The Dune Buggy Files by James Hale

Have fun driving into the sands of time

I had no idea, before I encountered this book, that Dune Buggies were still being driven, let alone being manufactured. I've never seen one on the road, though, or even on the beach. Perhaps I don't spend enough time in California. Never mind, I more than made up for it flicking through this nicely illustrated history.

I had no idea, before I encountered this book, that Dune Buggies were still being driven, let alone being manufactured. I've never seen one on the road, though, or even on the beach. Perhaps I don't spend enough time in California. Never mind, I more than made up for it flicking through this nicely illustrated history.

Such distinguished carrozzeria as Bertone and Pininfarina have styled dune buggy proposals, as have Peugeot, Ford and Pontiac. Most intriguing of all these notions is VW's, seen at last year's Detroit Motor Show and named "Concept T". Funnily enough it looks more like an actual insect Beetle than the original car Beetle did, if you follow my drift. Well, we've got the retro new Beetle so why not a retro Dune Buggy? But a pitiful bodykitted Polo marketed as the "Dune" is the nearest we've got to that so far. They're kicking sand in our faces.