Volkswagen 1500 (Notchback shown)
Manufacturer	Volkswagen
Production	1961 – 1973 2,542,382 built [1]
Successor	Volkswagen Passat
Class	Compact car
Body style(s)	2-door sedan, 2-door station wagon
Layout	Rear engined
Engine(s)	1. The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories or do not fit well into any A compact (North America small family (European or c-segment car is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. Some are still in production while others are of historical interest only A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate In Automotive design layout specifies where on the car the Engine and Drive wheels are found In Automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one which places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear 5 or 1. 6L H4
Transmission(s)	4-speed manual, 3-speed automatic
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94. A flat-4 or horizontally-opposed-4 is a Flat engine with four Cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of two cylinders on each side of a central In both road and rail Vehicles the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels 5 in)
Length	4,225 mm (166. 3 in)
Width	1,605 mm (63. 2 in)
Height	1,475 mm (58. 1 in)
Curb weight	from 880 kilograms (1,940 lb)

Volkswagen 1600 (Fastback)
Manufacturer	Volkswagen

Volkswagen 1600 Variant ("Squareback")
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). Curb weight is the total Weight of a Vehicle with standard equipment all necessary operating Consumables (e The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

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. Notchback is a form of Car body style; in different parts of the world the precise definition varies The Karmann Ghia was marketed by Volkswagen as a 2+2 Coupe and Convertible combining the straightforward chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1 The first Variant (popularly known as the Squareback) with an estate body followed in 1962 (VW still continues to name all its station wagon model variations Variant). A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate The Fastback, a fastback coupé version, arrived in 1966. A fastback is a Car body style whose roofline slopes continuously down at the back 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 Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen The Karmann Ghia was marketed by Volkswagen as a 2+2 Coupe and Convertible combining the straightforward chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1 The Volkswagen Type 2 (also known as Transporter) was the second automotive line introduced by German automaker Volkswagen. 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. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Volkswagen Group of America Inc (sometimes referred to as Volkswagen of America, abbreviated to VWoA) is the United States operational headquarters

Engine and drivetrain

Main article: Volkswagen air cooled engine

The Type 3 was initially equipped with a 1. The Volkswagen air cooled engine is one of the most widely used and versatile Internal 5 L (1493 cc) engine based on the air-cooled flat-4 found in the Type 1. A flat-4 or horizontally-opposed-4 is a Flat engine with four Cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of two cylinders on each side of a central 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. Long block is an Automotive term describing an Engine sub-assembly consisting of the following Short block. This resulted in increased area for cargo stowage with the so-called "Pancake" or "Suitcase" engine. This engine's displacement would later increase to 1. 6 L (1585 cc).

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 1585 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). The Volkswagen Type 4 was a mid-sized 2 or 4-door saloon or 2-door estate built by Volkswagen (VW of Germany. 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, so that each individual torsion bar is connected to both front wheels, similar to the Dodge Aspen. The Dodge Aspen, produced from 1976 to 1980 was a Compact car from Chrysler Corporation 's Dodge division its Plymouth - branded The Type 3 often caused amusement to the uninitiated because its engine was hidden away under the rear trunk space in all three variants: the Notchback, Squareback and Fastback.

The Type 3 was also the world's first volume produced car to feature electronic fuel injection pioneered by Bosch. This was offered as the VW 1600E version (E meaning "Einspritzung" in German or injection).

The Type 3 also featured an air-conditioner, wall-to-wall carpeting, and a larger amount of storage space (front and rear storage - the motor was located under a panel in the rear boot, allowing for more luggage space than the Type 1 "Beetle")

Production figures

German production^[1]:

• Type 31 1500/1600 Notchback/Fastback: 1,339,124
• Type 31 1500/1600 Variant: 1,202,935
• Type 351 1500/1600 Convertible (prototypes): 12
• 1500/1600 chassis and works prototypes: 311

Brazilian production ^[2]:

• Notchback: 24,475
• Fastback: 109,515
• Variant: 256,760
• Variant II: 41,002

Related models

Type 34 Karmann Ghia

Main article: Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

Also known as the Große Ghia (with groß 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. The Karmann Ghia was marketed by Volkswagen as a 2+2 Coupe and Convertible combining the straightforward chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1

Brazilian Type 3 (TL / Variant / Variant II)

Brazilian Volkswagen Variant II

The three box Type 3 was launched in Brazil in 1968 with unique styling (similar to the Brasilia) and four doors and was met with little success, being nicknamed Zé do Caixão (after a popular Brazilian movie character) for its boxy shape. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The Volkswagen Brasilia, was a car made in Brazil between 1973 and 1982 José Mojica Marins (born March 13, 1936) is a Brazilian Filmmaker, director, Screenwriter, film and Television

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.

Unrelated Argentinian Volkswagen 1500

Dodge Polara, equivalent to Argentinian Volkswagen 1500

In 1980 Volkswagen bought the Argentinian Chrysler Ferve Argentina SAIC. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. With the takeover came a new name, Volkswagen Argentina SA, and the company inherited some Dodge / Chrysler vehicles. Dodge is a United States -based brand of Automobiles Sport utility vehicles and Trucks manufactured and marketed by Chrysler LLC Chrysler LLC is an American Automobile manufacturer that has been producing Automobiles since 1925 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 1988.

The car, which was based on Chrysler 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. The Hillman Avenger was a rear-wheel drive Small family car originally manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group between 1970 and 1976 The Dodge Polara was an automobile introduced in the United States for the 1960 Model year as Dodge 's top-of-the-line Full-size car; after Note also that this is the car which was available earlier in the 1970s 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.

Advertising

The placement of the engine under the rear trunk of the Type 3 was highlighted in a famous American television commercial for Volkswagen in the 1960's that shows a very young Dustin Hoffman showing the interior of the Fastback model and explaining the car's technical features. Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8 1937 His brother Ronald is a lawyer and economist After showing the trunk up front, he opens the rear hood to reveal another trunk. Hoffman, looking befuddled as to the location of the engine, walks away, and the commercial closes with a title reading, "Your VW dealer will show you where the motor is. "

Appearances in popular culture

In the 1985 film Witness, a Type 3 Squareback is driven by Harrison Ford from Philadelphia to the Amish country near Lancaster. Events 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films Witness is a 1985 American thriller Film released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Harrison Ford, Kelly Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an Academy Award - and BAFTA -nominated as well as Golden Globe -winning American Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The Amish (ˈɑːmɪʃ are members of an Anabaptist Christian denomination best known for Simple living, Plain dress and resisting modern conveniences Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. The light blue vehicle is hidden at the farm while Ford heals from his gunshot wound.

The Type 3 appears in the 1996 Austrian TV police drama series, Stockinger as the clapped-out car that Ernst Stockinger drives when he arrives in Salzburg. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Stockinger is an Austrian made police television drama with fourteen 45-minute episodes first aired from 1996 to 1997. is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. The Australian SBS used images of Stockinger driving his white Type 3 Squareback in the city streets during the trailers that were run before the series commenced airing in Australia on 28 February 2008. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS is one of two government-funded Australian Public broadcasting radio and television networks, the other being the

References

External links

• Volkswagen Type 3 at the Open Directory Project

• VW Brazil History with pics (in Portuguese)