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Volkswagen Brasilia 5-door 1.6 (65 Hp)
Overall Rating
Volkswagen Brasilia:
The Volkswagen Brasília is a rear-engined small family car developed by Volkswagen do Brasil and internally designated as the Type 321. Named for Brazil's capital city, the car was manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen in Brazil from 1973 to 1982; in Mexico from 1975 to 1982; and built from knock down kits in Nigeria, where it was marketed as the Igala from 1976 to 1980.
Designed to replace the Beetle , and available in both three-door and five-door hatchback body styles, the Brasília combined VW's air-cooled engine with the chassis of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and styling reminiscent of the Volkswagen 412. By the end of 1982, over one million examples had been manufactured....(Read more on Wikipedia)
5-door Overview:
Volkswagen Brasilia (5-door). With 115 Nm of torque, it offers ample pulling power. Weighing only 900 kg, it’s quite light. Rear‑wheel drive offers dynamic handling and sporty feedback. Acceleration is relatively slow (0–100 km/h in 18 s). The top speed reaches 138 km/h. A compact car with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the cargo area. Seating for 5 makes it ideal for daily use.
The Volkswagen Brasilia was produced before modern standardized crash testing like Euro NCAP existed. Safety features were basic by today's standards, typical for vehicles of its era.
1.6 (65 Hp) Verdict:
Performance Verdict
Offers adequate, if unexciting, performance for daily driving, with a 0-100 km/h time of 18 seconds. Best suited for city and moderate highway speeds.
Fuel Economy
Achieves a combined fuel consumption of 8.7 l/100 km, which was reasonable for a carbureted air-cooled engine of its displacement in the 1970s.
Community Verdict
This rating is based on comments found on Reddit, scanned using artificial intelligence, and may not accurately reflect reality.
3.7 / 5
Based on AI analysis of 9 discussions
Read What Owners Say
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- • Robust and reliable air-cooled engine design.
- • Practical hatchback body with decent cargo space for its size.
- • Simple mechanics, easy to maintain and repair.
- • Good fuel economy for its era, especially the 65 Hp version.
Cons:
- • Very modest performance, especially the 58 Hp variant.
- • Basic safety features by modern standards.
- • Limited comfort and refinement compared to later vehicles.
- • Rear-engine layout affects weight distribution and handling characteristics.
Specifications:
| General: | |
|---|---|
| Brand: | Volkswagen |
| Model: | Brasilia |
| Generation: | 5-door |
| Modification (Engine): | 1.6 (65 Hp) |
| Start of production: | 1973 |
| End of production: | 1982 |
| Powertrain Architecture: | Internal Combustion engine |
| Body type: | Hatchback |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 3 |
| Engine: | |
|---|---|
| Power: | 65 Hp @ 4600 rpm. |
| Power per litre: | 41 Hp/l |
| Torque: | 115 Nm @ 3200 rpm. |
| Engine Model/Code: | BA |
| Engine displacement: | 1584 |
| Number of cylinders: | 4 |
| Engine configuration: | 180° flat V-engine |
| Number of valves per cylinder: | 2 |
| Fuel injection system: | Carburettor |
| Engine aspiration: | Naturally aspirated engine |
| Valvetrain: | OHV |
| Engine oil capacity: | 2.5 l |
| Engine layout: | Rear, Longitudinal |
| Cylinder Bore: | 85.5 mm mm |
| Piston Stroke: | 69 mm mm |
| Compression ratio: | 7.2:1 |
| Performance: | |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type: | Petrol (Gasoline) |
| Fuel consumption (economy) - extra urban: | 7.3 l/100 km |
| Fuel consumption (economy) - combined: | 8.7 l/100 km |
| Acceleration 0 - 100 km/h: | 18 sec |
| Acceleration 0 - 62 mph: | 18 sec |
| Maximum speed: | 138 km/h |
| Weight-to-power ratio: | 13.8 kg/Hp, 72.2 Hp/tonne |
| Weight-to-torque ratio: | 7.8 kg/Nm, 127.8 Nm/tonne |
| Acceleration 0 - 60 mph: | 17.1 sec |
| Space: | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight: | 900 |
| Max. weight: | 1320 |
| Max load: | 420 |
| Trunk (boot) space - maximum: | 244 l |
| Trunk (boot) space - minimum: | 81 l |
| Size: | |
|---|---|
| Length: | 4040 mm mm |
| Width: | 1606 mm mm |
| Height: | 1438 mm mm |
| Wheelbase: | 2400 mm mm |
| Front track: | 1326 mm |
| Rear (Back) track: | 1361 mm |
| Ride height (ground clearance): | 149 mm |
| Minimum turning circle (turning diameter): | 11 m |
| Powertrain: | |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain Architecture | The Internal combustion engine (ICE) drives the rear wheels of the vehicle. |
| Drive wheel | Rear wheel drive |
| Number of gears | 4 |
| Transmission type | Manual |
| Front brakes | Disc |
| Rear brakes | Drum |
| Steering type | Worm-reduction unit |
| Wheel rims size | 5J x 14 |
| Front suspension | Transverse stabilizer, Torsion |
| Rear suspension | Independent coil spring, Transverse stabilizer, Torsion |
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