A pair of matching dune buggies designed and fabricated by British artist Benedict Radcliffe is being offered for sale as a single lot, merging functional automotive engineering with sculptural design.
Known for his full-scale wireframe interpretations of iconic vehicles, Radcliffe has built a global reputation through precise, brightly finished steel sculptures of cars such as the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari F40, Lancia Stratos HF and Porsche 934. Trained at Glasgow’s Mackintosh School, Radcliffe developed a hands-on process that blends technical drafting with fabrication, welding and finishing techniques more commonly associated with engineering prototypes than traditional art pieces. His work has appeared in major galleries and museums worldwide and includes commissions such as a London taxi for Heathrow Terminal 2 and even a full-scale excavator.
The two dune buggies mark a departure from his usual static sculptures. Rather than creating nonfunctional outlines, Radcliffe began with existing dune buggies and stripped them to their mechanical foundations. He then fabricated new tubular steel frames inspired by the Meyers Manx, combining the exposed structure of early sandrail builds with the classic silhouette of the Bruce Meyers design.
One buggy is finished in green and yellow, the other in orange and black. Both ride on Volkswagen Beetle underpinnings and are fully operable. The green example is powered by a 1.9-liter air-cooled flat-four and features independent rear suspension and a Freeway Flyer gearbox with upgraded internals suited for highway use. The orange buggy runs a 1.3-liter VW flat-four.
The green buggy also benefits from extensive engine upgrades, including an Autolinea race case, enlarged pistons, counterweighted crankshaft, performance camshaft, big valve cylinder heads and dual 44 IDF carburetors, making it the more powerful of the two.
Interior treatments differ as well, with Porsche RSR-style seats in the green buggy and Scheel-Mann seating in the orange example.
Both vehicles are being sold together and designated for off-road or display use only.
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