What's the news?
Volkswagen has confirmed what has long been rumoured - that it has plans to revive the classic sixties 'Beach Buggy' as an electric car.
Now we have the first images of a concept car that does just that; by taking the new MEB electric car platform (which goes into production later this year under the new I.D. hatchback) and plonking a retro body on top.
"A buggy is more than a car. It is vibrancy and energy on four wheels. These attributes are embodied by the new e-buggy, which demonstrates how a modern, non-retro interpretation of a classic can look and, more than anything else, the emotional bond that electric mobility can create" stated Klaus Bischoff, Head Designer at Volkswagen.
The original Buggy, technically known as the Meyers Manx, was created in 1965 by Californian designer Bruce Meyers. It was a simple fibreglass monocoque, to which a Volkswagen Beetle engine and suspension could be bolted.
The new concept Buggy is a touch more complex, of course, but follows the same basic principle of an open, two-seat body (original buggies never had a roof) with power going to the rear wheels. There are also no doors, and open, low-set side sills so that you can more easily climb in and out.
Will Volkswagen actually build it and put it on sale? It's possible. The carmaker points out that some 250,000 buggies and other Beetle-based specials were built, by various companies, up to the 1980s, and there's clear interest in making a car like this to show off the flexibility of the MEB platform, as well as to stir up some proper excitement in the electric car world.
What's rather more likely, though, is that the Buggy concept previews not a production version of itself, but an all-new electric Beetle. Volkswagen has been dropping hints about the potential for a new version of its iconic original, complete with rear-mounted electric motor and rear-wheel drive, based on the MEB setup. And, just look at the styling of this Buggy concept. Is it just us, or is there a lot of Beetle in that front styling?