Designed by Radial Motion, the airplane engine churns out 130 horsepower from three cylinders.
Some things are destined to become icons that leave a lasting impression on people. Such is the case for the late Bruce Meyers who was regarded as the father of the dune buggy. He is remembered for creating the Meyers Manx, a dune buggy based on the original Volkswagen Beetle.
Before he passed away at the age of 94 in 2021, Meyers sold his decades-old company to Trousdale Ventures, an investment firm owned by Philip Sarofim. The revamped company revealed the Meyers Manx Electric 2.0 last year, which is considered the rebirth of the iconic dune buggy that debuted in the 1960s.
Now, Sarofim is back with another Manx dune buggy but powered by a combustion engine – not an ordinary one but a 2.0-liter three-pot mill for an airplane.
The Manx Dune Buggy's airplane engine is designed and engineered by Radial Motion. It's an Australia-based engineering solutions company that designs engines for defense, industrial, marine, and civic applications. Radial Motion also manufactures engines in V2, V4, and V6 configurations.
Sarofim shared in the interview on Jay Leno's Garage that he has always been a big fan of Meyers Manx, saying that the dune buggy has been a significant part of his automotive journey. The vehicle featured in the video comes with the classic Meyers Manx buggy look, featuring design details that could make the father of the dune buggy proud.
The Manx Dune Buggy featured in the video is equipped with a 2.0-liter three-cylinder engine that delivers 130 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque. Sarofim shared that it's a detuned version and claims that the 2.0-liter Radial Motion power unit can hit 200 hp to 300 hp on the dyno. Given the Manx Dune Buggy's light 1,600-pound weight, detuning makes sense.
Early this year, Manx introduced a new Remastered Kit for individuals who want to build their own dune buggy. We doubt this airplane power plant is already part of the options. If you're interested, Sarofim didn't share the price of the airplane engine-powered dune buggy in the video, so you might want to contact the company directly for that.
Keyword: Manx Dune Buggy With Airplane Engine Revives 1960s Open-Air Fun