The Volkswagen Brasília is a rear-engined small family car developed by Volkswagen do Brasil and internally designated as the Type 321 . Named for Brazil's capital city , the car was manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen in Brazil from 1973 to 1982; in Mexico from 1975 to 1982; and built from knock down kits in Nigeria, where it was marketed as the Igala from 1976 to 1980.
138-779: Designed to replace the Beetle (called the Fusca in Brazil), and available in both three-door and five-door hatchback body styles, the Brasília combined VW's air-cooled engine with the chassis of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and styling reminiscent of the Volkswagen 412 . By the end of 1982, over one million examples had been manufactured. In September 1970, Volkswagen of Brazil's president, Rudolf Leiding , challenged
276-556: A 1.5-liter inline water-cooled gasoline engine instead. The same engine was offered with an ethanol option. In 1985, the air-cooled engine of the Gol was replaced by a 1.6-liter (and later 1.8-liter as well) longitudinally-mounted water-cooled gasoline inline-four engine from the Passat . By May 1982 the Voyage 1.5 was upgraded to 1.6. In 1984 a water-cooled Voyage 1.8 ("Super") was launched as
414-474: A 1.9 liter diesel engine was installed in the Gol G2, only sold in markets outside of Brazil. Also this version of Gol had some chronic deficiencies of design, such as bad alignment of body parts, due to problems with the robots on the assembly line, and poor quality of plastic parts. A curious fact about this version of Gol is that the driver's seat is not well aligned with the steering wheel and pedals, causing
552-547: A 3.3% increase from the previous year. When including Audis produced at Ingolstadt, the combined output from Volkswagen and its Auto-Union company constituted 50.4% of all West German cars produced that year. In 1968, the Type 1 was officially given the name "Beetle" (from "der Käfer", German for beetle ). While it was largely successful in the 1960s, recording its highest sales growth in North America from 1960 to 1965,
690-459: A 90- mile-per-hour speedometer . On 30 July 1962, Volkswagen made several updates for the 1963 model year , including the incorporation of an air filter into the oil filter, the introduction of larger-diameter cylinder head induction ports and the adoption of plastic for the headliner and window guides. Volkswagen replaced the Wolfsburg crest on the hood, which had been present since 1951, with
828-468: A car similarly shaped to the Beetle, more than five years before Porsche unveiled his initial "People's Car" design. Through a court ruling in 1953, Barényi successfully asserted his authorship and associated claims. He explained that he had previously elucidated the concept of the Beetle, which was already formulated in the 1920s, to Porsche in great detail. However, this concept was not protected sufficiently by patents . Key elements of this concept included
966-399: A final target of 3,000 per day. During 1960, the company occasionally increased production by around 100; by the end of 1960, Volkswagen planned to produce 4,000 examples daily. Nordhoff stated, "Then we believe we shall have reached a balance between supply and demand so that we can finally deliver Volkswagens to customers without a waiting period". By the early 1960s, the Wolfsburg facility
1104-670: A five-door hatchback. It has the same equipment as the Trendline plus: rear headrests, 6 spoke 15" alloy wheels, black accented headlamps, rear spoiler, and sport seats). The Pointer was replaced in December 2008 by the new Volkswagen Gol G5 which has been launched in Brazil in July 2008. As a result of a joint-venture with Kerman Khodro , the Gol has been built in Iran since 2003. The Gol G3
1242-771: A five-door wagon version, the Brazilian Parati (called the Pointer Station Wagon in Mexico) and the Saveiro (called the Pointer Pick Up) are added. They were marketed in three trim levels: Base, Comfort (A/C and power steering) and Luxe (14" alloy wheels, power windows and remote control centralized door locks, A/C and power steering). For 2000 the Pointer received the same facelift as in Brazil and
1380-453: A four-speed manual gearbox, but soon this was changed to a five-speed unit. Successor of Gol GT, the GTS had an updated design, following the new 87 BX line up style and also featuring new accessories that were not available before, such as rear spoiler and side skirts. The 1.8 liter engine produced 94 hp (70 kW) running on gasoline or 99 hp (74 kW) running on ethanol. The GTS
1518-479: A full-flow oil filter , a 6.6:1 compression ratio —allowing for the use of unleaded fuel —and an electric fuel pump . A standard version was also released in 1993, featuring painted bumper bars and many minor removals. From 1997, front disc brakes and an immobiliser became available, and the De Luxe model featured small traffic indicator side lamps ahead of the top door hinge. The steering wheel's centre boss
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#17328016623901656-718: A higher-level option. A 1.6-liter diesel engine was made, although only for export as diesel engines are not allowed in passenger cars in the Brazilian market. In January 1983 a four-door Voyage sedan was released. It was known as the VW Amazon in some export markets, later as the Fox in North America. The four-door Voyage was built in the Autolatina Pacheco factory in Buenos Aires , Argentina from 1983 to 1994. It
1794-604: A knee-bar and manual front lap belts, while the Canadian models have kept the manual pillar-mounted front seat belts. The second generation (or "G2") Gol, known as Project AB9 during development, debuted in September 1994. It was still based on the BX platform, and is very different from the earlier model, with an updated body and longer wheelbase than the 1980 original. Nicknamed "Gol Bolinha" (roughly "Rounded Gol" or "Bubble Gol"),
1932-707: A lack of interest from British car manufacturers; an official report included the phrase, "The vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a motor-car [...] it is quite unattractive to the average buyer [...] To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise." Instead, the factory remained operational by producing cars for the British Army . Allied dismantling policy changed from late 1946 to mid-1947. During this period, heavy industry in Germany continued until 1951. In March 1947, Herbert Hoover helped change policy by stating: There
2070-677: A lawsuit, halted only by Germany's invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938, leading to the Nazi administration of the Tatra factory in October. Hitler instructed Tatra to focus exclusively on heavy trucks and diesel engines, discontinuing all car models except the V8-engined Tatra 87 . The issue resurfaced post-World War II, and in 1965, Volkswagen paid Ringhoffer-Tatra 1,000,000 Deutsche Marks in an out-of-court settlement. The name Volkswagen
2208-541: A new dashboard and steering wheel similar to the Golf, with the option of a multimedia center with the navigation system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink . In 2018, the third generation of the Gol received the third facelift with the same front as the Gol Track. Most of the trims were discontinued, leaving only the 1.0 and 1.6, the 1.6 version is the first version available with an automatic transmission and
2346-425: A political organisation aimed at providing the populace with leisure activities) was in charge of this project. Robert Ley , the Nazi official heading Kraft durch Freude (KdF), announced in 1938 that every German would own a Volkswagen within ten years. However, there were challenges. Gasoline prices in Germany were high due to taxes, making it expensive for private car ownership. Gasoline was also primarily used for
2484-569: A quick and inexpensive part exchange. As Hitler explained, the reason for choosing an air-cooled engine was that many rural doctors did not have access to garages for maintaining coolant. On 22 June 1934, Ferdinand Porsche received a development contract from the Verband der Automobilindustrie (German Association of the Automotive Industry) for the prototype of an inexpensive and economical passenger car after Hitler decided there
2622-572: A rather uncomfortable driving position. Another surprise was Volkswagen's original decision to sell the Gol and Parati (station wagon) only in three-door version, a step which was not appreciated by buyers. Fiat took the top spot in the Brazilian market for the last months of 1997, but once Volkswagen released quickly developed five-door models the Gol and Parati propelled Volkswagen back into first place in early 1998. The second-generation Gol received two facelifts, which include both cosmetic and engine upgrades. The first upgrade, in 1999 for 2000 model,
2760-518: A savings plan to buy a car. At that time, Germany had fewer cars than other European countries. In 1930, there were only about 500,000 registered cars in Germany, while France and Great Britain had over 1 million each, and the USA had more than 26 million. However, the onset of the Second World War hindered the distribution of the cars, and there was a lack of time for series production . With
2898-415: A significant downturn, leading to the loss of many dealerships for the company. In 1991, the planning of a new car began once J Mays and Freeman Thomas returned to California to open Volkswagen's Design Centre at Simi Valley . Recognising that Japanese manufacturers dominated the market in the 1970s and '80s, Volkswagen needed to introduce a vehicle to regain popularity. Before this, the company began
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#17328016623903036-408: A slight curvature, replacing its flat configuration. Door windows also expanded by 6%, with a slight backward canting of door vent window edges. Rear side windows increased by 17.5%, and the rear window by 19.5%. In 1967, updates comprised shortened front and rear bonnets, box-profile bumpers with a railway rails design that were installed at a higher position, vertically oriented scattering discs for
3174-593: A sporty Pointer GTI based on the Brazilian Gol GTI is introduced. It was a three-door hatchback with a 2.0 liter, 122 hp (91 kW) engine. It had AM/FM/Cassette radio, alloy wheels, all around disc brakes, and sporty black seats as standard equipment. In 2002 a basic Pointer City version is introduced, the former Comfort version is renamed the Trendline, and the Luxe variant as the Comfortline. In 2005
3312-416: A textile cover could be added at an extra cost. By March of the same year, the export model began to be equipped with a hydraulic brake system , which became a standard feature from April onwards. In 1952, the equipment was enhanced with the addition of vent windows in the doors, and the wheels were reduced to a diameter of 15 inches (380 mm) from the previous 16 inches (410 mm). On 10 March 1953,
3450-707: A two-door and four-door sedan as well as a two-door wagon, the wagon was discontinued for model year 1991 along with the two-door sedan for the Canadian market. That same year the remaining Fox versions received a mild restyling. All North American models employed a longitudinally-mounted inline-four 1.8 L gasoline engine producing 81 hp (60 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 93 lb⋅ft (126 N⋅m) of torque at 3,250 rpm. Early models (1987–1989) featured Bosch CIS-E type Jetronic electro-mechanical fuel injection, using an oxygen sensor to assist in fuel management. Later models (1990–1994) employed Bosch Digifant electronic fuel injection. In Canada from 1987–1989 it
3588-1202: Is a subcompact car that was manufactured by Volkswagen do Brasil from 1980 to 2023 as Volkswagen's entry-level car in the Latin American market—where it succeeded the Volkswagen Type 1 (Fusca) and the Volkswagen Brasilia . Several variants of the Gol-derived Voyage and Parati were marketed in North America as the Volkswagen Fox from 1987 to 1993. The Gol has been produced in several variants, such as three- and five-door hatchbacks , two- and four-door sedans (the Volkswagen Voyage ), three- and five-door station wagons (the Volkswagen Parati ), and two-door single and extra-cab coupé utilities (the Volkswagen Saveiro ). The Gol
3726-488: Is called the Gol Sedan. The Voyage is available in four versions on the Brazilian market; 1.0, 1.6, 1.6 Trend, and 1.6 Comfortline, all with standard with ABS brakes and dual front airbags. The Voyage's trunk can be electronically operated via a button on the dash or by pressing the keypad; the luggage capacity is 480 liters. Production of the sedan bodystyle ended in Brazil in 1995 and resumed in 2008, so although this
3864-464: Is made even better." Motor Trend , August 1960 In 1960, Volkswagen introduced a series of technical alterations. The front indicators were relocated to the front bonnet within chrome housings, and the rear indicators were integrated into the tail lamps . In January, the valve-clearing adjusting nut was slightly enlarged and resistor-type ignition leads were adopted. In March, Volkswagen made several modifications to its front trailing arm and
4002-464: Is only the second generation of the Voyage, it is called the G5 in line with the equivalent Gol hatchback. In August 2009, VW Brazil revealed the third generation Saveiro utility. The new Saveiro is available with a standard cabin or an extended cabin, sharing the same wheelbase which is 152 mm (6.0 in) longer than that of the Gol and Voyage. The only available engine, the 1.6L VHT, carries over from
4140-534: Is the illusion that the New Germany left after the annexations can be reduced to a " pastoral state ". It cannot be done unless we exterminate or move 25,000,000 people out of it. Major Ivan Hirst (1916–2000), a British Army officer, has been widely acknowledged for the reopening of the factory. Hirst was ordered to take control of the heavily bombed factory, which the Americans had captured. Recognising
4278-471: Is the most of any car of a single platform . The Beetle was conceived in the early 1930s. The leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler , decided there was a need for a people's car —an inexpensive, simple, mass-produced car—to serve Germany's new road network, the Reichsautobahn . The German engineer Ferdinand Porsche and his design team began developing and designing the car in the early 1930s, but
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4416-651: The Ford Corcel and the Chevrolet Chevette . Volkswagen Beetle#Brazil The Volkswagen Beetle , officially the Volkswagen Type 1 , is a small family car produced by the German company Volkswagen from 1938 to 2003. One of the most iconic cars in automotive history, the Beetle is noted for its distinctive shape. Its production period of 65 years is the longest of any single generation of automobile, and its total production of over 21.5 million
4554-729: The Fox and Polo , with some components from the PQ25 platform. In Brazil, it was released in three and five-door hatchback version with the options of 1.0-liter or 1.6-liter flex engines. Its dimensions are 3.90 m in length, 1.66 m in width, 1.45 m in height with a wheelbase of 2.47 m, and luggage capacity of 285 liters. It is the first Gol to be offered with an automated manual transmission . The advertisements were filmed in Los Angeles , California , featuring Sylvester Stallone and Gisele Bündchen . Volkswagen High Torque (VHT) technology
4692-482: The Golf in 1974. In the late 1970s and '80s, Japanese automakers began to dominate the market, which contributed to the Beetle's declining popularity. Over its lifespan, the Beetle's design remained consistent, yet Volkswagen implemented over 78,000 incremental updates. These modifications were often subtle, involving minor alterations to its exterior, interior, colours, and lighting. Some more noteworthy changes included
4830-522: The Kommandeurswagen persisted until 1944 when the production at the plant halted due to the extensive damage inflicted by the Allied air raids. Due to gasoline shortages late in the war, a few " Holzbrenner " (wood-burner) Beetles were built fueled with wood logs. Planned for September 1939, Kraft durch Freude arranged an event to showcase Germany's Autobahn highway system and to promote
4968-552: The Puebla plant in Mexico, Volkswagen produced the final Type 1, after 21,529,464 examples were produced globally during its tenure. Its production span of 65 years is the longest of any single generation of automobile, and its total production of over 21.5 million is the most of any car of a single platform . To celebrate the occasion, Volkswagen marketed a series of 3,000 Beetles as "Última Edición" (Final Edition). While
5106-688: The V570 prototype, which featured an air-cooled flat-twin engine mounted at the rear. Hitler and Porsche both were influenced by the Tatras. Hitler, an avid automotive enthusiast, rode in Tatras multiple times during political tours of Czechoslovakia and had frequent dinners with Ledwinka. Following one such tour, Hitler remarked to Porsche, "This is the car for my roads". From 1933 onwards, Ledwinka and Porsche met regularly to discuss their designs, and Porsche admitted, "Well, sometimes I looked over his shoulder, and sometimes he looked over mine" while designing
5244-638: The Volkswagen Fox . After a facelift in 1991, Argentinian-built, entry-level models were renamed the Volkswagen Senda . In the second generation this model was replaced by the Volkswagen Polo Mk3 Classic , which was still sold in Mexico and Argentina. But a new Voyage notchback sedan returned in 2008 for the third generation. Volkswagen Parati is a station wagon built on both generations since May 1982. The Parati I
5382-563: The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf . A new 1.0 liter three-cylinder was introduced, the same engine used on the Brazilian-specification Up! and Fox models, with the option of ethanol or gasoline, or a combination of both. The Rallye version based on the CrossFox with a 16-valve 1.6 liter four-cylinder was discontinued, leaving only the 8-valve 1.6 liter engine as an option to the 1.0 liter engine. The interior received
5520-464: The "V Grill", most avid automotive enthusiasts were unimpressed with the leap backwards in interior design. The G4 stayed in production until 2013, and was finally discontinued in 2015. The flexible fuel vehicle Gol Total Flex, available since 2003, was the first of its kind in South America. Its introduction followed a rehabilitation of the use of alcohol to power automobiles. The Gol G2
5658-403: The 1200 received fully independent suspension , some stylistic improvements and an external fuel cap . The 1300 transitioned from six-volt to twelve-volt electrics and received dual circuit braking and a fuel gauge. The 1500 also received these alterations, as well as carburettor enhancements. In 1969, the 1200 received twelve-volt electrics, hazard warning lamps and a locking fuel cap. The 1300
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5796-632: The 1933 Berlin Auto Show . The Standard Superior , designed by Ganz for the Standard vehicle factory, featured an implied teardrop-shaped body on a central tubular frame with a rear swing axle, yet the engine was transversely installed in front of the axle, not longitudinally as a rear engine. The Austrian automobile designer Hans Ledwinka , whom Porsche was a contemporary, worked at the Czechoslovakian company Tatra . In 1931, Tatra built
5934-460: The 1974 model year, possessing the same specifications as the 1300 but maintaining the same overall design as the 1200. The VW 1302, introduced in August 1970, featured a redesigned front end. It incorporated a new front axle featuring MacPherson suspension struts , wishbones and a stabiliser. The enlargement of the front trunk became possible as a result. Unlike its predecessor, the spare wheel
6072-596: The Beetle started facing competition from more contemporary designs worldwide in the 1970s. The decade started out well for Volkswagen, which sold 569,000 Beetles in 1970. In 1970, fifteen Volkswagen dealerships in Washington convened to implement the Volkswagen American Dealers Association , which was made to preserve a free market of imported international automobiles through political pressure and lobbying. On 17 February 1972,
6210-563: The Beetle. As opposed to the Beetle, the Golf was substantially redesigned over its lifetime, with only a few components carried over between generations. On 10 January 1980, the final Beetle convertible of 330,281 rolled off the production line at the Karmann facility in Osnabrück . It was the most successful convertible for a long time and was replaced by the first Golf cabriolet in 1979. The number of Beetle units sold by Volkswagen
6348-675: The Brazilians' passion for the sport. Following a continuous production for 43 years, the production of the Gol ended in 2023. A downgraded version of the Volkswagen Polo called the Polo Track became its replacement. The Gol family contains several body styles. The three- and five-door hatchback variants are known as the Volkswagen Gol in most markets, with the exception of Egypt and Russia, where they are marketed as
6486-489: The Forces of Occupation received 20,991 cars, leaving less than 10,000 for export or domestic consumption. The number of employees increased from 6,033 by the end of 1945 to almost 57,000 in 1957. After the war, over 10,000 apartments were built to house the workers in Wolfsburg, which then had a population of nearly 60,000. In 1959, Volkswagen invested more than DM500 million to increase daily production by 1,000, reaching
6624-589: The Ford-built engine had been in limited supply, Volkswagen could now ramp up production of their entry level Gols beginning in January 1997. There were also 16 valve versions of the 1.0 AT-1000 engine launched in September 1996. The 1.0 16V has 76 PS (56 kW; 75 hp), up from 54 PS (40 kW; 53 hp) in the eight-valve version. In 1995 the Autolatina partnership was dissolved. In 1998,
6762-466: The Gol and Voyage. The most basic 1.6 specification has black bumpers and 14-inch steel wheels. The optional Trend package includes 14-inch alloy wheels and color-coded door handle and mirror covers; the top of the line is the Saveiro Trooper which has black-painted 15-inch alloy wheels. Carrying capacity is 715 kg (1,576 lb) for the standard cabin and 700 kg (1,543 lb) for
6900-611: The Pointer Station Wagon and the Pointer GTI are discontinued and the former Pointer trims (but the City) are replaced by a new Pointer Mi version. In the model year 2007, the Pointer receives the newest facelift, and its versions are reorganized. The Pointer is currently marketed as the Base, A/C (Air Conditioning, power steering and rear wiper/washer), Trendline (Radio AM/FM Stereo CD, 15" alloy wheels, fog lamps), and GT (only available as
7038-426: The Second World War because the Volkswagen plant at Fallersleben (now Wolfsburg ), founded in May 1938, was not yet finished. During the war, other German manufacturers were concurrently producing military vehicles and armaments , so the series production of the then-called Volkswagen car could not begin until peacetime; nevertheless, 210 KdF-Wagens were manufactured by the end of the war in May 1945. Following
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#17328016623907176-425: The Type 1 and used by the Wehrmacht . These vehicles, including several hundred Kommandeurswagen (Type 87), featured a Type 1 Beetle body mounted on the robust chassis of the four-wheel-drive Type 86 Kübelwagen prototype. The Kommandeurswagen included a portal axle, a Schwimmwagen drivetrain, wider fenders, and oversized Kronprinz all-terrain tyres, reminiscent of the later Baja Bugs . The production of
7314-454: The Type 60 K 10, officially known as the Porsche 64 . Although the engineers produced three vehicles, they never made it to the race due to the outbreak of war before the scheduled date; two of them disappeared during the conflict. Austrian Otto Mathé acquired the third Berlin-Rome car and raced it throughout the 1950s, becoming the fastest in its class during the 1950 Alpine Cup. He continued to use it until his death in 1995. Following
7452-406: The Type 60 before 1946, received the dub "Pretzel Beetle" due to its distinctive oval-shaped, vertically divided rear window. On 1 July 1949, the Volkswagen lineup was expanded to include the "export" model featuring enhanced interiors, chrome bumpers, and trim. It was offered in a variety of colours to distinguish it from the preceding "Standard" model. Starting in 1950, an optional sunroof with
7590-405: The Type 60 by Porsche, the Beetle project involved a team of designers and engineers comprising Erwin Komenda , who specialised in the bodywork; Josef Kales, responsible for the engine design; Karl Rabe , serving as the chief engineer; and Josef Mickl and Franz Xaver Reimspiess, the latter credited for devising the iconic Volkswagen badge. The project saw significant milestones in October 1935 with
7728-650: The V3s underwent over 50,000 km (31,000 mi) of testing across various terrains. A series of thirty W30 development models, commissioned by Porsche and manufactured by Daimler-Benz, underwent testing in early April 1937, covering a total distance of over 2,900,000 kilometres (1,800,000 mi). All vehicles featured the characteristic rounded design and included air-cooled , rear-mounted engines . A further batch of 44 VW38 pre-production cars produced in 1938 introduced split rear windows, and subsequently, Volkswagen introduced fifty VW39 cars, completed in July 1939. Kraft durch Freude (Strength Through Joy,
7866-445: The VW Beetle, impacting the Tatra 77 and other vehicles. His initial patents and publications date back to the early 1920s. The engineer Christian Binnebesel scientifically presented Jaray's significant contribution to streamline form in his 2008 dissertation. Josef Ganz's potential early contributions to the original Beetle's development remained controversial for years and lacked clear clarification. Research suggests that his idea and
8004-419: The Volkswagen Beetle continued in Australia, Mexico and Nigeria. In the 1960s and '70s, Volkswagen augmented its product portfolio with several models to supplement the Type 1—the Type 3 , the Type 4 and the NSU -based K70 sedan. None of these models achieved the level of success of the Beetle. The overdependence on a singular model, which was experiencing a decline in popularity, meant that Volkswagen
8142-435: The Volkswagen Pointer. The first-generation Gol was available only as a three-door hatchback; all generations since have offered a five-door variant as well. The sedan has only been produced for the first and third (current) generations. The Brazilian-built sedans were marketed as the Volkswagen Voyage , while the Argentinian ones were referred to as the Volkswagen Gacel . In the United States and Canada , they were sold as
8280-402: The Volkswagen achieved 13.4 km/L (37.9 mpg ‑imp ; 31.5 mpg ‑US ) on a mileage comparison. The Brasília was equipped with disc brakes on the front wheels, drum brakes on the rear wheels. Beginning with the 1977 model year, the Brasília featured dual circuit brakes and a collapsible steering wheel modified for collision safety. In 1975, Volkswagen do Brasil considered
8418-504: The Volkswagen facility dedicated solely to wartime requirements, the over 330,000 KdF savers could not acquire their vehicles. Following the war, numerous KdF savers pressed for the receipt of a Volkswagen. When their request was denied, the VW saver initiative ensued, spanning several years. During the war, the factory predominantly built the Kübelwagen (Type 82), the Schwimmwagen (Type 166) and numerous other light utility vehicles . These vehicles were derived mechanically from
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#17328016623908556-410: The Volkswagen. The Tatra 97 of 1936 had a 1,749 cc, rear-located, rear-wheel drive, air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine . It accommodated five passengers in its compact four-door body, which provided luggage storage under the front bonnet and behind the rear seats. Just before the outbreak of World War II , Tatra filed numerous legal claims against VW for patent infringement. Tatra launched
8694-597: The Volkswagen. It was not until 1968 that it was officially named the "Beetle". Volkswagen implemented designations for the Beetle in the 1960s, including 1200, 1300, 1500, 1600, 1302, and 1303. Volkswagen introduced a series of large luxury models throughout the 1960s and 1970s—comprising the Type 3 , Type 4 and the K70 —to supplement the Beetle, but none of these models achieved the level of success that it did. Rapidly changing consumer preferences toward front-wheel drive compact hatchbacks in Europe prompted Volkswagen's gradual shift away from rear-wheel drive, starting with
8832-464: The adoption of the crankshaft from the Type 3 . This extended the stroke from 64 mm (2.5 in) to 69 mm (2.7 in), resulting in an engine displacement of approximately 78 cubic inches (1,280 cm ). 1965 also marked the Beetle's most extensive design change when its body stampings were extensively revised. It allowed for significantly larger windows, a departure from previous designs. The windshield increased by 11% in area and adopted
8970-412: The air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine at the rear, the transmission positioned in front of the rear axle, and the distinctive roundish shape. Dieter Landenberger, the head of Porsche's historical archive, later affirmed that Barényi played a "decisive role in the authorship of the later VW Beetle". Since then, he has been known for conceiving the original car design. Many assume that Paul Jaray shaped
9108-410: The brand new Chevette , from General Motors do Brasil . Sales began in 1973, following its premiere in May that year. The Brasília was originally marketed as a small commercial van to take advantage of the lower tax rates on "trucks" — a classification and marketing approach that may have hampered initial sales. The Brasília was the first Brazilian hatchback with five doors, although this version
9246-446: The car's body design through his aerodynamics calculations. According to a November 2021 update of research mentioned in the fifteenth report by the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , Jaray's findings influenced the design of "Hitler's streamlined KdF car", later known as the 'beetle', which became the best-selling car globally post-war. Jaray's research results in fluid mechanics for ground-bound vehicles extended beyond
9384-441: The cessation of hostilities the British occupying forces brought the factory into operation and by the close of 1945, 1,785 Volkswagens had been built, delivered to the occupying powers and the postal service . The Beetle featured a rear-located, air-cooled four-cylinder, boxer engine and rear-wheel drive in a two-door bodywork featuring a flat front windscreen, accommodating four passengers and providing luggage storage under
9522-434: The company's designers to recreate the Fusca with the Brazilian market in mind. At that time, the Fusca, the Bus and the Karmann Ghia were the only air-cooled VWs proving successful in Brazil. Leiding wanted this new Volkswagen to be practical, economical, and larger than the Fusca. In three months, more than 40 prototypes were developed. The prototypes were expensive, and VW was looking for an inexpensive car to compete with
9660-399: The company's lettering. A heating system was also introduced. In 1965, the 1200A designation was introduced for the standard Beetle with the 22 kW (30 hp) engine. Volkswagen introduced the 1300 in August 1965, equipped with a 1.3-litre engine producing 29.5 kW (39.6 hp). Although featuring an identical design, the 6 horsepower (4.5 kW) increase was achieved through
9798-476: The completion of the first two Type-60 prototypes, identified as cars V1 (sedan) and V2 (convertible), denoted with a "V" (for Versuchs – "prototype") signifying their status as a test car . The testing of three additional V3 prototypes began on 11 July 1936, the first of which was driven to Obersalzberg and inspected by Hitler. Two V3s were delivered to Berlin in August for examination by other Nazi Party officials, who showed great interest in them. By June 1936,
9936-657: The concept in its final form, which was slated for completion by the end of the century. To help gauge public demand of the forthcoming automobile in the United States, Volkswagen implemented a free-access telephone line to allow members to express their thoughts on the car. The line quickly became inundated with calls, with many saying, "You build it, I'll buy it!" Work on the Concept One continued, with further redesigns on its front fascia . To reduce production investments and expenses, Volkswagen initially planned to use
10074-481: The concept of a compact car played a significant role in the VW Beetle's development and its prototypes. Ganz personally drove a Hanomag Kommissbrot and a swing-axle Tatra—both featuring elements such as a central tubular frame, independent wheel suspension, and a rear/mid-engine design. Ganz incorporated these technical features into his proposed vehicle designs. Hitler reportedly saw cars designed by Josef Ganz at
10212-416: The design of the Beetle changed little over its lifespan, Volkswagen implemented over 78,000 incremental updates. Typically subtle, these alterations usually involved minor updates to the exterior, interior, colours and lighting. More noteworthy changes have comprised new engines, models and systems, such as updated dashboards and hydraulic braking . The Type 11 standard limousine, initially designated as
10350-460: The development of a city car, codenamed " Chico ", in which they invested millions of Deutsche Marks . In 1993, the brand stated that the Chico was intended to begin production in 1995. However, this plan was abandoned once Volkswagen realised that the project was commercially infeasible. Mays and Thomas recognised the difficulties faced by the brand and suggested the need for a vehicle that included
10488-430: The effort to infuse the Beetle with a modernised design, this did not resonate with consumers, resulting in declining Beetle sales. In 1975, the 1303 and 1303S received rack and pinion steering, but in July of that year, Volkswagen discontinued both of them. The long-serving 1200 was renamed the "1200L" in 1976, with the additional deluxe features incorporated into the car's interior. In July 1984, Volkswagen eliminated
10626-632: The engine lid louvres. Starting in 1986, for the 1987 model year , the sole model available was the single-carburettor version with 98 cubic inches (1,600 cm ). From late 1992 for the 1993 model year, Volkswagen standardised catalytic converters , the Bosch Digifant engine management system , a lambda probe and electric ignition . This fuel-injection system proved much more straightforward and reliable than previous injection systems used on German-assembled Volkswagens since 1967. Vehicles with these modifications can be identified externally by
10764-399: The engines to breathe more effortlessly. The British automotive magazine Autocar expressed disappointment in its power increase, noting, "Even with 14 [per cent] more power, the total output of 50 bhp is very modest for the size of the engine". The Super Beetle had a 2 cm (0.8 in) increase in wheelbase , but the extra space was in front of the windshield. For 1971,
10902-434: The extended cabin. Even after the Gol and Voyage was discontinued in Brazil, the Saveiro pickup continued to be manufactured, undergoing a slight facelift in August 2023. The third generation of the Gol received a facelift in 2012, with more angular headlights and taillights, similar to the sixth-generation Volkswagen Jetta . The model received another facelift in 2016, based on the fifth-generation Volkswagen Polo and
11040-564: The final Beetle was produced at the Wolfsburg plant after 11,916,519 examples were made there. Following its discontinuation, Volkswagen ceased the ongoing development of the Beetle in Germany. On 19 January 1978, the last Beetle sedan manufactured in Europe rolled off the production line at the Emden plant with the chassis number 1182034030. After its discontinuation in Germany, production of
11178-407: The former has a capacity of 96.7 cubic inches (1,584 cm ). In English-speaking countries, the name "Super Beetle"—alongside "1600"—was included on the written description but not the engine cover. The 1302 possessed the same 32.4 kW (44 PS) output as the 1300, whereas the 1302S saw an increase to 36.8 kW (50 PS). This was facilitated by a twin-port cylinder head , enabling
11316-428: The front bonnet and behind the rear seat, and it has a drag coefficient of 0.48. The bodywork attached with eighteen bolts to the Beetle's nearly flat platform chassis featured a central structural tunnel. The front and rear suspension incorporated torsion bars and a front stabiliser bar, providing independent suspension at all wheels, albeit the front axle was designed with double longitudinal trailing arms, whereas
11454-558: The fundamental design concept can be attributed to Béla Barényi in 1925, predating Porsche's claims by almost ten years. The result was the Volkswagen Type 1 and the introduction of the Volkswagen brand. Volkswagen initially slated production for the late 1930s, but the outbreak of war in 1939 meant that production was delayed until the war had ended. The car was originally called the Volkswagen Type 1 and marketed simply as
11592-415: The headlights and larger rear lights with an iron design. Volkswagen introduced external fuel filler flap, eliminating the need to open the front bonnet for refuelling. In September 1967, the 1500 Beetle was introduced. Its engine displacement was approximately 91.1 cubic inches (1,493 cm ), its power output was 32 kW (43 hp) and it featured a three-speed semi-automatic transmission . In 1968,
11730-649: The highway. Its urban fuel consumption is around 14 km/L (39.5 mpg ‑imp ; 32.9 mpg ‑US ). Quatro Rodas tested both the VW Brasília and GM Chevette in March 1980. The Chevette took 19.7 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) and the Brasília took 23 seconds. The Chevette's maximum speed was 138 km/h (86 mph) while the Brasília could reach 129 km/h (80 mph). The Chevrolet achieved 15.4 km/L (43.5 mpg ‑imp ; 36.2 mpg ‑US ) and
11868-422: The introduction of new engines, models and systems, such as improved technology or comfort. In May 1934, at a meeting at Berlin's Kaiserhof Hotel , the leader of Nazi Germany , Adolf Hitler , insisted on the development of a vehicle that could accommodate two adults and three children while not using more than seven litres of fuel per 100 km (33.6 mpg US/40.4 mpg UK). All components were designed for
12006-500: The key components. Once Heinrich Nordhoff assumed management at Volkswagenwerk , manufacturing capacity increased significantly. Production in 1946 and 1947 was rated at 9,878 and 8,973 examples, respectively, but in Nordhoff's first year, 1948, manufacture doubled to approximately 19,244 units. On 6 August 1955, the millionth example was assembled and by 1959, production capacity was rated at 700,000 units per year. By mid-1948,
12144-545: The larger Santana, albeit fitted with fuel injection for the GTI. Volkswagen Group of America marketed variants of the Gol (manufactured by Volkswagen do Brasil ) in North America as entry-level models from February 1987 until 1994 under the Volkswagen Fox nameplate. It was intended to provide Volkswagen dealers with a competitor to the then very successful Hyundai Excel and Yugo low-price cars. Initially offered as
12282-408: The locations in which it was manufactured. Official exportation of the Beetle to the Brazilian market began on 23 March 1953, with its parts imported from Germany. For the local market, the Type 1 was officially known "Volkswagen Fusca". In January 1959, Volkswagen shifted assembly to the new São Bernardo do Campo plant, initially maintaining 60 per cent of its German parts. However, by
12420-529: The mid-1960s, the cars had about 99.93 per cent Brazilian-made components. Production persisted until 1986, after over 3.3 million examples were produced there, and resumed in 1992, extending until 1996. The production of the Beetle was possible through agreements with companies like Chrysler in Mexico and the Studebaker-Packard Corporation , which assembled cars imported in complete knock-down form. The Beetle
12558-399: The military in the Nazi regime. Despite that, the Nazi leaders saw the mass-produced car as a way to promote their system. It symbolised a shift from cars being a privilege for the wealthy to a dream that lower-class Germans could now fulfil. Hitler was particularly enthusiastic about it because the car could easily be adapted for military use. The KdF-Wagen was not series-produced before
12696-407: The new model, some of which were minor. Noteworthy changes comprised an automatic choke, an anti-icing carburettor heater , a redesigned fuel tank that increased boot capacity , an external gas tank vent to prevent odours in the car, standard windshield wipers and a new ignition switch. Stylistic improvements included new paint colours and interior design options, a coloured steering wheel and
12834-633: The original 1.6 in the range, also as a result of the Autolatina lineup. The Gol GT 1.8 was the BX family's first sports version and an answer to the Ford Escort XR3 , a successful sports car in Brazilian market. With a 1.8 liter engine borrowed from Santana (MkII Passat), the Gol GT was much faster than the Escort XR3, but externally did not have the same beauty. The first series still had
12972-468: The overall length increased by 8 cm (3.1 in), doubling the front trunk capacity and adding 3 cu ft (0.1 m ) of luggage space. Volkswagen also implemented a new fresh-air ventilation system, drawing its air from the rear quarter panels. In August 1972, the 1303 range superseded the 1302 model, which featured a curved windshield. This design change elicited mixed opinions; some favoured it, while others expressed dissatisfaction. Despite
13110-538: The photographs. The reporter, Cláudio Larangeira, was immediately hired by Quatro Rodas . The Brasília has an air-cooled flat-four engine , originally with a single carburetor , mounted in a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout . It has a manual transmission with four forward speeds and reverse. In the 1980s, Volkswagen also offered an optional 1300 cc ethanol-fueled engine making 49 hp (36.5 kW). The 1974 Brasília, with dual carburetors, could travel 10.4 km (6.5 mi) on one liter of gasoline on
13248-582: The platform of the Polo . However, in 1995, at the Tokyo Motor Show , the company unveiled another prototype , sharing its wheelbase and its broader range of engine options with the Golf . Simultaneously, Volkswagen announced that it would be named the "New Beetle". After over six years of planning and development, Volkswagen introduced the New Beetle in 1997. On 30 July 2003 at 9:05 a.m., at
13386-429: The previous generation started to be nicknamed as "Gol Quadrado", "Squared Gol". The new version was an answer to the then newly released Chevrolet Corsa . The Gol G2 was available in the following versions: 1000i, 1000i Plus, CL, GL, Furgão (Van) and GTi (this was fitted with an 8-valve engine until 1996, when a more powerful, German-built 16-valve version replaced it ), with 1.0, 1.6, 1.8, and 2.0 liter engines. The 1.0
13524-435: The previous model; it was a horizontally opposed , overhead valve , four-cylinder air-cooled engine . It generated 40 kilowatts (54 PS; 54 hp) at 3,900 rpm and produced 83 newton-metres (61 lbf⋅ft) at 2,000 rpm. The 1961 Beetle introduced a full-synchronised four-speed manual transmission , replacing the former non-synchronised first gear. The Volkswagen facility implemented 27 alterations to
13662-514: The production of a front-engined, water-cooled Brasília to replace the aging Fusca. Their final decision, however, was to develop and build an all new front-engined vehicle — the Volkswagen Gol hatchback. When the 1.3 L Gol debuted it was no direct threat to the Brasília, but with the adoption of a more powerful 1.6 L engine, the company chose the Gol to compete against the Fiat 147 ,
13800-563: The purported beginning of the production of the KdF-Wagen , involving a 1,500-kilometre (930 mi) journey from Berlin to Rome. Erwin Komenda supervised the development process, while Karl Froelich was responsible for creating official plans that they subsequently used to form a wooden scale model. The model was wind tunnel tested at Stuttgart University by Josef Mickl. Dubbed the "Berlin-Rome car", Porsche AG's engineers designed
13938-552: The ratio is now down to about every four [Volkswagens] out of every ten. If the current VW starts to slip, the new [Type 3]—soon to be introduced—probably will be imported to justify the [company's] more than 600 [Volkswagen] dealerships and the $ 100 million investment in facilities". He continued by expressing that the Type 3 had failed to leave a positive impression on industry executives in both Europe and North America. The new engine essentially possessed identical specifications as
14076-541: The rear axle was a swing axle . Light alloy forms the Beetle's engine, transmission, and cylinder heads. German-Bohemian Ferdinand Porsche (1875–1951) and his team were generally known as the original designers of the Volkswagen. However, there has been debate over whether he was the original designer. Rumours circulated, suggesting that other designers, such as Béla Barényi , Paul Jaray , Josef Ganz and Hans Ledwinka , may have influenced its design. In 1925, Austro-Hungarian automotive engineer Béla Barényi designed
14214-410: The recognisable design of the Beetle as a potential solution to improve customer appeal. During development, this car was known as the "Concept One" project. The prototype version of the project was revealed at the 1994 Detroit Motor Show , and a red convertible variant of the model was showcased at the 1995 Geneva Motor Show . It took a year for Volkswagen to officially confirm the production of
14352-401: The reintroduced louvred engine lid, heavier and larger bumper bars, four-stud wheels with twenty ventilation holes and a "1600i" badge on the engine lid. The 1993 model also featured a third-generation Golf -style steering wheel and front seats, a protection alarm, handbrake and engine compartment lamps and an optional ZF limited-slip differential . The engine received hydraulic tappets ,
