In nature, there’s a phenomenon known as “convergent evolution” – the way different creatures in different places evolve the same traits to solve common problems. It also describes what happened in the early 1960s when people worldwide realized the Volkswagen Beetle could transform into an off-roader with only slight modifications.
In the United States, that process led to vehicles like the Meyers Manx. In Europe, Volkswagen itself adopted the basic Beetle chassis and parts into the Type 181, or as it was later known in the United States, “The Thing.” And, at almost the exact same time, Volkswagen in Australia had a similar thought about how a Beetle-based vehicle could tackle that country’s beach scene. The result: the Country Buggy.
