The Beetle is back, so why not the Bug…gy?
Autocar reports that Volkswagen has been granted a U.S. design patent on a dune buggy-style concept it revealed in 2011.
Based on the VW Up! subcompact, the Buggy Up! features an open top, two-seat body inspired by the classic Meyers Manx kit car, which is built on the platform of the original VW Beetle.
Although the Up! (yes, the exclamation point is part of the name) isn’t currently sold in the United States, VW officials have said it could be federalized for U.S. sale.
Unlike the Beetle, the five-seat Up! is front-wheel-drive and powered by a 75 hp 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine.
The Buggy Up! does away with the rear seats and hatchback, in favor of a trunk with a luggage rack on top, and features a bikini-style fabric roof in keeping with the stripped-down theme.
Granted, the patent is good for 14 years, so it may be a while before you see one of these rolling down California’s Highway 1, but good times could be on the way.