14490-602: The scarcity of occupations in Germany and the shortage of vehicles in the British Army, Hirst persuaded the British military to order 20,000 cars, stating that it "was the limit set by the availability of materials". By March 1946, production capacity was rated at approximately 1,000 units per month. Based on an eight-hour shift in mid-1946, production was around 2,500 per month. At the time, about 1,800 machine tools were in operation, of which 200 were used exclusively for
14628-467: The split rear window was replaced with a one-piece rear window. Starting in 1954, the Type 122 engine had a 77 mm (3.0 in) cylinder bore , increased by 2 mm (0.08 in), and an engine displacement of 1,192 cc (1.19 L; 72.74 cu in), surpassing the previous 1,131 cc (1.1 L; 69.0 cu in). This engine produced 22 kW (30 PS), a 4 kW (5.4 PS) improvement over its predecessor. In 1955,
14766-458: The steering damper. In May 1960, Volkswagen added plastic warm air ducts to decrease noise. In the mid-1960s, the traditional labels "standard" and "export" for the Beetle's model variants were superseded by numerical designations, approximately correlating with the engine displacements. In the October 1961 issue of Motor Trend , Don Werner noted, "Five years ago, out of every ten imported cars sold, six were Volkswagens. [The] latest figures show
14904-514: The tax laws in Brazil, a flurry of cars with engines under one liters appeared. Fiat was first (with the Fiat Mille ), and Volkswagen quickly responded with the spartan Gol 1000. It had a Ford-developed 997 cc engine (a result of their recent Autolatina joint venture) with 50 hp (37 kW) and was not available in any other bodystyle. Between 1990 and 1995, the Ford CHT 1.6 replaced
15042-802: The time given us. The wheel of history never turns back! Whatever opportunities you miss today will never return! The new year will have 366 days this time; every day, we will cross one off—and soon there will be only four left. No power of heaven or earth will bring those days back. Let us use this time, as long as we are free to do so, as we are now, and as we shall still be for a few years. The Emden facility represented an expenditure exceeding DM154.4 million, with Beetle operations beginning there on 1 December 1964. By late 1965, Volkswagen's annual production exceeded 1,600,000 units, averaging 6,800 units per day. Volkswagen's share of all cars produced in West Germany reached 48.6 per cent, representing
15180-548: The total West German automotive market and 42.3 per cent of sub-2,750 lb (1,250 kg) commercial vehicle market there. Nordhoff's recurring encouragement proved to be highly effective. He consistently urged the team to work harder, reduce expenses and avoid complacency and corporate inefficiencies. In January 1960, Nordhoff quoted: We shall some day speak of the Golden Fifties . We are now moving away from them and we must recognise that fact and use
15318-416: The traditional VW semaphore turn signals were replaced by conventional flashing directional indicator lamps for North America, followed by their worldwide replacement in 1961. In 1958, the Beetle received a revised instrument panel, and a larger rectangular rear window replaced the previous oval design. "The 1961 Volkswagen sedan provides the kind of happy surprise that comes when an excellent motor vehicle
15456-431: The war, the Beetle experienced a significant growth in success. On 11 April 1945, Fallersleben , where 17,000 people lived, was officially designated " Wolfsburg ". Official series manufacture of the saloon began on 27 December 1945; Volkswagen made fifty-five vehicles by the end of the year. The Volkswagen facility, initially slated for dismantling and transportation to Britain under American control in 1945, faced
15594-573: The world car production record was broken by the Beetle, with a total of 15,007,034 units produced worldwide, thereby surpassing the production figure that had been held by the American Ford Model T for nearly fifty years. Volkswagen donated the car to the Smithsonian Institution for permanent exhibition in its industrial history section. By 1973, over 16 million Beetles had been manufactured. On 1 July 1974,
15732-473: Was a need for a people's car —a car affordable and practical enough for lower-class people to own—to serve the country's new road network, the Reichsautobahn . Although the Volkswagen Beetle was primarily the conception of Porsche and Hitler, the idea of a "people's car" is much older than Nazism and has existed since the introduction of automotive mass-production. Originally designated as
15870-612: Was a three-door sold in North America as the Fox Wagon. The second-generation Parati is sold in Argentina as the Gol Country. A five-door version was added in 1997 and the three-door version was dropped after the first facelift (G3). It is named after Paraty , a city on the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro state. It was formerly called Pointer Station Wagon in Mexico and it was sold there between 1999 and 2005. In 2013, The Parati
16008-467: Was a very successful model and was kept in production alongside the upcoming GTI. Known as the first Brazilian built car equipped with electronic fuel injection, the Gol GTI was presented in January 1989 and featured a larger 2.0 liter engine with power of 121 PS (89 kW; 119 hp) running only on gasoline. Claimed top speed is 185 km/h (115 mph). This engine was the same as used in
16146-466: Was also assembled in Mexico from 1974 to 1982, but only in a version with two doors. The Brasília achieved notoriety before its release when a reporter photographing preliminary test vehicles near the factory was fired upon by security personnel — triggering Brazilian media attention, an official apology from Volkswagen, and increased sales for Brazilian car magazine Quatro Rodas , which purchased
16284-460: Was at its lowest in the 1980s. The Beetle faced competition from Japanese automakers such as Toyota and Honda , whose cars were uprated in reliability and performance. The closure of Volkswagen's Pennsylvania factory was due to high costs, subpar quality, and poor sales. In the United States, Volkswagen introduced the Rabbit and Corrado , both of which had little success. The overall sales suffered
16422-427: Was available with a semi-automatic transmission and radial-ply tyres . In 1970, the 1500 received a new carburettor and dual circuit braking, and Volkswagen discontinued the 1500. In 1971, the 1200 received a larger windscreen, while the 1300 received a power increase to 32 kW (43 hp) and larger brakes, effectively replacing the 1500. Volkswagen replaced the 1300 with the 1300A "economy version" in 1973 for
16560-638: Was briefly sold in Russia in 2004-2006 as the Pointer, but the sales were soon discontinued due to low demand. The car was available with the 1.0-liter (67 hp (50 kW)) and the 1.8-liter (100 hp (75 kW)) engines. The Gol G3 was also made and sold by Shanghai Volkswagen in China from February 2003 until 2008 It has also been sold in Egypt as the Volkswagen Pointer . In Taiwan it
16698-644: Was discontinued alongside the Gol G4 and was replaced by the SpaceFox . Volkswagen Saveiro is a lightweight pickup truck . All Gol generations have been sold with this bodystyle, which was introduced to the market in 1983. It is named after a traditional Brazilian fishing boat. It is currently sold in Mexico since 1999 as the Pointer Pick Up. The Gol was released in 1980 to replace the Brasilia , which
