VW TRIVIA

- By Herschel D. -

MAY'S - NEW QUESTIONS

1.       Q: For those of you who were not at the February meeting: name a club member other than the one announced below in the Factiods section, whose car has also been in one of the national VW magazines. His car will be seen in an upcoming movie, made here in Memphis, about the life of Johnny Cash, too??

A: It is Ricky B’s really nice 1956 Beetle that has been featured in a Hot VW’s magazine article and in the Johnny Cash movie as well. A former River City VW club member, William C’s 1955 Beetle, will be seen in that movie, as well.      

2.       Q: VW has a new luxury sedan called the “Phaeton.” That term “Phaeton” like “Cabriolet” is an old automobile term but is not being used by VW to refer to the same body styles that they used to mean in the U.S.A. What were those earlier body styles?

A: In the U.S., “phaeton” referred to an open 5-passenger 4-door car that did not have roll up windows.  Until the mid-1920’s, it was commonly called a “touring car.” The body style died out in the late 1930’s when roll up windows became widely standard. The “cabriolet” was an open 2-seater that did have roll up windows as opposed to a “roadster” that did not. The cabriolet had replaced the roadster by the late 1930’s, also. So you see, in pre-war WWII lexicon, VW’s use of the term “phaeton” is very different from its original use and the cabriolet has gone from being a 2-seater to having a back seat.

3.   Q: Where and when in North America did VW first set up an official headquarters?

A: Not only in North America but their first overseas subsidiary anywhere was set up on November 9, 1952 in Toronto, Canada! That’s right, they set up in Canada, 3 years before the 1955 start up of Volkswagen of America in Englewood, NJ!

4.   Q: OK, here’s a question for you early VW buffs: up until what year did the Beetle use lever action shock absorbers on the rear?

     A: It was done during the “1951” model which is considered to have run from 1/51 through 9/52. That model is the most easily identified by its cowl side vent doors.

5.   Q: What was the first year that you had to fasten your seat belt in a Beetle in order to be able to start the engine?

A: 1974, until most owners deliberately disabled the system!

6.   Q: The 3^rd generation Passat was the first one that was not Audi based, It seemed styled in the “Ford Taurus” school of thought. In what year was it first introduced in Europe?

A: 1988

TOP

1. In what model year was the VW Type II Wesfalia Campmobile first available and in what model year were they first imported into the United States?

2. OK, name 5-things that makes a 1958 Beetle visually different, including interior changes (especially you Bobby), from a 1957 model.

3. What feature on some early VW Beetles is nicknamed “crotch cooler?”

4. Where was the New Beetle designed?

5.  What model of VW that was made in Brazil was sold in the U.S.?

 6. Name a VW model that is not sold in the U.S. that looks like a scaled down Golf.