The year is 1997, I’ve recently turned 11, and mountain biking is my thing. My 21 speed Trek is my ticket to freedom, and adventure, I’m old enough to now be allowed to ride it anywhere in my small town, and strong enough to take it on some of the more aggressive wooded trails. One day while out for a ride a car blows past me, not anything out of the ordinary, just a Mk III Jetta. But up on the roof rack, well, there sat a pristine Trek with one of the freshest paint jobs I’d ever laid eyes on. If Google had existed I would have gone straight home, and looked up all the pertinent information about this uber cool bicycle, and known that it was a special edition in partnership with Volkswagen. Instead, it wouldn’t be until I accompanied my parents to a local VW dealership that I would come to learn about the Jetta Trek edition.
Tag: 2.0L
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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In the Porsche world the 914 has become, I don’t want to say forgotten but, a bit of an afterthought. The 914 served as the replacement to the 912 as Porsche’s entry-level automobile and like the 912 it primarily came with a flat-four engine delivering power to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission. However, that is where their similarities would end. While the 912 was basically a 911 with a smaller engine, the 914 was an entirely different design altogether: a 2-seater mid-engine Targa. While Porsche eventually ceased production of the 914 in order to make way for the 924 (an entry-level coupe that went in an entirely different direction), the 914 was well regarded, and sold well, due to its simplicity and balance. During the first few years of production, the 914 was also available with the 2.0 liter flat-six of the 911T, but due to poor sales that model was discontinued prior to the 1973 model year. Its replacement was the car we have featured here: a 1973 Porsche 914 with a 2.0 liter flat-four, rather than the standard model’s 1.7 liter engine.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 Porsche 914 2.0L on eBay
1 CommentNo, you’re not on the wrong day; it’s Sunday, and I’m reviewing a race car, something I’d usually leave until Motorsport Monday. But with “V8…
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