As a counterpoint to the gold Syncro earlier, here we have a non-Syncro, non-kitchened Westfalia, giving a few more sleeping options without overcomplicating the interior. It may not be quite as original – the rear seats look nicely recovered and the “new engine” leaves more questions than answers – but there’s no insane asking price here. The engine (listed in “item specifics” as a 6-cylinder, but the description sounds more like it’s a rebuild?) has just 18k miles on it, a positive regardless of engine size. It’s by no means perfect, but behind the worn paint and question marks, there may just be a diamond Westy in the rough.
Category: Volkswagen
Non-Westfalia Vanagons with Syncro are an interesting proposition. Obviously the Westies are the clear choice if you’re planning on living in your van for any extended period of time, but what if you just do short weekend camping trips? In that case, the full kitchen and investment involved with the pop-top may be a bit overkill. You could fit plenty of gear (including a camping stove and a cooler) in this van and have room to sleep two on the fold-down bed in the back, all while having the all-terrainability of Syncro 4WD. This example looks great with a gold repaint and on GoWesty wheels, striking a more subtle tone than many of the accessorized Vanagons we see. If light off-roading is a higher priority than having a home-on-wheels for weeks at a time, then this Vanagon could save you $20k compared to a full Westy Syncro.
Click for details: 1986 Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro on eBay
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If you haven’t watched the Petrolicious segment highlighting Road & Track Senior Editor Jason Cammisa’s Volkswagen Scirocco, it’s worth a watch. In this short clip, he discusses how after driving some of the most high-dollar, powerful vehicles on the market currently, he years to step back into his Scirocco for pure driving pleasure. One point Cammisa touched on was the issue of steering feel in the Scirocco and how that kind of experience is lacking in new cars. I couldn’t have agreed more. Thankfully, we can always look back to the modern classics, such as this 1987 Scirocco GTX 16V for sale in The Netherlands. With just under 30,000 miles on the clock, it’s tempting to consider importing this VW and turning back time.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Volkswagen Scirocco GTX 16V on Mobile.de
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As I’ve written up a steady stream of Porsches and BMWs of late I thought it prudent to mix it up as I’d hate to get automotive tunnel vision. I had just finished editing some pictures of my girlfriend’s new MkVII Golf when it dawned on me that perhaps one of its early ancestors would make for an interesting post. With that in mind I set about scouring the depths of the internet in hopes of finding something quirky that would spark my interest. I’ve never been a rabid VW fanboy but my New England upbringing did instill a healthy appreciation for Das Auto. In my adolescence I probably spent more time in MkIII Jettas than any other car. A few friends had Golfs but for whatever reason those were far less popular in my neck of the woods. I like an underdog so I focused my search on old Golfs, passing over a number of listings for modified Jettas.
Personally I’ve always preferred the practicality of the hatchback design especially since the Golf was the base for the GTI, which with the exception of the MkIV & MkV, is a nameplate I am a fan of.  I think part of what I love about those older boxier designs is that they do not look fast, not even with a bunch of modifications. They are spartan, basic and from a design standpoint relatively un-inspired but that’s exactly what I think makes them cool. If older GTIs don’t ask for attention then the MkI Rabbit is the hermit of the VW family, living way out in the woods with no internet, phone or electricity. So when I came across a clean ’81 Rabbit hiding a 2.0L 16v EA827 under its hood, I knew I had to post it.
And now for something completely different.
CLICK FOR DETAILS:Â 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit on VWVortex
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Thanks to a childhood friend’s family having a Vanagon in the exact same spec, this dark blue, final-year Westy (for the U.S.) paints the same picture as the entry for “Vanagon” in my personal car encyclopedia. It’s a very nice, mellow blue that teams up with body-colored mirrors and perfect (if small) OEM 5-spokes to accomplish a subtle aesthetic that is both handsome and unassuming. Fully loaded and fully functional, it’s covered just over 100k miles and is significantly more original than most nice Westfalias we see. The care to keep it looking good and performing perfectly is clear, but its all-originality helps it occupy a nice middle ground in terms of asking price.