Publisher Description

What kind of car is that? It looks like a big Beetle! If ever there was a car in search of a context and market, it was the VW Type 4. Volkswagen's first foray into the upscale sector brought engineering innovation to Wolfsburg. It also tried to convince worldwide buyers that VW still had the right stuff. With design origins in the Porsche consultancy, the signs were hopeful. However, globally, the automarket was rapidly changing.The VW Type 4's portfolio ran to unitary construction and fuel injection, but had to face fancy competition from Detroit's European subsidiaries. All the while, VW was searching for its future road, and faced challenging developments. The fuel crisis and Japanese competition in North America kept the pressure on at Wolfsburg.Could the VW 411 and 412's solid traditional virtues carry the day? Then and now the Type 4's unbreakable VW quality, and flat out sustainability, appealed to air cooled devotees. The 411 and 412 brought a new dimension in comfort to VW, and its hardware design was utilized by the air cooled clan both on and off road. The Type 4 even had a sportscar connection, and never lost the power to surprise.

Author Biography

Marc Cranswick has had a lifelong interest in cars and all things mechanical, and has written about and drawn the cars that he loves for many years; these include a variety of European, Japanese and American marques. Formal study of the postwar American car market has led to a series of books about the cars and trucks of the Big 3 and independent automakers. He writes enthusiast-directed model history books, and has involvement with many specialist car clubs. His reference book The Cars of American Motors - An Illustrated History, was featured on NBC's business channel CNBC.

Table of Contents

Introduction - A company & car in transitionChapter 1 - From Hitler to Herbie 1938-1968Chapter 2 - Type 4 Design GenesisChapter 3 VW's First Big Car - The 411Chapter 4 - 411 Meets World!Chapter 5 - A Challenging Road To The 412Chapter 6 - Volkswagen Air to WaterAppendix A Specification TablesAppendix B Sporting VWsAppendix C VW Off Road!Appendix D Volkswagen areas of interest

Review

At last - an aircooled VW story that's genuinely overlook and untold! - Classic Cars --- It provides plenty of detail on a niche car that was important to VW than it might appear. - Classic & Sports Car --- This book explores it's conception through to the end of production, including design concepts, testing, marketing strategy and more. - Practical Classics --- A good amount of content for the price, and it's presented well. - Auto Express --- Air-cooled VW enthusiasts will enjoy this book - Kieron Fennelly --- Recommended for VW enthusiasts and/or folks interested in the 411/412 saga. - The View Through The Windshield --- One for VW fans, air-cooled aficionados and engineering nerds. - Classic Car Weekly --- highly recommended especially for Volkswagen connoisseurs. - Midwest Book Review --- Easy to read, the technical info is broken down into small segments and complimented with statements and thoughts. - Club News VWOCGB

Long Description

What kind of car is that? It looks like a big Beetle! If ever there was a car in search of a context and market, it was the VW Type 4. Volkswagen's first foray into the upscale sector brought engineering innovation to Wolfsburg. It also tried to convince worldwide buyers that VW still had the right stuff. With design origins in the Porsche consultancy, the signs were hopeful. However, globally, the automarket was rapidly changing. The VW Type 4's portfolio ran to unitary construction and fuel injection, but had to face fancy competition from Detroit's European subsidiaries. All the while, VW was searching for its future road, and faced challenging developments. The fuel crisis and Japanese competition in North America kept the pressure on at Wolfsburg. Could the VW 411 and 412's solid traditional virtues carry the day? Then and now the Type 4's unbreakable VW quality, and flat out sustainability, appealed to air cooled devotees. The 411 and 412 brought a new dimension in comfort to VW, and its hardware design was utilized by the air cooled clan both on and off road. The Type 4 even had a sports car connection, and never lost the power to surprise.

Details