VOLKSWAGEN 411/412

2-door/4-door 5-seater saloon/estate car.

VW's third attempt to up-date the basic Beetle theme, this time on a longer wheelbase and - for the first time - with a four-door option. MacPherson strut front end was a real advance at the time (later on other Beetle-derived cars), though performance was not up to much - 68bhp at first, 80bhp with injection from 1970. 412s took over for 80bhp with injection rom 1970. 412s took over for 1973, with limited change, and 1/8-litre engine for final (1974) model year. 90mph top speed if you insisted - but few people did, for rear-engine handling characteristics were still present.