The Return of the Volkswagen Dune Buggy
The Volkswagen Dune Buggy was driven by the likes of Elvis, James Bond and Steve McQueen in the 1960s and 70s. Now in 2019 the cult classic car is returning as an all-electric model.
This reimagined legend is currently a concept that has been teased by Volkswagen ahead its full unveiling at this year’s Geneva Motor Show in March.
The teaser images show the model’s design in darkened shots, but what is clear is that it doesn’t boast any resemblance to any model in the current Volkswagen range. Its freestanding windscreen, robust-looking rollover bar and large wheels are reminiscent of previous buggy models, whilst the round LED lights bring the model right up to date.
Volkswagen Design Director, Klaus Bischoff has described the model, explaining “A buggy is more than a car. It’s an attitude towards life. This is notably embodied in the new ID. Buggy: It visualises a modern, non-retro interpretation of such a classic and, most of all, that electric mobility can be very emotional.”
The buggy is said to be under ‘active consideration’ to join Volkswagen’s line up of future electric vehicle line-up. The first of these is set to be a production version of the ID hatchback concept.
The first dune buggy, the ‘Meyers Manx’, was created in 1964 by Bruce Meyers who was seeking an alternative to heavy four-wheel jeeps in order to move faster through Californian dunes. It quickly became a cult-classic car of the 70s. Whilst the original models used the Beetle chassis, the new concept will be on the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) – a platform development specifically for electric vehicles.
Find out more about the current Volkswagen range or contact Caffyns Volkswagen for more information.