Volkswagen Passat 1973 posters


Volkswagen Passat Variant

The Volkswagen Passat debuted in 1973 with a fastback style design by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The car featured two- and four-door sedans, three- and five-door versions that resembled one another externally. This was unique for the time, since two of the models were traditional sedans with separate trunks. A station wagon was also added in 1974. Volkswagen marketed the Passat as a less expensive successor to their Audi 80 sedan which had a more classic body style. In Europe, the Passat sported hexagonal or single/double round headlights depending on trim. In North America, the car was referred to as the Dasher and came rated only with round lights. The three-door hatchback variant was launched there in 1975. Coming from Volkswagen, the Passat was one of the more modern European family cars of its time and was a competitor to models like the Ford Taunus and the Opel Ascona/Vauxhall Cavalier. The Passat was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 1974, and its sister model Audi 80 was the European Motor Press' car of the year a year earlier. The platform was recognizable as B1. The Passat boasted of a MacPherson strut front suspension and a solid axle/coil spring setup at the rear. The OHC 1.3 and 1.5 L petrol engines and 4-speed manual/3-speed automatic transmission were employed. The SOHC 1.5 had a power output of 75 PS (55 kW) and was increased to 1.6 L for 1975ued, power output dropped to 70 PS (52 kW). In 1976, Bosch fuel injection upgraded the power output to 78 PS (57 kW). The generation also got a facelift in 1977 (launched 1978 outside Europe) with an interior upgrade and revised styling featuring repositioned indicators and quad (round) headlights. This version was sold in Brazil for much of the 1980s and was exported to Iraq in bulk, where many of them are still on the roads. It was also assembled in Nigeria. In 1979, the Volkswagen Golf's 1.5 L Diesel engine entered the market with 48 PS (35 kW). Acceleration from 0-100 km/h took 19.4 seconds with the Diesel engine, compared to 6.2 seconds with a gasoline engine. All gasoline engines were eventually dropped for North America in 1981 as the next-gen car was prepared for launch in 1982.

Bring the '70s to life with our selection of Volkswagen Passat 1973 merchandise! From posters and mouse pads to t-shirts and calendars, you can easily find the perfect product to show your love for classic cars. Shop our selection of VW merch now — and give your home, office, or wardrobe a vintage-inspired charm!