When the beetle platform was first put together, highway speeds were lower and no one envisioned what we'd be doing with them now. A drum brake beetle will lose it's brakes at somewhere between 30-40 mph when panic stopped from 75mph, and it's a very scary experience. VW recognized the need for better brakes as speeds got higher and put front discs on the Ghia, 411/412 and the later model buses. I have found that unless you're pushing the car really hard, a front disc upgrade is more than adequate. Type 3 rear drums are a fantastic upgrade to these cars and with I don't think you could ever tax rear discs beyond their capabilities (on the street). It's their ability to shed heat way beyond what a drum is capable of.