Twisted Reimagines the Baja Bug With New TBug Special Project
Twisted Automotivehas unveiled its latest Special Project: theTBug, a radically reimagined take on the classic Baja Bug. Inspired by founder Charles Fawcett's childhood memories ofBeetleposters on his sister's wall, the TBug channels the rebellious spirit of desert racing through a modern lens.
Far from a simple restoration, the TBug starts with a '60s to '80s air-cooled Beetle and is stripped down to first principles. The chassis is sealed and strengthened, long-travel suspension added and oversized BFG tires fitted for rugged capability. Despite doubling the original horsepower, the TBug stays under 80 hp to maintain a pure, connected driving experience.
'We wanted to capture the honest simplicity of the original Baja Bugs,' said Twisted's lead engineer Rob, 'but filter it through our obsession with engineering excellence.'
Each TBug is bespoke, with no two builds alike. From hand-finished interiors to LED lighting and upgraded brakes, every detail serves a purpose. The TBug will debut May 29 at Twisted's Kensington Mews showroom, with price available upon request via the automaker'sofficial site.
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6 days ago
- Forbes
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Harvard Business Review
23-07-2025
- Harvard Business Review
Age Inclusion Is Your Company's Next Competitive Advantage
For decades, companies built entire strategies around the pursuit of youth. Automakers, for example, sold independence to Baby Boomers coming of age—the Ford Mustang, Dodge's 'join the rebellion' campaigns, and Volkswagen's Beetle all signaled that youth wasn't just a stage of life; it was a valuable new market category. But time moves on. Those consumers are now in their 60s and 70s. Meanwhile, fertility rates are falling worldwide, youth pipelines are shrinking, population growth is slowing or reversing in many nations, and people are living longer and working later. A new market has emerged—defined not by age alone, but by longevity, reinvention, and the realities of multigenerational living. Businesses that cling to youth-centric product and talent strategies alone risk missing out on one of the greatest growth opportunities of the 21st century: designing for the full life course. The Demographic Tipping Point The numbers are stark. 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Invite older adults into the research and design process early and often to test usability, relevance, and desirability. 2. From age as decline to age as reinvention in marketing Too often, marketing frames aging as a loss of youth, beauty, or relevance. This narrative is not only inaccurate but also commercially self-defeating. Slogans like 'erase fine lines and wrinkles' and descriptors like 'age-defying' can make older adults feel as if there's no point for them to purchase products. For example, Dior's 'Capture Youth' campaign in 2017 featured 25-year-old Cara Delevingne promoting anti-aging products, drawing widespread criticism for reinforcing ageist ideals by using a model decades younger than the target audience. Instead, marketing leaders should: Showcase ambition, vitality, and reinvention at every age. Normalize longevity, not as an exception, but as the new standard. Feature age-diverse brand ambassadors across product lines. 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Measures like these can strengthen an organization's talent pipeline and ensure a more representative workforce. Forward-looking talent leaders should: Redesign roles and workflows to accommodate physical, cognitive, and lifestyle changes. Introduce phased retirement, part-time leadership roles, and mid-career reskilling. Extend leadership development to late-career professionals who still have decades of contribution ahead. These models not only retain institutional knowledge but also foster loyalty in a workforce that increasingly values flexibility and purpose. 4. From age-segregated teams to intergenerational collaboration The future of work is multigenerational. Today's workplaces often span four generations, from young Gen Zs to older Boomers. Rather than treating age differences as a challenge, leading organizations understand that diverse perspectives can drive innovation and are leveraging them as an asset. General Electric's reverse mentorship program —in which younger employees helped seasoned executives strengthen their digital experience—was so successful it was ultimately incorporated into the broader company strategy. PwC and Moody's have developed cross-generational programs in which older and younger generations from diverse backgrounds are paired up to learn from each other. Popular culture is starting to reflect this reality, which is important if we want to change the prevailing narrative. Intergenerational friendships like the ones portrayed on hit TV shows like HBO's Hacks and ABC's Abbott Elementary are examples of the power and mutual benefit intergenerational relationships can have on people's lives and careers. The stories highlight the ways that young and old frequently benefit from working together while also rewriting outdated stereotypes that tend to portray older adults as crazy or outdated and younger adults as irresponsible or careless. Company leaders can learn from these plot lines and should: Structure teams with age diversity as an intentional design element. Establish mutual mentorship programs that value experience and innovation equally. Train managers to navigate generational expectations around communication, work-life balance, and performance. Research shows that age-diverse teams drive better financial performance and are more resilient, particularly in industries where institutional knowledge and adaptability are critical. A Strategic Checklist for Getting Started Companies ready to embrace age inclusion can begin by assessing their blind spots and opportunities. Here are five practical steps: Conduct a demographic risk audit. Evaluate whether your workforce, leadership, and customer strategies align with projected population trends, not past ones. Redesign talent models for longevity. Plan for longer tenures, encore careers, and succession pipelines that include employees in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s. Build inclusive products and services. Apply inclusive design from the outset, test products with users across the age spectrum, and make accessibility an innovation metric. Institutionalize intergenerational collaboration. Set age-diversity goals. Structure teams for a generational mix. Make mentorship programs reciprocal, not one-way. Tell better stories about age. Invest in advertising agencies and campaigns that elevate older consumers and professionals as creators, not caretakers of the past. . . . Demographic change isn't coming—it's here, and it's reshaping labor markets, consumer behavior, and economic growth. The question for business leaders is no longer whether to respond to these changes, but how fast and how comprehensively. Age inclusion isn't a corporate social responsibility initiative, but a strategy for resilience, relevance, and growth. Companies that design for the full life course will not only tap into the wealth and wisdom of older adults but also build stronger intergenerational systems that benefit everyone. As the adage goes, demographics is destiny. But it's also design, and the future belongs to those who build for it.