16836-403: Was discontinued, while the 1.8 was withdrawn from some markets. Argentinian production of the Gol was halted in 2003. Instead the engines at the bottom of the lineup were improved, with a 1.0 16V Turbo with a 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp) 1.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine released in 2000. When the 2005 (G4) Gol was released with styling cues from the Volkswagen Fox , incorporating
16974-607: Was in a financial crisis and needed German government funding to produce the Beetle's replacement. Consequently, the company introduced a new generation of water-cooled, front-engined, front-wheel-drive models, including the Golf , the Passat , the Polo and the Scirocco , all of which were styled by the Italian automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro . By 1979, the Golf constituted over 50 per cent of Volkswagen sales, and it eventually became Volkswagen's most successful model since
17112-589: Was in turn a replacement for the Beetle on the Brazilian market. It was based on its own unique BX platform derived from the existing VW/Audi B1 and B2 platforms. With a design specific to Latin America , the Gol featured the 1.3-liter air-cooled, flat-four engine from the Beetle, but front-mounted . A 1.6-liter engine was added later. The Voyage two-door sedan variant of the Gol was released in June 1981 and received
17250-691: Was introduced in Mexico in spring 1998 as the Volkswagen Pointer (a name previously used in Latin America for a rebadged model based on the Ford Escort Mk V , the Pointer/Logus ). The only version for this year was a three-door hatchback with a 1.8 liter, 98 hp (73 kW) engine and a five-speed manual gearbox. The only extra cost option available was a package compounding air conditioning and power steering. For 1999,
17388-405: Was introduced on the third generation Gol family. This new technology allows the flex engine to get the high torques at lower revs, the engines produce higher torques and horsepower on Ethanol fuel. Revealed in September 2008, the Voyage is the sedan variant of the current Gol and as such has the same running gear 1.0 and 1.6 liter VHT ethanol compatible engines. In several countries, the Voyage
17526-532: Was introduced to the Mexican market in 1954, and began official production ten years later. The local market referred to the Beetle as the "Vocho". The introduction of a new taxi regulation in Mexico City, requiring only four-door vehicles to be permitted to prevent robberies, influenced Volkswagen's decision to the end of the production of the Beetle in 2003. Volkswagen Gol The Volkswagen Gol
17664-589: Was known as the Gol G3 (photo) in Brazil and had a new VW 'corporate' front end similar to the Jetta/Bora IV . The Gol G3 came with optional airbags and ABS brakes. The previous (G2) Gol 1.0 continued to be available as the "Gol Special", to fight for the lowest end of the market. Following the Mercosur economic crisis beginning with the Brazilian devaluation in 1999, the lineup was reduced in 2002. The 2.0 16V
17802-516: Was manufactured in small numbers, and more were exported than sold in Brazil. Total production reached over one million vehicles, including exports of cars to Chile , Portugal , Bolivia , Perú , Ecuador , Venezuela , Paraguay , Mexico , Spain , Uruguay , the Philippines and, starting in March 1976, of CKD kits of the five-door to Nigeria , where it was renamed the Igala . The Brasília
17940-430: Was massive. It accommodated about 10,000 production machines and covered 10.8 million square feet in roofed area, more than the combined residential area in Wolfsburg . Daily production increased to approximately 5,091, and the plant employed over 43,500 workers. By 1962, Nordhoff had spent over DM675 million in expanding the factory. At that time, Volkswagen sales constituted 34.5 per cent of
18078-500: Was no longer positioned diagonally at the front under the hood but instead rested horizontally under a cover in the trunk area. The company initially intended to designate the car as the "1301", but a trademark already held by the French company Simca compelled Volkswagen to use "1302" instead. Volkswagen produced the more powerful 1302S alongside the 1302. The latter has an engine displacement of 79 cubic inches (1,300 cm ), while
18216-933: Was offered with the simpler Bosch CIS fuel injection system without an oxygen sensor for the engine fuel management system. Over the course of its model history, trim levels included base Fox, GL, GTS, GLS, GL Sport, Polo, and a Wolfsburg Edition. Options included air conditioning, five-speed (vs. four) manual transmission and metallic paint. No automatic transmission was offered. The GL trim featured revised cloth trim, rear license plate backing, ceiling-mounted map light, glove compartment light, trunk light, tachometer (excepting wagon models), body-colored bumpers, hubcaps, passenger side exterior rear view mirror, 175/70-13 tires, locking gas cap and three-point rear seat belts. The 1991 facelift included revised grille, headlights, turn signals, badges, and hubcaps, as well as reduction of towing hooks from four to two. Later US models featured "automatic" non-motorized front seat shoulder belts along with
18354-468: Was officially substituted by the term KdF ( Kraft durch Freude ; German for 'Strength Through Joy') derived from the Nazi organisation once Hitler ceremoniously laid the foundation stone for the Volkswagen factory on 26 May 1938. As part of this organisation, Volkswagen urged workers to "save five marks a week and get your car". Before the completion of the KdF factory, many Germans had already signed up for
18492-457: Was restyled to resemble that of the contemporary Golf and Polo. In 1998, Volkswagen removed the small through-flow ventilation slots behind the rear side windows and standardised front disc brakes. Furthermore, Volkswagen included a security alarm as standard and removed the "1600i" inscription from the engine lid. Over its 65-year tenure, Volkswagen produced the Volkswagen Type 1 in numerous locations worldwide. The following list encompasses all
18630-495: Was sold as Volkswagen Pointer, with only pick-up variant available. The third generation of the Gol was released in Brazil, on 29 June 2008, as a 2009 model. Referred to before its launch as the Gol NF for Nachfolger or Neue Familie (German terms for "successor" and "new family" respectively), this model is marketed as the "Novo Gol". However, it is no longer based on the BX platform, but shares Volkswagen's PQ24 platform with
18768-577: Was sold under the name Gacel (later also as the Senda) with the Argentine-built 1.6 OHC engine with a carburettor, later also with a diesel 1.6. The first generation (or "G1") Gol had two mild facelifts for 1987 and 1991. The 1989 Gol GTi was the first Brazilian-built car to use fuel injection . The 2.0-liter inline-four engine was the same used by the Santana . In 1991, as a result of changes to
18906-620: Was supplied by Ford, as part of the AutoLatina collaboration. The Gol G2 also had two special editions. The first, "Gol Rolling Stones", was in 1995 - commemorating that band's " Voodoo Lounge Tour " leg in Brazil. Then, the following year came "Gol Atlanta" (after the Olympic Games ). In November 1996, Volkswagen began to produce its own 1.0 engine, called the AT-1000. This version was derived from their larger 1.6 (999 cc). As
19044-640: Was the best-selling car in Brazil for 27 consecutive years, from 1987 to 2014, and has been the most popular car in Argentina since 1988; approximately five million Gols have been manufactured in South America since 1980. In March 2013 it was announced that cumulative production of the Gol and its derivatives (Voyage, Saveiro, Parati) had reached 10 million units. It takes its name from the Portuguese (and Spanish) word for goal in football, taking advantage of
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