Volkswagen Vanagon Wolfsburg Edition

[July 1987 Motor Trend; pp. 94-95]

There was a time when, if you wanted a small can, your one and only choice was the Volkswagen micro-bus. And, like all good ideas whose time had come, it quickly inspired copies.

First, there were the American vans: Chevrolet Greenbriar, Ford Econoline, and Dodge Tradesman. Though the '60s and '70s, these vans grew ever larger, while the VW remained about the same size, despite a body change or two.

Then, in the '90s, came the Chrysler mini-vans: Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. Soon, domestic manufacturers answered with shrunken vans of their own: Chevy Astro, GMC Safari, and Ford Aerostar. At about the same time, Toyota saw a place for an imported mini and started shipping in its van, soon to be followed by near clone-like offerings from Nissan and Mitsubishi. And, still the VW soldiered on, by now labeled the Vanagon, and equipped with a water-cooled rear-mounted engine, unique to its class.

Which brings us to the Vanagon pictured here - the Wolfsburg Edition, a revamped version that retains all the old micro-bus advantages with even more convenience built in. If you like what you see in this limited production (about 500 were built for 1987), VW would sure like to hear about it, because the company is seriously thinking about offering just such a model in 1988.

Most of the changes revolve around the seating options. As you can see from the photos, the Wolfsburg Edition offers front kaptin's chairs with folding armrests. They're quite comfortable, but you have to remember to raise the outboard one as you depart from the vehicle or you might end up skewering a kidney. Behind them are two rear-facing seats, which fold up to leave a great deal of floor space in front of the rear bench seat. The bench will accommodate three adults quite comfortably and also folds almost flat to provide nearly a full double bed. (The cargo area over the engine is thickly foam padded and covered with a high-quality carpet.) If that isn't enough utility for you, a fold-up table is positioned between the rear facing single eats and the bench seat. (Bridge, anyone?)

What VW has wrought is a Vanagon with super utility for use as a weekend overnight lodge without all the additional complexities (and expense) of the Westphalia camper. [Yeah, that's how they spelled it.] After all, the Japanese are making a splash in the market with niceties like captain's chairs, iceboxes, and fold-down seats, so why shouldn't VW get in on the game?

Aside from the interior redecoration, the Wolfsburg Edition is practically identical to the standard Vanagon. The major difference is the ride height has been lowered more than an inch for easier entrance and exit. The lower ride height, in combination with the wide front and rear track, makes this the best handling Vanagon ever.

Sure, it's still slow, but, frankly, we like the Wolfsburg Edition. It seems solidly built, offers between-the-seats pass-through so you can go back and swat the kids, and, most of all, it reminds us of our youth. If they could bottle that factor alone, they'd really have something.

--Jack R. Nerad