Volkswagen Type 4

Volkswagen Type 4: which version to buy

If you are choosing a Volkswagen Type 4 from this catalogue, the decision is between ten named versions across two sedan generations, not between body styles or drivetrains. Every car here is a Sedan, Gasoline, 4-cylinder Opposite, no boost, FWD, 160 mm ground clearance, independent spring suspension at both ends, and disc front brakes.

If you are choosing a Volkswagen Type 4 from this catalogue, the decision is between ten named versions across two sedan generations, not between body styles or drivetrains. Every car here is a Sedan, Gasoline, 4-cylinder Opposite, no boost, FWD, 160 mm ground clearance, independent spring suspension at both ends, and disc front brakes. Rear brakes, 0–100, top speed, fuel use, kerb weight, gross weight, tank size, and wheels are not measured on any version, so they cannot pick a winner. What does differ is displacement (1679 vs 1795 cm³), power (68, 75, 80, or 86 hp), gearbox (Manual 4-speed vs Automatic 3-speed), and whether the 1.7 lists central injection.

There is no Type 4 wagon, Variant, fastback, or squareback in this data set. Searches for those shapes, and for Type 411 / Type 412, do not map onto extra catalogue rows here. “For sale” and engine-for-sale listings are also outside the data: this article ranks the ten versions that exist in the file.

Volkswagen Type 4 generations compared: what actually changed

1 generation (1968–1973) is four 1.7 versions, all 1679 cm³. The split is 68 hp (50 kW) versus 80 hp (59 kW), each with 1.7 MT and 1.7 AT. The 80 hp pair is 12 hp more than the 68 hp pair — 18% more output on the same displacement. Specific output is about 40.5 hp per litre at 68 hp and about 47.6 hp per litre at 80 hp. Both 1.7 engines list central injection (single-point or single- point) and fuel 80.

2 generation (1972–1975) keeps the 80 hp 1.7 pair and adds four 1.8 versions at 1795 cm³: 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT at 75 hp (55 kW), and 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT at 86 hp (63 kW). Displacement is 116 cm³ larger than the 1.7 — about 6.9% more volume. The 75 hp 1.8 makes 7 hp more than the first-generation 68 hp 1.7, but 5 hp less than the 80 hp 1.7 that continues into this generation. The 86 hp 1.8 is the catalogue peak: 18 hp above 68 hp, 11 hp above 75 hp, 6 hp above 80 hp. Specific output is about 41.8 hp per litre at 75 hp and about 47.9 hp per litre at 86 hp — almost the same litres-to-power ratio as the 80 hp 1.7 (47.6 hp/L), not a jump in efficiency, just more cubes and a higher rating.

The generations overlap in 1972–1973. In those years a 1 generation 1.7 MT 80 hp and a 2 generation 1.7 MT 80 hp share the same name, power, displacement, injection label, gearbox, and FWD. The extra money for 2 generation, if any, is not in these numbers: power and layout do not change. What 2 generation uniquely buys is the 1.8 range.

Weight per horsepower cannot be calculated: kerb weight is not measured on all ten versions.

Volkswagen Type 4 engine and specs: every named version

Use the names exactly. Two 1.7 MT and two 1.7 AT exist in 1 generation (68 hp vs 80 hp). Two 1.8 MT and two 1.8 AT exist in 2 generation (75 hp vs 86 hp). The 2 generation 1.7 MT and 1.7 AT are 80 hp only.

Torque (Nm) is not measured on any row. Fuel type in the data is Gasoline; the octane label is 80. Boost is No throughout.

Performance, mpg, and economy: what is not measured

0–100, top speed, city / highway / combined consumption, CO2, and eco class are not measured for every Type 4 version in this file. You cannot rank a 1.8 MT 86 hp against a 1.7 AT 68 hp on sprint, cruise speed, or mpg using these numbers. Arithmetic on power and displacement is allowed; inventing consumption is not.

What you can say without new facts: the 86 hp 1.8 is 26.5% more powerful than the 68 hp 1.7 (18 hp on 68). The 80 hp 1.7 is 17.6% more powerful than the 68 hp 1.7. The 75 hp 1.8 sits between those two first-generation outputs. Whether that extra power is “worth it” on the road is not measured here.

