Volkswagen is bringing the dune buggy back to life.
Well, sort of. While the “original” dune buggy stemmed back to the 1960s and 1970s, this one takes a decidedly modern approach. Not least of which is the platform. Volkswagen is building the dune buggy on the MEB platform that will also underpin models like the I.D. BUZZ. It’s a one-of-a-kind model for now, but the company will bring it to the Geneva Motor Show in March.
“A buggy is more than a car. It is vibrancy and energy on four wheels,” said Klaus Bischoff, Volkswagen’s Head Designer. It has the sort of carefree look you’d expect from a dune buggy. Those big Beetle-like eyes and bright green paint make it look fun. With the chunky wheels and tires, it looks like it could be pretty awesome in the sand.
Like the original buggy, this electric dune buggy doesn’t have a fixed roof or doors. There’s no mention of what sort of power it may put out, but the electric motors should give it a decent amount of shove. I have to admit, the prospect of instantaneous torque for some wheel-spinning fun on sand sounds like a great time.
Nevertheless, we’ll have to wait and see how the public reacts to this buggy at Geneva. If folks like it, Volkswagen may well end up putting it into at least limited production. At the moment, it’s more of a design exercise. Volkswagen wants to show how flexible the MEB platform can be, and in time we’ll likely see a huge amount of vehicles on the platform in the coming years.
To see the other extreme of the I.D. line, check out the I.D. R at Pikes Peak below:
