Vroom!!!
THE KINDRED BRONCO & THE MEYERS MANX
Photography: Andrea Ceraso
Every so often, a vehicle comes along that reminds us why we fell in love with cars in the first place. Not because it’s the fastest, or the most practical, but because it puts a smile on your face before you’ve even turned the key, and turns ordinary errands into inspired adventures.
The best enthusiast vehicles aren’t really about transportation at all. They’re about experience! They’re about summer evenings with the top down and drives to the beach that become the highlight of the day. Which is exactly why, among the seven-figure supercars and exotic collectibles that pass through HK Motorcars, two decidedly less serious - and less expensive - machines have captured our attention: the beautifully reimagined Kindred Bronco and the iconic Meyers Manx dune buggy.
HK MOTORCARS is one of the nation’s pre-eminent specialized dealers. Their offering includes: the recently released Kimera K39, a 1,000 horsepower, 5.0L twin-turbo V8 Koenigsegg engine monster from Luca Betti; the 190 E Evo II, designed and built by HWA in Germany in tribute to the Mercedes 190, with a 450 horsepower, 3.0L twin-turbo V6, that can be heavily customized for each purchaser, and comes in with a price tag at around $1M, and; the restomod Porsche 914 from Fifteeen Eleven in the United Kingdom, which pays homage to the Porsche 914, and is built on a donor car that’s taken down to the chassis, with a new Cayman S 400 horsepower engine, and removable Targa top, and costs about $500,000.
But if it’s just for fun…and a chance to treat yourself to something truly outrageous…without breaking the bank on superfluous horsepower…
COOL FOR ALL SEASONS
THE KINDRED BRONCO AND THE EV BRONCO
KINDRED Motorworks is the Vallejo, California manufacturer that produces these gas and electric powered, vastly-improved restomods of the old favorite Ford Bronco.
Kindred starts with a donor car which they source for the customer, that they use mostly for the chassis, some trim, and the VIN. Then, for the combustion model, they drop-in a brand new Coyote ‘Mare Island’ V8, like the ones used in the Mustang GT, that produces 460 horsepower. And for the electric version, they install a dual-motor, 400 horsepower engine with a 200-mile range.
The restomod Broncos have full-time all-wheel-drive, a 10-speed automatic transmission, Apple Car Play, power doors and locks, 4 Napa leather bucket seats, a wood steering wheel, and rear seats that are set slightly farther back than in the old Bronco to provide additional backseat-passenger legroom. And it’s available with a hardtop that can be removed, and a ragtop alternative.
Kindred is focused on building the highest quality vehicle possible - without going to extremes that drive up the cost without any real practical benefits. They’re fulfilling a niche in the marketplace for people who can afford the best, who demand the ultimate in safety and performance, and who want a vehicle that seems more like a smart purchase than an excessive folly.
With a price tag of for the combustion engine version of $214,000 including the cost of the donor car, and $240,000 for the EV including the donor - and a wait time of only about a month - the Kindred Bronco is actually a relatively economical choice.
…The restomod Bronco is well-suited for all four seasons, and provides optimal performance for all road conditions and for off-road adventures. With the right finish, it’s ideally styled for men and/or women. It’s big, and high-up, and safe, so it’s an ideal choice to buy for your young adult. And yet it’s definitely so custom and high-end that you can choose to buy it instead of some fancy sportscar - and it’s going to be way more comfortable to use! It’s a dependable daily driver, but perfect as a special purpose vehicle at the beach or mountain house.
HOT TIME FOR THE SUMMER
THE MEYERS MANX
In the 1960s, Bruce Meyers - who is usually referred to as the inventor of the dune
buggy- designed what he tagged the Manx to compete in off-road races in the Baja…and the Southern California surfin’ culture was born! Cue the Beach Boys and break out the bikinis! In 1968, Elvis Presley drove an orange Manx in Live A Little, Love A Little, and Steve McQueen commissioned one to drive in The Thomas Crown Affair…and Pierce Brosnan drove the same Manx when he reprised McQueen’s role in the 1999 version of the classic. And the villain Aris Kristatos drives a Manx when he attacks James Bond in the dunes in For Your Eyes Only in 1981. …And, while there have been scores of imitators in the dune buggy category over the years, the Meyers Manx remains the icon.
To build the modern-day Manx, Meyers starts with a donor Volkswagen Bug and mounts a zero-mile 1900cc, aircooled 110 that puts out 140 horsepower. The ultra-light body is all fibreglass and the roll bar is standard equipment. And the Manx comes in a 2-seater buggy design and now a new, longer wheel base 4-seater ‘Resorter’ model.
To take the Manx beyond the beach, it can be customized to optimize performance for off-roading on inland and mountain trails - or even for use as a beachtown getaround.
…And while getting a Meyers Manx - or two - is for sure an indulgence…with an MSRP of only $76,000, why not indulge?!?! The Fun-to-Dollar ratio is enormous! The Meyers Manx will be a memory making machine! …In truth, no real beach house is complete without at least one!
Meyers has an inventory in an array of colors, so HK can make delivery to your place at the shore in time to pull-up at your next bonfire on the beach!
