VOLKSWAGEN K70

4-door 5-seater saloon.

Distinguished as VW's first ever front-engined car, and first-ever water-cooled engine, yet developed as an NSU originally! Inherited as part of the takeover process, had front-wheel drive, and some chassis and underpan engineering as NSU rotary-engined Ro80 model. Unique in all respects as VW, no parts ever used on other models, with soft all independent suspension, front discs, but no automatic option. In spite of a 100mph top speed for 100bhp 1.8-litre versions (for 1974 and 1975 model years) it never sold well. Like other early seventies VWs, elbowed out by the Passat.