Volkswagen Fox

The Volkswagen Fox is a city car produced and designed by Volkswagen do Brasil and sold in Latin America since 2004 and Europe since 2005. Currently the Fox is produced as a three-door and five-door hatchback. There is also a mini SUV version called CrossFox, and a mini MPV/station wagon model called Suran, SpaceFox, SportVan or Fox Plus depending on the market.

In South America, it fits between its two supermini brothers, the low cost Gol and the Polo. In Mexico it was called the Lupo, due to the last name of then-current President Vicente Fox. VW of Mexico dropped the Lupo after a short run of 2009 models due to poor sales and replaced it along with the aged Pointer and Derby by the VW Novo Gol. The SportVan has also been quietly discontinued starting February 2010 in Mexico due to poor sales leaving only the CrossFox.

In the European market, the Fox replaced the Lupo city car as the entry-level car in the lineup and at a far cheaper price.

Like the contemporary Polo, the Fox is based on Volkswagen's PQ24 platform.

Volkswagen acquired the rights to the "Fox" name in 1969 by purchasing NSU. The original NSU Fox was a motor-bike first seen in 1949,^[1] and Volkswagen had subsequently used the "Fox" name in some markets for special edition Volkswagen Polos. The Audi 80 produced in the 1970s also used the name Fox on vehicles sold in Australia and the USA.

In November 2009 the new Fox 2010 was revealed in Brazil and later also in Argentina.^[2]

Facts

• The roof liner and rear parcel shelf are made from the renewable resourced Curaua plant.
• The European-market Fox has a four-star EuroNCAP safety rating.
• The static torsional stiffness of the Fox is 17941 Nm and has a dynamic torsional stiffness of 39.2 Hz.
• An optional rear bench seat slides 150 mm lengthways and the backrest can split 50/50 in the middle, depending on the configuration, the boot volume is adjustable between 260 and 1016 L.
• Volkswagen recalled over 400,000 units in Latin America and Africa due to a problem with the rear seat longitudinal adjustment mechanism after eight Brazilian owners lost part of their fingers while trying to adjust the seats.^[3]

South American Fox 1.6 specifications

• Engine: EA111, BAH; 8V, 1599 cc, cast iron cylinder head, RSH (roller rocker arm)
• Power: 101 hp (74 kW) @ 5750 rpm
• Fuel Injection: Motronic (Benzin ME7.5.10 until 2006)
• Torque: 140 N·m (100 ft·lbf) @ 3250 rpm
• 0–100 km/h: 10.5 s
• Top Speed: 170 km/h (110 mph)
• Boot: 260 L (9.2 cu ft)-1,236 L (43.6 cu ft)
• Transmission: 5-speed manual (Audi MQ200 manual gearbox)
• Fuel capacity: 50 L (13.2 US gal; 11.0 imp gal)

The Braking system is similar to the Audi A3(non-turbo), Front rotors. Rear still Drums.

In Europe

The Fox was introduced to Europe at the AMI Leipzig Motor Show in 2005, on debut in Europe the Fox was only available as a three-door hatchback and with three engine options: the 1.2 L 40 kW (55 hp) I3 and 1.4 L 55 kW (75 hp) I4 petrol engines and the 1.4 L 51 kW (69 hp) TDI engine.

The Fox was sold with a long options list to reduce its tag price, therefore letting the European customer specify the Fox to their liking. It did come with standard twin airbags and anti-lock braking system for safety measures. Upon its debut the Fox scored four stars in EuroNCAP's crash rating system.

Petrol

Diesel

Volkswagen CrossFox

The Volkswagen CrossFox is a mini SUV version which sets it apart from the standard Fox. As is the case for other similar models, it is available only with front-wheel drive.

It is produced in Brazil and sold in Latin American markets; there are plans to export it to European markets to compete in the expanding mini SUV market (see Ford EcoSport and Fiat Idea Adventure).

This version contains mixed-use tires and a suspension raised slightly beyond a spare tire on the outside of the trunk.

Volkswagen Suran/SpaceFox/SportVan/Fox Plus

A mini MPV/station wagon version of the Fox was presented in April 2006. It is named Suran in Argentina^[4], Chile and Uruguay, SpaceFox in Brazil^[5] and Peru^[6], SportVan in Mexico^[7] and Fox Plus in Algeria^[8]. It is built in General Pacheco, Argentina.

Because of its 360 mm-extended tail (4165 mm vs. 3805 mm), it has a larger boot and more rear leg room than the hatchback versions. Its main competitors are the Peugeot 206 SW and Fiat Palio Weekend

Volkswagen Fox in the US

The Fox was a variant of the Gol manufactured by Volkswagen do Brasil and marketed by Volkswagen in North America as an entry level subcompact from 1987-93. Initially offered as a two-door and four-door sedan as well as a two-door wagon, the wagon was discontinued in 1991 along with the two-door for the Canadian market, the same year the four-door sedan (as well as the two-door, in the US) received a mild restyling.

The Fox featured a longitudinal mounted 1.8L, 81 PS (60 kW; 80 hp) 4 cylinder gasoline engine, sharing components with the VW Golf — along with a 4 speed transmission for the standard 2 and 4 door sedan and a 5 speed transmission for the "GL" sport model — and no automatic transmission. Braking was power assisted with discs up front and drum brakes on the rear wheels.

According to the U.S. EPA the 4 speed version averaged 24 mpg_-US (9.8 L/100 km; 29 mpg_-imp) on the new combined driving cycle with the 5 speed transmission able to produce 23 mpg_-US (10 L/100 km; 28 mpg_-imp) on the new driving cycle. Under the old test protocol the VW Fox was able to produce 26 mpg_-US (9.0 L/100 km; 31 mpg_-imp) with the 5 speed transmission and 27 mpg_-US (8.7 L/100 km; 32 mpg_-imp) with the 4 speed transmission.

Early models (1987–1989) featured the Bosch CIS-E also known as KE-Jetronic electro-mechanical fuel injection, using an oxygen sensor to assist in fuel management. Later models featured (1990–1993) Bosch Digifant electronic fuel injection. In Canada the Fox from 1987-1989 was offered with the simpler Bosch CIS fuel injection (K-Jetronic) without an oxygen sensor for the engine fuel management system.

Originally, the Fox's squared off front end featured sealed beam halogen headlamps; after 1991 models received revised sheet metal with flush glass headlamps. Volkswagen did not sell a subcompact car again in Canada until 2007, when they offered the Volkswagen City Golf and Volkswagen City Jetta.

In South Africa, the Volkswagen Fox was a model based on the original Jetta, but featuring the front end of the Citi, a facelifted version of the original Golf Mk 1, which was in production in South Africa until late 2009.

In the United States and Australia the Audi 80 was badged as the Audi Fox during the 1970s. The Australian version was assembled locally by Volkswagen Australasia Ltd.

References

External links

• Official VW Fox website