A Meyers Manx Sage Vaughn Art car was up for auction at a recent Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art fundraising auction held in honor of Annie Liebowitz and sold for $200,000 on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.
The Meyers Manx Sage Vaughn is part of a five-car series commissioned by Phillip Sarofim, founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based venture capital firm Trousdale Ventures and Chairman of Meyers Manx. While all of the body shells for the series have been completed, the remaining cars in the set will be assembled and displayed to the public. The sold vehicle is the only car in the series that has been completed. Vaughn is a Los Angeles-based artist known for his graphic, collage-like paintings.
Explaining the rationale for his donation, Sarofim stated, “Arts education is a cornerstone for fostering creativity and diversity of thought. I am so proud to see the sale of this Meyers Manx, an emblem of California’s artistic legacy, contribute to the educational programming provided by Crystal Bridges. This car encapsulates 60 years of California creativity: from its original designer, Bruce Meyers, to Sage Vaughn whose works I hold in high regard. I am so excited to unveil the remainder of this series to the public and am thrilled that this Manx is staying in Bentonville.”
This Meyers Manx Buggy is constructed utilizing the recycled chassis of a 1960s-era Volkswagen Beetle. It is representative of the historically significant buggy that Bruce Meyers designed in 1964 and that became a part of the zeitgeist of the 1960s. Meyers created the first compact, fiberglass dune buggies as well as helped popularize the sport of off-road racing after setting a highly publicized record for the fastest vehicle down the Baja Peninsula. Manx buggies, known for their superior quality and traditionally built by hand, are frequently used as a creative canvas by their builders, who are still able to purchase self-assembly kits from the company. This vehicle, the first of a series featuring artwork by Sage Vaughn, exemplifies the individualized nature of these highly personable vehicles.
The Party at Crystal Bridges brought together a variety of guests, including art industry professionals, cultural icons, and more, for an evening that raised more than $2 million in funds for the museum’s art education programs. The theme of the event, A Dance with the Light, was inspired by legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz on the occasion of the Annie Leibovitz at Work exhibition at Crystal Bridges.
Trousdale Ventures purchased Meyers Manx from the founder and original designer, Bruce Meyers, in 2020 with an eye towards rebooting the legacy brand as an electric vehicle manufacturer. Meyers Manx has exhibited the first two cars in its new electric lineup and is currently accepting deposits for each online. Trousdale Ventures invests in mission-driven companies across many sectors, such as space and mobility. For more information on Meyers Manx or to purchase a vehicle, visit meyersmanx.com.
