Disguised as a mini Batmobile, one of the most appreciated vehicles in Brazil is hidden. This car is black, has vertically opening doors, and features a rear spoiler, but its mechanical heart is a Beetle.
The Karma Coachworks SR2, an unusual buggy built on a Volkswagen chassis dating back to 1970, was sold on the Bring a Trailer auction site for approximately R$ 78 thousand (equivalent to US$ 15,500). Bids closed on Wednesday, the 21st.
The SR2 is derived from the Meyers Manx, a model conceived in the 1960s by Californian Bruce Meyers. The Manx used a fiberglass body mounted on the reduced platform of the Beetle, becoming a symbol of the buggy and generating numerous replicas globally. The buggies used for tourist rides in the dunes of Natal are considered direct descendants of this model.
Meyers' original company ceased operations in 1971. To preserve this concept, Karma Coachworks, based in Westminster, California, took over the production of the SR2, including collaboration with Meyers.
This model represents an evolution of the Manx SR, which was specifically designed to run on asphalt, unlike the versions intended for sand. The first generation of this vehicle had only 200 units produced.
One of these examples came into the hands of Malcolm Bricklin, an entrepreneur known for introducing Subaru to the United States, and this car may have served as partial inspiration for the Bricklin SV-1, a 1970s sports car with a fiberglass body and gullwing doors.
The shiny black example features a spoiler, wide rear tires, a retractable roof, and side windows that can also be opened. Its wheelbase measures about 2.03 meters, which is 37 centimeters shorter than that of a Beetle.
In the area behind the seats, where the Beetle also houses the engine, there is a four-cylinder Volkswagen boxer engine with a displacement of 1.6 liters and about 70 horsepower, fueled by a Holley Bugspray carburetor. The transmission is a four-speed manual, equipped with a Hurst shifter, a renowned brand in the American muscle car segment.
Additionally, the buggy includes a certificate of authenticity from Meyers Manx, a brand that Bruce Meyers restructured in 2000 and which currently sells model kits.