The very first water-cooled Volkswagen bought in the US, after a quarter-century of solely air-cooled automobiles shipped over from Wolfsburg, was the 1974 Dasher (the Rabbit aka Golf did not present up right here till the 1975 mannequin yr). Often known as the Passat elsewhere on the planet and sibling to the Audi Fox aka 80 (to not be confused with the later Volkswagen Fox aka Gol), Dasher gross sales continued in North America via the 1981 mannequin yr. This is a type of final-year Dashers, that includes 5 doorways and an oil-burning engine, present in a northeastern Colorado self-service yard final month.
Passat gross sales continued right here for 1982, after all, however the B2 Passat acquired Quantum badging on our shores. I am undecided what the add-on switches bolted above the sprint nameplate do, however this automobile options loads of Red Green-style keep-it-going-for-another-day kludges.
For instance, the intelligent glue-and-tape-and-rope repair of the radiator hose.
The gasoline-powered Dasher had a 1.6-liter four-cylinder rated at 76 horsepower, which was about ample for a 2,181-pound automobile of this period. This automobile has the 52-horsepower diesel, nevertheless, and I can let you know from bitter private expertise that the VW diesels of this era were pure misery on the road. Nonetheless, fuel economy for the Dasher Diesel was spectacularly good for the time, pushing 50 miles per gallon on the slow-motion highways of the Late Malaise Era.
The gold old four-on-the-floor manual transmission stored issues easy. If you happen to wished a actually easy floor-shifted guide in 1981, GM had you coated; Camaros and Malibus could still be purchased new that year with a three-on-the-floor manual tranmission.
This automobile made it to 156,184 closing miles, which was a protracted life for a automobile of its time. Try that big MotoMeter dash clock, a pleasant normal function for such an inexpensive wagon.
The Dasher was out there right here as a two- or four-door hatchback and as a station wagon. Record value on the 1981 Dasher Diesel Wagon began at $8,740 (about $27,555 immediately). In the meantime, a brand new ’81 Honda Civic wagon price $5,749, whereas an ’81 Datsun 510 wagon had a $6,689 price ticket. If you happen to wished a sturdy Volvo 245 wagon that yr, the most affordable one price $10,210. The all-new 1981 Dodge Aries wagon began at a mere $6,471, however it lacked German engineering and styling.
That AM/FM radio most likely price large bucks again in 1981.
What are you shopping for with all the cash you save on gas? Meals!
Do not miss the silver anniversary sale at your VW dealer.
This is the official historical past.
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