The 1987 VW Fox Wagon Is The Budget Shooting Brake Of Our Dreams

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror) 03/23/2015 at 12:51 • Filed to: FORGOTTEN CLASSICS, FC, ESSAY

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If Jalopnik had existed in 1987, its stock value alone may have saved us from Black Monday, as one of the quirkiest automobile ever hit the North American showrooms, the Volkswagen Fox Wagon.

Welcome to Forgotten Classics.

As demonstrated in the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , the goal of this series of essays is be to bring cars that are getting no love back in the limelight. FC is also a thorough analysis of why such cars remained obscure and never got the praise they deserved.

Shooting brake, longitudinally-mounted engine and Germany is a combination of words that sound expensive, however, add Brazilian autoworker's cheap wages to the equation and it's a totally different game of handegg.

As the Golf/Jetta was starting to target the bourgeoisy, VW was in need of an entry level car to fill the gap and go head to head against the mighty North American trio composed of the Chevette, the Omni and the Mercury Lynx.

VW went looking in Southern America and found the Fox, a family of quirky Audi abortions from the 1970's that they could sell for cheap.

The Sedan was nothing to write home about, nor was the coupe, but there was a wagon ...

But wait, it wasn't just another wagon, it was a shooting brake, one of the rarest and most sought-after body style in the history of automobiles. But that's not all, it was a sub 2,000 pounds shooting brake that was only available with a 4-speed manual transmission.

On the inside, a Blaupunkt cassette stereo and a large ashtray were the only amenities. Don't look for airbags or any other post-accident safety measures, the Fox wagon was relying solely on crash avoidance technologies such as a lack of distractions.

Under the hood was a longitudinally mounted 1.8L 4 cylinder engine with proper mechanical fuel injection, no nasty electronics here.

That engine only produced 80 HP and 93 FT/lbs of Torque, but these numbers were possibly underrated. A 4 speed manual transmission was used to send that power to the front wheels. Sadly, the Fox wasn't a rear-wheel drive car.

Sorrowfully, the wagon got axed from the lineup after the 1989 season, leaving only the coupe and the sedan. The next year, the sedan was also axed and only the useless coupe lived for 1991.

It is rumored that VW of North America was concerned that the $6,050 USD Fox would hurt the Golf/Jetta sales, and that's why they put little efforts in the North American marketing of the Fox family.

Nevertheless, the Fox wagon was an amazing vehicle and deserved a better fate, but almost 30 years after its demise, all we can do is hope that the remaining examples are in good hands.

Thanks for reading.

Leon711 > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 12:56

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I owned a vehicle very similar but shorter and from West Germany.

1988 VW Polo

RustedSprinter > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 12:56

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Wagons are love. Wagons are life.

Margin Of Error > Leon711 03/23/2015 at 12:57

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What is that ?

I like it

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 12:57

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proper mechanical fuel injection, no nasty electronics here.

I'm going to have to disagree with you there. EFI is so much better and more reliable than mechanical.

Margin Of Error > RustedSprinter 03/23/2015 at 12:58

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I wouldn't go that far, but wagons are cool, that's for sure.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:01

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You know, outside of an old bug< i think the Fox was my favorite VW. A friend had one, and I swear, you may have been able to cripple it, but you couldn't kill the car. It was lie a zombie it just kept on going and going.....not going fast, but going still....

RustedSprinter > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:01

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Wagons are the answer to all questions man. Need to haul your buddy's band equipment? Get a wagon. Need to run to the lumber yard. You better take the wagon! Going on a camping trip? Hop in the wagon!

Leon711 > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:01

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My ratty old polo

Margin Of Error > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 03/23/2015 at 13:02

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That's the beauty of simple things.

Leon711 > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:05

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also, available as a coupe

PS9 > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:09

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Wait-It was RWD? OH MAN CHEAP V8 SHOOTING BRAKE HERE I COME!

Cé hé sin > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:23

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One step down from the Golf. Fiesta rival.

MultiplaOrgasms > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:30

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So a 1970s Audi built by a bunch of shit eating brazilians in the late 1980s is now a classic because VW couldn't be bothered to spend $35 on rear doors. Got it.

TotallyThatStupid > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:33

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Every now and then I go looking for a Fox wagon or 4-door sedan. Not a lot of nice ones left.

Margin Of Error > MultiplaOrgasms 03/23/2015 at 13:36

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That's pretty harsh

Margin Of Error > TotallyThatStupid 03/23/2015 at 13:37

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Economy cars are consumables, people don't pay attention to them and they rarely live more than 15 years.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:42

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I believe that you have never driven any of your FC vehicles. Many of the cars you've featured are truly terrible.

Not mentioned: The 80s-Hyundai levels of reliability, creaking and popping from the poor fit and finish of the hatch and doors, and interior plastics so brittle and shatter-happy that a Volvo 240 would blush. It's not a forgotten classic. It's a footnote in automotive history. There's a reason the few survivors are going for under $1000 while the same vintage Golf/Jetta cousins are selling for triple that.

I'm waiting for the Renault Fuego Turbo (first car on the market with factory keyless entry)

or the Olds F85 Jetfire (First turbocharged car on the market, but with turbo fluid - a methanol solution - that had to be added regularly and was only available at Olds dealers - otherwise the engine was toast. Most of them had conventional V8 swaps)

Or the Chrysler New Yorker 2.2 Limousine — A K-car based limousine. With cloth buttoned-and-tucked interior.

Oh. Wait. How about the "Copper-Cooled" Chevy? This "forgotten classic" was so bad that they were all recalled and dumped into Lake Michigan. One survives somewhere in a museum.

MultiplaOrgasms > Margin Of Error 03/23/2015 at 13:44

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It is the truth.

handsoff > Margin Of Error 03/24/2015 at 00:28

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This is great, thanks!

I've always liked these, in a "they're way too fuckin' weird to see one every day" sort of way