Melkus RS 2000 History

In 2006, Peter Melkus — son of the RS 1000's creator — announced plans to revive the Melkus name through a new company, Melkus Engineering GmbH, based in Dresden. The RS 2000 premiered at the 2009 Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) as a thoroughly modern lightweight sports car that consciously referenced the gullwing silhouette of its predecessor.

Unlike the RS 1000's two-stroke Wartburg engine, the RS 2000 used conventional Western powertrains: a turbocharged Volkswagen four-cylinder engine producing around 150–200 hp in base form, with the range-topping GTS variant reaching approximately 350 hp. The car was built on a tubular space frame with composite body panels, keeping weight around 975–1,021 kg depending on specification. Planned production was 25 cars per year. Variants included the RS 2000 GT and GTS (both introduced 2011). Melkus Engineering filed for insolvency in August 2012, ending the revival after a small number of cars had been delivered.