If you causally mention you have a Volkswagen Caddy, a normal person would assume you had some sort of golf sponsorship…but a not-so-normal person will ohh and ahh for they know how special VW’s front-drive water-cooled leisure activity vehicle (LAV…not kidding…that’s an actual marketing term). Today’s example needs some work before you can cruise around […]
The Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel is the slowest car you will ever drive. It will get you something near 50 mpg in fuel economy, but the 52 horsepower 1.6 liter diesel is such a gutless pile of scrap iron that you will have a hard time beating a UPS truck to 60mph. However, you shouldn’t let that stop you from enjoying a driving experience that is as pure as they get — unassisted power steering and pizza cutter tires keep you completely informed of the road conditions. Find this 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel offered for $4,500 in Alameda, CA via craigslist.
Do you know what car on the road is slower than a vintage Rabbit diesel? Nothing. These things make the Benz 240D feel like a cruise missile…and I should know because I owned one a few years back. The non-assisted steering setup is surprisingly easy to turn — probably because the tires are borrowed from something with a banana seat — and feedback is communicative. Don’t worry about the fact that the car doesn’t have traction control, because even the most vigorous clutch dump in damp conditions results in smooth traction…trust me…I should know…because I owned one. To call the Rabbit diesel glacially slow is an insult to glaciers because they actually move — call it Washington Monument slow, because this Rabbit is probably in the exact same spot these pictures were taken despite the best intentions of a team of drivers…trust me…I should know. Despite all that…I still have fond memories of that pile of German metal..and get that narcotizing waft of nostalgia when I see this 1982 Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel offered for $5900 with 2 days to go, located in Lynwood, WA via eBay.
If you causally mention you have a Volkswagen Caddy, a normal person would assume you had some sort of golf sponsorship…but a not-so-normal person will ohh and ahh for they know how special VW’s front-drive water-cooled leisure activity vehicle (LAV…not kidding…that’s an actual marketing term). When I saw the pictures, I was surprised to see […]
Got some unknown image hosting issue with DT’s site right now — please accept our apologies if images are wonky. The original Volkswagen Rabbit is a fun little front drive econobox that checks all the right boxes if you don’t mind driving something that isn’t fast in a straight line. They are fun little machines in […]
A brand new Volkswagen Golf will set you back at least $20,910 before taxes, license, registration, etc etc and a GTI starts at $26,415 and something called a Golf R will cost at least $39,785…and I’m certain they are nice cars with all of the safety, convenience, and Apple car play that you’ll ever need…but […]
The Volkswagen Golf was introduced in 1974 as a replacement to the 36 year old Beetle (Type 1) and sold like salty pretzels at Oktoberfest, with over 6 million of the front-drive compacts leaving worldwide factories through 2009. For the first few years, the Giorgetto Giugiaro (of ItalDesign – noted for his work on the […]
Do you ever stumble upon a craigslist advertisement and think perhaps alzheimer’s has finally set in? How did I ever manage to survive on this rock for so many revolutions around the glowing orb of hot plasma and I’ve never heard of a Grumman Olson Kubvan. Now I know. I’ve seen it all. Done. Find […]
Find this 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI here on eBay bidding for $6,600 in Hopkins, MN with 3 days to go. From eBay listing: Vehicle Description When Volkswagen launched its original GTI for the European market in 1977, the automotive world applauded. A fun car, lively in spirit, quick in a straight line and tenacious in […]
The now iconic Rabbit GTI hatchback helped usher in a post Brougham era into the 1980’s. It is almost laughable to think that a 75 horsepower car could made such a big impact on the auto landscape. Things like a zippy 4 cylinder engine, slick shifting 5 speed trans, sharp handling, great ergonomics, 60 series […]