The Meyers Manx is among the most recognizable shapes in automobiledom, however the Manx lately featured on “Jay Leno’s Storage” hides a shock beneath the acquainted bodywork.

As a refresher, the Meyers Manx dune buggy was created by Bruce Meyers, marrying a fiberglass physique with a Volkswagen Beetle platform and flat-4 engine. Earlier than his demise in 2021, Meyers bought the corporate to enterprise capitalist Phillip Sarofim and automotive designer Freeman Thomas—whose résumé contains the VW New Beetle and the unique Audi TT—they usually have labored to convey the Manx again.

This Manx is among the newly minted variations, however the engine within the again has no VW DNA. It is a 2.0-liter radial engine, with the cylinders organized in a circle across the crankshaft. This configuration is in style in plane, and has been utilized in some terrestrial army automobiles, however is never seen in vehicles. Designed for gyrocopters and bush planes, this engine makes 200 hp in its naturally aspirated inventory configuration (and 300 hp with a supercharger), however is detuned to 130 hp and 130 lb-ft of torque right here.

How did this engine find yourself in a Manx? The corporate that builds it, Australian agency Radial Movement, is staffed with VW followers, Sarofim explains within the video. Trying to take a look at the engine on the bottom, they determined to put in it in a Beetle dubbed “Zombie Bug.” It turned out to be a fairly good alternative for the unique flat engine, and even {couples} to the inventory VW transmission.

In contrast to the VW engines historically utilized in Manx dune buggies, this one can also be water-cooled (the coolant is refilled by a gap in one of many twilight housings). The engine was additionally designed to be smokeless, not at all times the case with plane piston engines, however a should for street use, Sarofim famous.

It is unclear if the radial-engine Manx will turn into an everyday manufacturing mannequin, however the firm is launching an electrical model. A full manufacturing ramp-up is scheduled for 2024.