Cruising in Volkswagen’s ID. Buggy
● We drive concept EV that recalls sixties special based on the Beetle
MEET the Volkswagen ID. Buggy. It marks the return of the classic VW beach buggy of the sixties, and, just like that famous car, this new one promises to offer the same heady mix of open-air thrills and fun driving charm.
The model this concept pays tribute to was never actually a VW creation. Californian engineer Bruce Meyers shortened a Beetle chassis and bolted on a fibreglass body, creating the Meyers Manx. He offered it in kit form first, then as a production car, but by 1971 the original company had folded.
Fast-forward to 2019 and we’re driving a car that’s supposed to evoke the spirit of the Manx. There’s the same bug-eyed front end, chunky tyres, a tall windscreen, two seats and simple bodywork that seems to be floating above the wheels. There’s a modern platform underneath – VW’s new MEB architecture – and drive goes to the rear wheels, just like the Meyers Manx’s did.
There’s no engine but instead a 202bhp electric motor at the back, with an electronic differential. It’s powered by a 62kWh lithium-ion battery. VW says a second motor, giving around 100bhp, could be added to the front wheels to make the Buggy fourwheel drive, something the Manx never was.
Inside, there’s the same rudimentary Manx spirit, with unadorned surfaces, washable seats, a drain plug in the floor and a steering wheel. As a nod to its modern DNA, though, the wheel has volume controls built in, the gearbox is operated by a stalk and the pedals have play and pause icons on them. There’s also a roof – but it’s just a tarpaulin stretched from the rear targa bar to the top of the windscreen to offer some protection.
On the road, the electric powertrain means there’s no air-cooled soundtrack this time, but this aside, the ID. Buggy does drive like the original Manx in many ways. You get the same wind-in-the-hair sensation, the view out over the bonnet is similar and there’s the general feeling of fun.
It’s good to drive, too, because the steering, which is borrowed from VW’s forthcoming ID.3, is light and surprisingly accurate – and (despite a 22mph limiter on the concept car) it’s very quick to accelerate.
The ride is nicely soft, too; the more you drive it, the more you realise the ID. Buggy is like no other typical, creaky, badly finished motor show concept. The car feels production ready. And that’s because it is.
Volkswagen still hasn’t made up its mind whether or not to build it. So officially, the ID. Buggy is a clever one-off to show how flexible the firm’s new MEB platform is – a pristine, set-dressed show home in a new housing development. However, there are signs VW is warming to the idea of building the car, whether by making it internally or licensing it to low-volume manufacturers. And that’s a very exciting thought indeed.
“There’s the same wind-in-the-hair sensation and general feeling of fun”