The Weird and Wonderful pt3
The Boys From Brazil II

Continuing with the Brazilian theme hear are some more from Latin America, a hotbed of unique Volkswagens.

The Voyage / Fox

The Voyage was released by Volkswagen Brazil in 1981 as the longer booted version of the air-cooled VW Gol (see last months Wheelspin). Like the Gol, the initial version looked like the early Jetta but came with 2 doors and a front mounted 1.6 litre flat four air-cooled engine, but unlike the Gol there was an initial version with a 1.5 litre water cooled engine. Both engines could be bought to run on petrol or alcohol, though alcohol was the cheaper and more popular option.

Adam Roger's VW Fox. Canadian owner has kindly given permission to use his photos see his Gol and Fox pages at www.lunaticfringe.org/vwfox/vwfox.html

By 1982, after only one year of production the Voyage's air-cooled option was dropped, and 2 more different bodies were released, a 2 door station wagon (estate ; called the VW Parrati) - and a four door booted sedan (1983) for export only. In the mid the eighties the water cooled engine was up-rated to offer 1.6 and 1.8 litre engines.

The Voyage was exported throughout South America and the Caribbean, and manufactured in Argentina as the Senda alongside the Gol and Polo. In 1987 Brazil began manufacture of the US specification Voyage, called the VW Fox, which had to meet tough US emissions and safety standards. Marketed in the US as a budget sedan, the Fox sold well, so well that the Brazilians often could not keep up with demand, putting some US customer off with waiting lists (this was a �cheap” car remember). The Fox was sold between 1987 and 1994 in 2 door, 4 door sedan and 2 door station wagon models with 1.8 litre engines.

By 1994 the Voyage in Brazil was given a full face lift alongside the VW Gol, to give if a more Golf 3 like look. It was given 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 litre engines. By 1998 2.0 litre GTi versions of the Voyage and Gol were released. The Gol and Voyage are still in production.

The Brazilian Type 3

While the Type 3 was introduced in Europe and the States in 1961, it was not until 1968 that Volkswagen Brazil began production of the Type 3, and in typical Brazilian style ; it was not quite the same car that was built in Germany.

In 1968 the Brazilian 4 door Notchback started to roll off the production line, and as can be seen in these pictures, it looked quite different from its German cousin. The Brazilian T3 began life in Wolfsburg as a design study for a beetle replacement, the 1957 EA97 prototype. By 1967 the EA97 was being readied as a face-lifted update to the type 3, but was abandoned after only 200 cars, and the whole project handed over to Volkswagen Brazil. It is worth noting that the Volkswagen Gol (see last months issue) also started out in Wolfsburg, but was also handed over to the Brazilian concern.

Like the German Type 3 , the Brazilian model had an air-cooled flat four engine in the back, but also had the fuel tank there, this petrol tank was moved to the front in 1970 for safety. Like the German T3, in 1970 the Brazilian model was offered as a 2 door fastback and 2 door estate (variant). By this time it looks very much like the VW Brasilia (see last month's WS) but the Brasilia is based on the Type 1 floorpan and engine.

In 1973 the Brazilian T3s were restyled, giving them the �Leiding Nose” front styling as seen on the Type 4, and Brazilian SP2s and Brasilia cars.

In 1978 a the new Variant II was released and remained in production until 1981. This still had the type 3's floorpan and flat four rear pancake engine, but had a restyled, squarer body and improved suspension.

Karmann Ghia do Brazil

Was the name of the Brazilian subsidiary of the famous Osnabruck firm, who built the Type 1 based Karmann Ghia from 1961 until 1972 in Brazil.

While Karmann of Osnabruck began producing a Ghia based on the type 3 ; the razor edge type 34 (see WS Dec 99) ; the Brazilian offshoot didn't start producing Type 3 based Ghias until 1970. Again, the Brazilians didn't just copy what was going on in Germany. While both the German and Brazilian Type 3 Ghias came out of Turin design studios (the German razor edge from the Ghia styling house, the Brazilian model from Carrozzeria Guigiaro) they look quite different.

The Brazilian Type 3 Ghia was called the Karmann Ghia 1600 TC (TC for Touring Coupe), modelled on the type 3 floorpan and engine, with the Italian fastback body shell to finish it off. It was produced alongside the Type 3 based SP2 sports car, and like the SP2 was discontinued in 1976.

Weird & Wonderful Pt4 - Military VWs -WWII

Weird & Wonderful Pt2 -The Boys from Brazil I