The New Frontier
Meyers Manx and Freeman Thomas
STORY | JUSTIN ROESER
Photography | LORENZO KIKISCH & Robin Trajano
Since the founding of the country, the American West has beckoned to those searching for a different lifestyle, a different way of thinking. From fortune seekers to farmers, scientists to starlets, the West held the promise of new beginnings. At the edge of the West lies the Golden State of California, a dreamscape where the American story was broadcast to the world. It is the birthplace of Mickey Mouse, McDonald’s, Levi’s, and an adorable yet extremely capable “dune buggy” called the Meyers Manx.
Today, some 60 years after the introduction of the first Meyers Manx, this iconic brand is being reborn for the new, electrified automotive age. Leading this remarkable resurgence is accomplished automotive and industrial designer Freeman Thomas, who now serves as Vice Chairman of Meyers Manx. For the past four decades, Thomas has been “positively disrupting” the automotive world. He was the hand behind the Audi TT and the New Beetle, both born out of his work at California’s Volkswagen Design Center in the early 1990s. These designs represented a new path forward for the Volkswagen Group and, especially with the New Beetle, reimagined how a design icon could be modernized. It’s the same wave that Meyers Manx is now riding.
This year, the Meyers Manx 2.0 goes public. The fully electric 2.0 marks the first new vehicle offered by Meyers Manx in more than 50 years. The near-silence of electric operation provides unrivaled serenity and tranquility for those seeking zero audible interruptions from an internal combustion engine. “You feel one with the outdoors when you drive a Meyers Manx,” said Thomas. “It is so relaxing; it doesn’t feel like you are getting in and closing the doors. The Manx is all about enjoying the experience.” With 125 miles of range, the Meyers Manx 2.0 is more than capable of exploring the most scenic trails, parks, and beaches that nature will throw in its way.
The Manx 2.0
The Launch Edition of the 2.0—photographed at Meyers Manx Headquarters in Irvine, California— is painted in the exclusive metallic Meyers Manx Launch Green and features a removable hardtop as well as the largest battery pack that Manx offers. Inside the cockpit, a 1960s-inspired houndstooth fabric wraps both passenger seats in style. Meyers Manx 2.0 models will be offered in an array of unique colors, from Big Sur (a gorgeous, medium blue) to Balboa (a smooth, pink hue). All the colors are inspired by California living and dreaming and, according to Thomas, more colors will be added to the roster in the future. The car’s interior will be available in highly durable weatherproof materials, naturally.
The 2.0 sports an all-aluminum monocoque with IRS coilover suspension and electric steering. In the middle of the dash is a retro-inspired speedometer with a digital display at its center. This vintage-look speedometer serves as the central information hub and connection to your smartphone. “One of my irritations in industry is the filter between your smartphone and your car,” said Thomas. “We want to leverage the smartphone because that’s what people really love using. Anyone can jump into the Meyers Manx 2.0 and it will be intuitive.”
Those looking to drive a Meyers Manx will find themselves in good company. Besides legendary icons Steve McQueen and Elvis Presley, masses of people worldwide have had an obsession with the Meyer Manx’s design and off-road prowess over the years. Every July, hundreds of owners attend Manx’s Big Bear Bash in California. “A lot of the bigger off-road vehicles just can’t go on the small forest roads of California because they’re too big, too wide, and too tall, ” said Thomas. This past September, UK’s Goodwood Revival honored 60 years of the Meyers Manx and launched each event day with celebratory laps by Meyers Manxes from around the world. There, European fans also got their first glimpse of the all-new, all-electric Meyers Manx 2.0.
These high-profile showcases around the world, along with the company’s venturesome social media campaigns, have generated a flood of interest in the Meyers Manx 2.0. Thomas welcomes the enthusiasm: “Our customer is premium-minded, not premium-priced; capability is the new luxury.” Demand may potentially outweigh supply, however, as the new Meyers Manx 2.0 is built under the NHTSA’s Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act, which enables the production of replica cars, specifically cars that are 25 years or older and were originally offered to the public. The Low-Volume Act caps production at a maximum of 325 units per year and stipulates that the new car on offer may not be more than 10% larger than the original design. These Low-Volume Act vehicles are still required to comply with levels of federal oversight, but not at the same levels as contemporary mass-production vehicles.
No Shortage of Ideas
There is no shortage of ideas coming out of the Meyers Manx HQ, thanks to a nimble and talented team of around 35 employees, ranging from seasoned industry vets to young emerging designers and engineers. Thomas likes to think of Meyers Manx as a “start-up mentoring the new generation. We’re a business run by enthusiasts. We won’t do anything we’re not into wholeheartedly, and we’ll retain our magic by opening the genie bottle slowly!”
Another current project for the Meyers Manx team is the long-wheelbase four-seater Resorter NEV, shown here in prototype form in light gray with a brick orange interior. A Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) is limited to 25 mph and has a maximum loaded weight of 3,000 lbs. NEVs are now legal in 46 U.S. States and most NEVs are allowed on public roads with a 35-mph speed limit, as long as they and the driver are licensed. For the past decade, the global NEV population has been growing tremendously as many people are traveling shorter distances within their own communities. The cost to operate an NEV is minimal compared to its primitive gasoline-powered competition, nearly seven times less.
A non-electric ”Remastered” version of the Resorter will also be available in the near future. The “Remastered” Resorter will be based on a full-size VW chassis. “Our heritage versions are an emotional part of our brand,” said Thomas. “We have our customers who are really biased: some are only interested in a Classic Manx, or some want the new fully electric Manx 2.0. Both sides complement each other well.”
Vintage Past, Electric Future
Meyers Manx also offers the brand-new “Remastered” kit for today’s do-it-yourself builder. Just as the original Meyers Manx could be built atop a shortened Volkswagen Bug chassis, today’s D.I.Y. builder can source their own chassis and engine and let Meyers Manx ship them the rest. The “Remastered” kit comes in nearly sixty different color options, ranging from a solid split-pea-soup green called Star Moss to Zinnia Pink, a bright metallic violet not seen since the salad days of Studio 54. “Choose your wheels, bumpers, roll bars, and simply add to cart,” laughed Thomas. The Meyers Manx is considered the most replicated kit car of all time.
Yet another workstream for Meyers Manx is supporting earlier “garage-built” Manxes of the past by supplying new spare parts and accessories. From the original-style seats, molded dash consoles, and multitudes of hardware, Manx’s aftermarket support aims to remove the age-old fear many vintage enthusiasts often succumb to: “parts unobtanium.”
If there were a wish list for an automotive enthusiast, asking what they wanted in a new car, what would the attributes be? Many enthusiasts complain about modern proportions, often finding themselves reminiscing about a time when a certain model offered the “perfect” size. They proclaim that driver engagement is too minimal, fussing about screens, multiple menus, driving nannies, and an overkill of technology. Enthusiasts often seek out a brand with heritage and provenance, which is something hard-earned over a long period of time. And above all, they want something unique, that stands out from the rest. The Meyers Manx checks off many of the boxes on this enthusiast’s wish list. It’s a distinctive vehicle that not only offers a vintage past, but an optional electric future.
They say 60 is the new 20, and today the Meyers Manx is (re)living its best life. The spotlight is on this California legend, and the show is about to begin.