Dimensions, weight, tank, wheels, clearance

Ground clearance is 160 mm on all ten versions. Kerb weight is not measured. Gross weight is not measured. Tank is not measured. Wheel sizes are not measured. Chassis language is the same: Independent, spring front and rear; Disc front; rear brakes not measured. There is no dimension or mass figure that prefers one engine or gearbox over another.

Which Volkswagen Type 4 version to choose

If you want the most power in the catalogue: 2 generation 1.8 MT (86 hp) or 1.8 AT (86 hp). That is 86 hp / 63 kW from 1795 cm³, about 47.9 hp per litre. Versus 2 generation 1.8 MT (75 hp) you gain 11 hp on the same displacement. Versus any 80 hp 1.7 MT or 1.7 AT you gain 6 hp and 116 cm³. Versus 1 generation 1.7 MT (68 hp) you gain 18 hp.

If you want the highest specific output without the 1.8: 1 generation or 2 generation 1.7 MT (80 hp) or 1.7 AT (80 hp) — 80 hp from 1679 cm³, about 47.6 hp per litre, within 0.3 hp/L of the 86 hp 1.8. You give up 6 hp and 116 cm³. Both 1.7 80 hp versions list central injection (single-point or single- point); the 1.8 rows do not list a feed system (not measured).

If you want the smallest engine and will accept the least power: 1 generation 1.7 MT (68 hp) or 1.7 AT (68 hp). Same 1679 cm³ and injection label as the 80 hp 1.7, 12 hp less, about 40.5 hp per litre. There is no 68 hp car in 2 generation.

If you are looking at 2 generation 1.8 but not the 86 hp pair: 1.8 MT (75 hp) and 1.8 AT (75 hp) are the odd middle. They have the larger 1795 cm³ block but only 75 hp — 5 hp below the 80 hp 1.7 that sits in the same generation, and only 7 hp above the 68 hp 1.7. Specific output (~41.8 hp/L) is closer to the 68 hp 1.7 than to the 80/86 hp engines. On these numbers the 75 hp 1.8 does not beat the 80 hp 1.7 on power, and it does not beat the 86 hp 1.8 on power or litres. Choose it only if you specifically need the 1.8 displacement at the lower rating.

Manual vs Automatic on the same engine: every power/displacement pair is offered both ways. Manual is always 4 gears; Automatic is always 3 gears. Drive is FWD either way. No 0–100, mpg, or weight figure separates them. If you want more gears in the data, take Manual. If you want Automatic, you take three speeds.

1 generation vs 2 generation on the shared 80 hp 1.7: 1.7 MT (80 hp) and 1.7 AT (80 hp) in 1968–1973 match 1.7 MT (80 hp) and 1.7 AT (80 hp) in 1972–1975 on hp, kW, cm³, fuel 80, 4 Opposite, No boost, injection label, gearbox type, gear count, FWD, 160 mm, and Disc front. Generation does not change the measured spec of that engine. 2 generation is the only place to get a 1.8.

Type 4 engine as a buying filter: every engine is Gasoline, 4, Opposite, No boost, fuel 80. There is no diesel, no extra cylinders, no other layout, and no boost option in the file. “Volkswagen Type 4 engine” in this catalogue means 1679 cm³ at 68 or 80 hp, or 1795 cm³ at 75 or 86 hp.

Reliability and problems: not in the data. Do not infer durability from hp or year.

Short ranking by the numbers we have

1. Peak output: 1.8 MT (86 hp) / 1.8 AT (86 hp), 2 generation. 2. Best 1.7 output, almost the same hp/L as the peak 1.8: 1.7 MT (80 hp) / 1.7 AT (80 hp), either generation. 3. Larger displacement, lower rating: 1.8 MT (75 hp) / 1.8 AT (75 hp) — 5 hp behind the 80 hp 1.7. 4. Least power: 1.7 MT (68 hp) / 1.7 AT (68 hp), 1 generation only.

Pick Manual (4) or Automatic (3) after the power row. Nothing else in the measured columns changes.