This is maybe the only good thing left behind from WW-II.
It was designed as the off road vehicle of the Wehrmacht during the nazi reign. Ferdinand Porsche proved his genius once again...
Being a rear wheel drive whilst all other military vehicles out there were 4WD, it still served exceptionally well in several campaigns from the desert to the swamped outskirts of Stalingrad.
I rented one of these for 10 days during a holiday. I could' ve used my own car but I wanted to go venturing in the wilderness instead of driving on fine paved roads. Wow was it fun !!
*** Looks and Body : Straightforward build with no special features. Straight and boxy lines. Ugly can be the next word to say. But it's rather hard to say what one feels about this car. It is also cute.
The body is simply a tin box. Nothing is there by means of jazzy build quality whatsoever. But it is surprisingly sturdy.
Loose panels and hinges, joints etc. tell you that you are actually riding a utility vehicle and of no luxury.
You can easily imagine what Rommel felt while cruising on the rough stretches of the Sahara.
*** Engine, Mechanics and Interior :
What else but the air cooled 50 HP boxer of the 1.2lt. (1200) beetle ?? The all too familliar chatter of the twin exhaust pipes is emitted from a single pipe and that all about the only difference. (I have seen dual tailpipe 181's as well)
Mechanics are simple but rock-tough. The only things I found in the cockpit were a shiftstick (boy do I love that eliptical ivory knob !), a handbrake lever and a lever to actuate the heater which is fed by the exhaust and engine-cooling-air fan.
Squeeks, rattles and clangs are the every moment companion. But even these sounds are things to add to your joy and fun.
The instrument gauge is nothing but a simple dial with two lamps (oil pressure and charge) But a wonder as it is, VDO makes great stuff. It was still accurate and working fine...
Gears shift awkwardly. You hardly ever make sure the gear has engaged. At times you are sure they did however, you think momentarily before you release the clutch if you shifted into the correct gear. There is no hublock or underdrive to tell you that this car actually is meant for offroading !
Seat comfort is next to none. You only thing you have is the cushion which is actually as thin as a campbed mattress.
We were in a mood to try for the first time in our life that movie style sand & sea drive. So did we, to get stuck into a dune. Not only did I have to pay a small fortune to the wrecker which towed us out, I also had to pay a hearty fine because I did not know vehicles other than authorised (you know, dumpsters, police jeeps etc.) could not enter the seastrip. Anyhow, the first 10 minutes of extreme fun was worth the some 125 GBP's total...
*** Conclusion : I do not think these vehicles are built anymore. But if they ever are, I would love to have one in my garage...
Beste freundliche begrüssen, bis folgendes mal (Best friendly salutations until next time...)
Murat M.
More details
Purchase Price
Could be around 6,000 if brand new
Safety
Poor
Spaciousness
Satisfactory
Road Handling
Good
Customer service
Satisfactory
Fuel consumption
Satisfactory
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