by Michael Satterfield
The Thomas Crown Affair was a departure for Steve McQueen, while he was one of Hollywood's top leading men by 1968, he often played the hero in cowboy or soldier form. Stan Kamen, McQueen's agent wanted to elevate his client. Actors like Cary Grant and Sean Connery were considered for the role, it is even said that Connery declined an offer to play the well-dressed gentleman bank robber. Playing McQueen's love interest was the up-and-coming starlet Faye Dunaway who was making waves in Hollywood.
While Thomas Crown would mostly be seen in his blue Rolls-Royce, McQueen told a documentary filmmaker the story about how he was able to work the Dune Buggy into the script "Crown lives at the beach, and he has a sand dune buggy. I helped 'em design it, so I'm kinda proud of that. It's set on a Volkswagen chassis, with big ol' wide weenies, big wide tires on mag wheels, Corvair engine stuffed in the back...It's very light, you know. It's pulling about 230 horses, and the vehicle weighs about 1,000 pounds." The Corvair engine really set the Thomas Crown buggy apart from standard Meyers Manx buggies with the VW power plants.
The buggy was only featured in a short sequence in the film, but it was one of the most action-packed and made its way into many of the original movie posters and promotional trailers. The iconic Con-Ferr Meyers Manx Dune Buggy sold for $456,000 at the Bonhams Amelia Island Auction, making it the most expensive VW based Dune Buggy of all time.
Check out the specs and more photos below.
2,683cc Flat 6-Cylinder Engine
Four Carburetors, Aluminum Cylinder Heads
140+ bhp
4-Speed Manual Transaxle
Modified Volkswagen Floor Pan, Chassis and Suspension
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
*Bespoke and highly customized authentic Meyers Manx fiberglass body
*Custom interior, exhaust, and American Racing Wheels
*Cast and costumed specifically for its role in this iconic McQueen film
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