Volkswagen-engined mini SUV made in Brazil

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

This is the Gurgel Tocantins, which was made from '88 to '95, using Volkswagen axles and the rear-mounted air-cooled engine.



It featured a monocoque body, made out of fiberglass wrapped around a tube subframe.


Earlier versions, known as Gurgel Xavante, X-10 or X-12, had been around from '73 to '88. There were some flexfuel versions too, mostly targetted to government fleets, altough they were wrongly advertised as dedicated-ethanol (flexfuel ability of the classic Volkswagen air-cooled engine had already been discussed in this board a few times).

[mcrews]

Nice find! Kinda a jeep kit car an a c&w?!

[Arragonis]

How long did VW in SA keep the air coolled engine ? It was pretty much out of run here in the EU by 1980 - although some run-out "Super Beetles" sat in showrooms unloved and unwanted for a few years so a few have very late registration dates - 83 maybe.

Monocoque fibreglass can't have been good for noise levels ?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

The Gurgel was never a "kit-car", not even CKD kits for export.

The last vehicle factory-fitted with the VW aircooled engine in Brazil was the Kombi. There are actually some beach-buggies fitted with "remanufactured" engines, mainly carburettor-fed, but the Kombi was the last large-volume vehicle available with the aircooled engine (with MPFI since '97).

Actually, regarding the acoustic performance, that fiberglass monocoque could be better...

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Had to revive this thread because I spotted a canvas one without the top...

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

'76 model

[freebeard]

Personally, I prefer the G12

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurgel

If it's a monocoque, you could still cut out the floor and drop it onto an eClassics electric rollerskate.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Personally, I prefer the G12

That's actually a X-15, and its pick-up versions are named G-15. Last time I saw a G-15 was in 2004 in the older part of downtown Manaus, it was a double-cab and had its tray fully loaded with fresh fish.

[freebeard]

I blame Wikipedia.

Imagine a Mexican Hormiga with a 2nd aircooled drivetrain in the rear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volksw...sistransporter

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Imagine a Mexican Hormiga with a 2nd aircooled drivetrain in the rear.

Sometimes it gets me wondering why VW didn't fit a Typ3 engine with the axial cooling fan on those. Eventually a single rear drivetrain as in the Colombian Corcel.