Viper Green “shirts”, both looking resplendent in top condition, seem to say “we’re ready”.

While the two newcomers to the Wolfsburg-based club freshen up after training, the two Beetles have already caught the attention of a number of players. With two popular figures like these in tow, you are always going to start conversations. Especially when one of them comes with special inner values. “Really, it is electric?” is generally the abridged version, closely followed by: “Can you buy them like that?” While the two 1303 Cabriolets are both in top condition and clearly members of the Beetle family, they are very different when it comes to power and drive.

When Felix and Lukas meet up in the Arena, they have already been informed by their team-mates that two rather special candidates await them for an unusual 90 minutes. The two Beetles are in great shape. Ready for this friendly match. This is their debut in the Volkswagen Arena – for the Nmecha brothers, this is the workplace.

Attacker Lukas is a European champion with England at U19 level and Germany at U21, a League Cup winner and an English champion. After years at Manchester City and spells with VfL Wolfsburg and RSC Anderlecht, he is now back with the wolves. As a striker with the number 10 on his shirt, he has played alongside Felix since this summer. The midfielder, who has also enjoyed success in junior championships with England and Germany, and also spent many years at Manchester City, now wears the number 22 in Wolfsburg.

“We have already heard – one is really awesome. Electric, really powerful and like new,” says Lukas, heading straight to the e-Beetle. Exactly. Classic shell, totally new core: completely refurbished and then modified with original parts from Volkswagen Group Components. An officially electrified Beetle. Impressive stuff. And, before you know it, they are both sat inside. The appearance is deceptive – almost classic on the outside, but totally new in the interior.

Lukas switches the radio on and fiddles with the knob. Finding a station takes patience and finesse, and needs the aerial to play ball. This is how it was in the seventies. The reception is sketchy, but Lukas manages to find a song. Yeah. Both immediately start to groove in sync. That is timeless. A few more tips on the rules of play, that is driving old style – without power steering, ABS, ESP or any other assistance systems. Thick jackets on, and the lads are ready for action.

Starting whistle. The Beetle demonstrates what real Boxer sound is. Off they go, through the marathon gate. Lukas’ speciality is attacking, and as such he is not shy on the pedals. 50 Beetle PS can be very agile, and so they cruise round a few laps of the Volkswagen Arena in the 1303 Cabriolet. The faces of the wolves in the cockpit leave no room for doubt: they are having great fun. “That was cool, and made a really good sound. Not so quick, but it runs well for an old car,” was Lukas’ initial appraisal.

Then comes the substitution: “I am scared to drive with this guy,” says Lukas, with a grin and a nod toward his brother, as Felix takes the wheel in the e-Beetle. And off the pair zoom. 60 kW (82 PS) from an electric motor – a truly powerful Beetle. The players do a couple of really dynamic laps. They take what they usually put their all into during training, and put it to the test around the stadium. A fast sprint, really tight turns? No problem with the e-Beetle. Whoop whoop, you can hear the Nmecha brothers laughing in the open-top cabriolet as they flash by. “That was great fun. It’s pretty quick,” says Felix as they both climb out. “The brakes are a bit unusual, you really have to step on them hard. A little bit like a go-kart.”

“And you will totally stand out in this one, especially with the colour and the great sound, and so on. To me, this one looks a little better,” Felix adds, leaning towards the original 1303. “What? They both look the same? Only the lights are different. This one looks a little tired, the e-Beetle looks more awake,” Felix counters. “The old Beetle sounds good, yes. But I am a little too tall for it,” he says, adding with a smile: “It is for smaller people – like Lukas.”

The two players want to know what range the e-Beetle is capable of. About 250 km. “Enough to get to Hamburg then? Cool!” The two brothers’ eyes light up and they share a grin. “If you could lease it, we would do so immediately!” Born in Hamburg, they spent the first few years of their childhood in the Hanseatic city, before the German-Nigerian family moved to Manchester in 2007. Both started their football careers at Manchester City. Hamburgers, at home in Manchester, and now Wolfsburg residents. And they have experienced a bit of Volkswagen history at first hand: up close and personal with the Beetle in the heart of Wolfsburg – 90 special minutes for all four wolves.