Volkswagen Type 3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Volkswagen 1500 (Notchback) | |
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| Manufacturer | Volkswagen |
| Volkswagen 1600 (Fastback) | |
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| Manufacturer | Volkswagen |
| Volkswagen 1500 Variant ("Squareback") | |
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| Manufacturer | Volkswagen |
The Volkswagen Type 3, properly referred to as the Volkswagen 1500 and later the Volkswagen 1600, was a range of small cars from German manufacturer Volkswagen (VW).
The range was originally launched in 1961 in two varieties: the Notchback with a notchback saloon body, and the Karmann Ghia 1500 (popularly known as the Type 34 Karmann Ghia) with an coupé body. The Variant (popularly known as the Squareback) with an estate body followed in 1962. The Fastback, a fastback coupé version, arrived in 1966. A convertible was announced with the original models, but did not enter production.
The Type 3 was introduced to diversify Volkswagen's product range beyond the Type 1 (Beetle), the Karmann Ghia, and the Type 2 (Bus). The Type 3 was designed to allow Volkswagen to make a more sophisticated car while maintaining much of the engineering from the Type 1. Though available to much of the world, the Type 3 line was not exported to the United States through Volkswagen of America until the 1966 model year, when the Squareback and Fastback were added to their line-up.
[edit] Engine and drivetrain
The Type 3 was initially equipped with a 1.5 L (1493 cc) engine based on the air-cooled flat-4 found in the Type 1. While the long block remained the same as the Type 1, the engine cooling was drastically changed to allow for a much lower engine profile. This resulted in increased area for cargo stowage with the so-called "Pancake" or "Suitcase" engine. This engine's displacement would later increase to 1600cc.
Originally a single- or dual-carburetted 1.5 L engine, (1500 N, 45 hp or 1500S, 54 hp) the Type 3 engine got a larger displacement (1.6l 1600 cc) for 1966 and modified for 1968 to include electronic fuel injection as an option, making it one of the first mass production consumer cars with such a feature (the first was the Type 4 VW 411). Also introduced for 1968 was a fully automatic transmission.
One notable advance from the Type 1 to the Type 3 was the front suspension — although similar to the Type 1, it was the first Volkswagen system to incorporate transverse torsion bars, as opposed to the Type 1's torsion leaves. The Type 3's torsion bars are cross-mounted to which each individual torsion bar is connected to both front wheels; similar to the Dodge Aspen.
[edit] Related models
[edit] Type 34 Karmann Ghia
Also known as the Grosse Ghia (with grosse being German for "large"), the Type 34 Karmann Ghia was a larger, more squared development of the Karmann Ghia, and was based on the Type 3 platform.
[edit] Brazilian Type 3 (TL / Variant / Variant II)
The notchback Type 3 was launched in Brazil in 1968 and met with little success, being nicknamed Zé do Caixão (after a popular Brazilian movie character) for its boxy shape. A fastback/hatchback version, the Volkswagen TL, fared somewhat better, being produced from 1970 to 1976, originally as a 2-door and later as a 4-door version. Neither enjoyed as much success as its estate-bodied sibling, the Variant. The 3-door Variant was produced from 1969 to 1977 and then followed by an updated successor with squarer body, the Variant II which was produced from 1977 to 1980.
[edit] Unrelated Argentinian Volkswagen 1500
In 1980 Volkswagen bought the Argentinian Chrysler Ferve Argentina SAIC. With the takeover came a new name, Volkswagen Argentina SA, and the company inherited some Dodge / Chrysler vehicles. One of them was the Dodge 1500 (also the Dodge 1800) which the newly taken-over company re-badged as Volkswagen 1500 for the Argentinian market. The estate was known as the Volkswagen 1500 Rural. Both variants continued to be sold until 1994.
The car, which was based on Chrysler's Hillman Avenger, had also been sold in Brazil, where it was known as the Dodge Polara — this version ceased in 1981, shortly after Volkswagen's purchase of the tooling in Argentina. Note also that this is the car which was available in North America as the Plymouth Cricket.
These cars have no parts related to any other vehicles in the Volkswagen range, including the Volkswagen Type 3 known by the same Volkswagen 1500 name.
[edit] External links
[edit] German VW Type 3
- Unofficial Type 3 history
- World-wide T3 email list and resource site
- The Type 3 detectives
- The Swedish VW Type 3 registry
- VW+VW1500
[edit] VW Type 34
[edit] Brazilian VW Type 3
- VW Brazil history and pictures (in Portuguese)
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| Derby I | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Small family car | Golf I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Large family car | Type 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| K70 (NSU) | Passat I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coupé | Karmann Ghia | Scirocco I | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Van | Type 2 - T1 | Type 2 - T2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
