In the first half of the seventies Volkswagen finally entered the modern automotive world with their all new Passat and Golf. I caught this post-Beetle-era fivesome at a great all brands all ages car show recently. First the V-Dubs, the rest follows later.
Here’s a 1980 Passat LS. This first generation of the Passat, the B1, was fully based on the Audi 80 and was introduced in 1973.
The Dasher’s dash. For a German car from that era it’s very well optioned, given the radio, gear shift knob and steering wheel.
The longitudinal 1.6 liter SOHC engine in the FWD Passat.
The Volkswagen purists pur sang will love this immaculate 1978 Passat GLS.
As clean as a whistle, its 75 DIN-hp 1.6 liter engine.
1991 Volkswagen Golf CL. The factory Golf Mk2 Comfort Luxus certainly didn’t have such a smooth hatch and lowered rear plate, let alone the rest. Not only old Beetles are entitled to get a special owner’s treat.
The last RWD rear-engine generation of the Transporter was the T3. It switched from air cooled to water cooled gasoline engines in 1982. This 1985 T3 has a 1.9 liter Wasserboxer.
Lunchtime! A 1981 T3 pickup food truck with the 50 hp 1.6 D engine, the first diesel engine ever in a VW Transporter. I wonder if it runs on waste frying oil.
Nice Passat! Esp. the one in the first photo.
Not much of a crumple zone in the Passat with the engine block right up against the grille. I also wonder about the asymmetrical left/right weight distribution … Even the battery is on the same side. I guess it’s optimized to counter the lone driver’s weight in LHD cars. The interior (3rd) photo seems to suggest the accelerator pedal just a button on the floor.
It was the Golf, and in particular the GTI that really made Volkswagen in the UK. I had an 87 Mk 2 golf GTI, at the same time my brother had the standard version, the GTI was better in every respect with fantastic handling and cornering. It was such a well sorted car, so suited to our conditions, and very fast A to B without using excessive amounts of expensive fuel, I could easily get 40 plus MPG (imperial gallon) on a run without pussyfooting
In the 80s and 90s such hot hatches were the in thing, and they hammered the sales of 2 seat sports cars, very practical and better performance and reliability. They appeal to both heart and head
Didn’t see too many of those B1 Passats here in the US, sold under the Dasher nameplate. It’s a shame as it’s a rather nice design that has, IMO, aged well. I see Dasher wagons every now and then, as they were popular biodiesel conversions a while back, but never a sedan. Though I had never noticed until today that it isn’t a hatchback–it has that same deceptive quality as the GM “aeroback” A-bodies and several BMC products.
Though I had never noticed until today that it isn’t a hatchback–it has that same deceptive quality
The US Dashers started out with a trunk. Somewhere along the line, I’m thinking with the 78 refresh, they switched to hatchbacks.
’78 was indeed the first year for the hatch, at least in the US. I had 3 of these; a ’76 wagon, a ’78 2-door hatch (identical to the one in the ad), and (kind of cheating) a ’78 Fox 2-door (Audi 80). Fantastic driving cars, very comfortable, though a bit dodgy on reliability.
The ’76 was my father’s bang-around car which I bought from him. It met its demise by getting T-boned in an ice storm. My buddy bought the hulk and we transplanted the FI engine into his “75 carbed car.
I bought the “78 from a kid at work who ran it out of coolant and smoked the engine. One junkyard engine later, it was sold off for a nice profit.
I really loved the Fox, and would have kept it if not for a string of electrical issues that were making it difficult to rely on. It was suspended much tighter than the Dashers and was just a hoot to drive. Corners were basically Lift-Turn-Stomp. Who needs brakes?
Fantastic driving cars, very comfortable, though a bit dodgy on reliability.
Loved the looks of the 78s, and I was in the market that year. The sketchy reliability record, and the price close to that of a Scirocco. put me off. The Corolla Liftback lacked headroom. Ended up with the Zephyr of the monthly trips to the shop.
… or perhaps the food truck ‘s fryer runs on used engine oil. 😉
My parents almost bought a diesel Dasher to replace their Rabbit, eons ago. Seemed like a nice car, but just too sluggish. I think they switched to Subarus instead. Had to maintain the continuity of plaid upholstery.
There’s a T3 Transporter running around these parts (s.w. Cleveland burbs) with a turbo Subie mill 🙂 .
Not an uncommon swap. Id love a T3 Doka (pickup) with Syncro 4wd and a turbo 2.5…as long as it was went thru real good and the headgasket issue was locked down with a good aftermarket fix.
That second Passat is exceptionally nice, in spite of the color. There are still a few Dashers on offer on The Samba, but they all seem to be diesels. Gas engine ones are very rare. Saw a 78 gas engine wagon with only about 23,000 miles on offer a year ago. This one showed, iirc a 75, up at the Gilmore’s German show about 3 years ago. Less than 9,000 miles on it.
VW built ton’s of ’78-’81 Dasher Diesels back in the day, seems like more than half.
Been ages since I’ve seen a B1 on the road.
I always likes the looks of the 2 door sedan, like the earlier chrome bumper versions but the ’78 up hatchback is a lot more useful for big loads. That bronze metallic ’78 is a great color.
My old work beater (’91-’08) ’86 MK2 Jetta GL 1.8 just keeps on plugging along, even at over 300k, paint and interior still good (garage parked since 1997).
Brother had a ’86 Westfaila pop top for over 20 years, kept it in immaculate condition. Trouble free it was not. Cracked heads, head gaskets, transmission all failed over the years, don’t know how many miles he had on it, not over 200k at the most.
A (sort of) CC effect tonight. Picking up my son from a late night college class, we saw a beautiful rabbit diesel pickup in traffic. My phone doesn’t have a flash otherwise it would have been a great picture. Mint with huge SPORT TRUCK graphics on the side.
Now remember, this is Peterborough Ontario Canada, the heart of nowhere when it comes to seeing oddball cars.
We used to call them the Spor Truck since VW only used one T.
http://volkshole.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/sportruck.jpg
Dasher engine bay almost looks like some shadetree mechanic installed an engine where there was just an empty area before. If my memory serves, wasn’t there a VW model or two that still used an air cooled engine in the front?
Only in Brazil.
Is it just me or are the B1 VW Passat really rare? I havent seen one in more than 20 years. However, I see a B2 every once in a while.
Is it just me or are the B1 VW Passat really rare?
The one I saw at the Gilmore a few years ago is the only one I have seen this side of the 80s. The B2, known as the Quantum in the US, is even more rare as i haven’t seen any in years.
Here in rust central, I haven’t seen a Passat older than a B5 in years. I don’t see Golfs or Jettas older than a Mk 4 either.