The Meyers Manx 2.0, like a phoenix, should rise from its ashes in 2024 in an electric car version.
The most cinephiles among us surely remember the film The Thomas Crown Affair starring Steve McQueen and the incomparable Faye Dunaway, whose soundtrack was signed by the French composer Michel Legrand. One of the mythical scenes of this movie, released in 1968, is a trip aboard a Meyers Manx buggy on a huge deserted beach. This buggy was found and sold for $456,000 at auction in March 2020.
The Manx, or sand buggy, was originally designed by Bruce Meyers – who died in March 2021 – in the 1960s. It was a kit vehicle based on a modified chassis of the famous Volkswagen Beetle and dressed in a fibreglass shell. The Meyers Manx buggies were the highlight of desert races such as the Mexican 1000, ancestor of the mythical Baja 1000.
Despite going bankrupt in 1971, Bruce Myers restarted in 1999 with a new company, Myers Manx, still dedicated to buggies. In 2014 he unveiled his 100% electric prototype.
Then, in 2020, he sold the company to Trousdale Ventures, a venture run by Phillip Sarofim, a car collector and big fan of Myers’ Manx buggy. To direct Myers Manx, Philip Salofim contacted Thomas Freeman, a well-known designer who worked at Porsche and helped design the Audi TT. Volkswagen He is also responsible for the neo-retro styling of the New Beetle.
Meyers Manx 2.0 was announced on August 6th, so Thomas Freeman and his team haven’t been idle since. However, the famous silhouette, central arch, minimalist dashboard, prominent round headlights, and frog optics are still present. A removable hardtop replaces the soft top.
100% Electric motor
Gone, however, is the large engine that appears at the rear of the vehicle. The Manx 2.0 is equipped at the back with his 100% electric motor with two more motors, and with 325 Nm of torque, he develops 202 hp. These qualities are combined with a 40 kWh battery pack that provides 483 km.
However, engine specifications for a 20 kWh battery pack rated at 241 km are not given. Charging is via the onboard 6 kW (AC) charger or the optional fast charger for 60 kW.
The Manx 2.0 is 3.13m long, 1.78m wide, and 1.35m high. It has a wheelbase of 2.08 m and weights between 680 and 748 kg depending on the battery pack selected.
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The official presentation of Meyers Manx 2.0
On the other hand, if the price is not yet known, the first deliveries should come in 2024. However, as of 2023, 50 beta testers will receive a copy of his Manx 2.0 to collect feedback and take criticism to improve it. Changes are made remotely or over the air (OTA).
The Meyers Manx 2.0 official unveiling will take place on August 19th, 2022, after which pre-orders will open.
It is hoped that the commercialization of the Myers Manx 2.0 will make Volkswagen reconsider its position of abandoning the manufacture of his ID. Buggy is an electric buggy concept based on the original Myers Manx.