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While early Volkswagens were certainly interesting from an engineering standpoint, you wouldn’t quite call the Beetle and Type 1 styling powerhouses. When Volkswagen decided to expand the lineup to include the Type 3, things got a bit more interesting. Along with its contemporary, the Karmann Ghia, these cars injected a bit of life and diversity into the VW range. My favorite of the lot was one we never received in the US, the Type 3 Notchback. This was a handsome two-door sedan with humble Beetle underpinnings, but it showed the world that VW was eager to appeal to a wider audience. Many Notchbacks have made their way stateside via enthusiast channels and this example for sale in California, while not stock, is a real minter with modifications sympathetic to the original design.
We’ve seen all sorts of DoKas here, from ex-military workers to high-dollar Tristar examples. The Tristar package brought nicer upholstery and full carpeting, creating a more comfortable environment than the typical metal-and-floor mats worktruck interior. This DoKa also has Syncro, adding a few more items to its long list of capabilities. You could take on just about any light-duty work or off-roading in this truck, but you might be hesitant to put it in harm’s way due to the amazing condition. 70k miles total miles would be low on its own, but this DoKa has a new engine, suspension, brakes, fuel system, and cooling system. The original exterior paint looks great and the repainted bed looks even better. Each extra word on this verbose model name adds serious value, and the seller claims it has been professionally appraised for almost $80k!
Despite the unassuming beige-black-and-steel exterior, this is one of the most excellent Vanagons I’ve seen in a while. Looking every bit a well-used 1987 camper, it’s been updated and made complete in all the ways that count, highlighted by a Subaru 3.0-liter H6 conversion driving all four wheels via Syncro. High tops have been growing on me for their unique look and easily-accessible space. Two queen beds and lots of storage with four-wheel drive? I always wanted an office in the mountains. With a massive list of repairs and service, this Adventurewagen is fully set to live up to its name if you can afford it.
Mk1 GTIs grow more fully appreciated as classics each day, the Mk2 retains its affordable performance status in a package that is still superior to the Mk1 in the ways VW intended at its inception – more space and more comfort while retaining fun performance and German looks. This example takes those last two elements to extremes, bringing a modified G60 engine under German flag stripes front and rear. He doesn’t mention what suspension is helping it sit so low, but whatever it is is matched with Scirocco brakes to create a package that should be able to handle at least some of the increased speed and power. With well over 300hp to the front wheels, it’s not going to be able to handle all of it, mirroring the exterior’s placement on the edge of out-of-control. This is fast and loud in Mk2 form.
Does the Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion Tiptronic make any sense as a driver? Not really. If you want something as quick, a chipped 1.8T will easily keep up and is available as a manual. If you want something as luxurious, for much less money than this example you could get into a very pretty, bigger, and all-wheel drive Audi A6 quattro Avant. And if you had to have a Volkswagen Passat with 4Motion, the V6 model represents most of this car minus a bit of grunt, but what it lacks in power it makes up for in reliability and cost of bills compared to the W8. But shouldn’t we celebrate that Volkswagen even offered us this car? It’s easy to forget that this was top of the heap in 2003 for VAG wagons; the B5 S4 was out of production, and even then this car made more power than the twin-turbo V6 did stock. The B6 S4 was yet to be introduced, and while the engine in that one was a screamer, you’d need to wait another year to order one. On top of that, we often lament as enthusiasts that we didn’t get the top-spec model; not true of the W8 Passat, which minus a few minor details was the same car offered in Europe. A little over a decade later, most are heading the way of the dodo; this is likely to be a car you seldom see anymore in just a few years. There are a few devoted fans, but few who will contemplate taking on a complicated, one-off motor like the W8 as a daily driver. But what if it appears to be nearly new?
