Volkswagen Passat (B1). 1973–88 (prod. over 2,000,000 in Germany; 676,819 in Brazil). 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-door saloon, 5-door estate. F/F, 1272, 1297, 1471, 1588 cm³ petrol, 1471 cm³ diesel (I4 OHC). Related to Audi 80 (B1), Passat had two fastback saloons and Variant estate, and was the first model range that marked Volkswagen’s modernization in the 1970s away from Typ 4 and Käfer. Crisp styling by ItalDesign, modern front-wheel-drive transmissions. Well balanced handling, without much understeer. Sold in US and Canada as Dasher. Facelift in 1977. Diesel from 1979. Brazilian Passats gained the Audi 80 (B1) facelifted grille in 1979. Produced in Europe till 1981. Exported to Iraq from Brazil between 1983 and 1988 as part of an oil deal (and nicknamed the ‘Passat Iraque’, 170,000 units), but surplus models were sold back in Brazil as the Passat LSE (a model originally launched there in 1978) from 1986.

Manufacturing locations: Emden, Germany; Anchieta, Brazil; Lagos, Nigeria

Marque: Volkswagen | Model: Volkswagen Passat | Predecessor: Volkswagen Typ 3, Volkswagen 412, Volkswagen 1600 (1968–77) | Successor: Volkswagen Passat (B2)