Volkswagen announces Geneva-bound dune buggy concept

It's intentionally not retro.

Confirming a rumor that popped up in December, Volkswagen has announced it will travel to the 2019 Geneva auto show to unveil concept car that puts a modern spin on the popular Meyers Manx dune buggy.

The Manx was built on a modified Beetle chassis; this is not that, but it's similar on paper. Volkswagen's latest concept -- which doesn't officially have a name yet -- rides on the modular MEB platform the Wolfsburg-based firm developed to underpin an entire family of electric car. The concept underlines the platform's flexibility.

Power comes from an electric motor, but additional technical specifications haven't been released yet.

Volkswagen noted its designers resisted the urge to take the concept in a retro direction. The idea was to re-create the buggy with electrification in mind, not to simply re-interpret the Manx.

"A buggy is more than a car. It is vibrancy and energy on four wheels. These attributes are embodied by the new e-buggy, which demonstrates how a modern, non-retro interpretation of a classic can look and, more than anything else, the emotional bond that electric mobility can create," explained Klaus Bischoff, Volkswagen's head of design, in a statement.

Volkswagen's 21st-century dune buggy will make its debut on March 5. Leftlane will be on-location to bring you live images and full information as soon as it breaks cover. While the buggy seems like the kind of low-volume model that will never reach production, the December rumors claimed Volkswagen hadn't fully ruled out making it a reality sooner or later.