Volkswagen Dasher

The arrival of the Volkswagen Dasher in 1975 grew out of the automaker's repeated attempts to find a viable successor to the Beetle. During the 1970s and even going back to the '60s, the Beetle had been under siege from other compacts from such manufacturers as Honda and Toyota. VW knew it had to change to compete, but the Beetle offered little room for real competitive jiggering. After some failed attempts to create a successor, VW turned to Audi, which was owned by the automaker. Borrowing many elements from the Audi 80 sedan (known as the Fox), VW created the Passat, which was called the Dasher when it debuted in North America.

Designed by famed automotive architect Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Dasher was a front-engined, front-wheel-drive fastback. It was available in two- and four-door versions, as well as a wagon version, throughout its run (it was produced through the 1981 model year, and eventually re-emerged as the Passat). Among its more distinguishing characteristics were round headlights, which differentiated the vehicle from its European counterparts, many of which had hexagonal headlights.

The Dasher's powerplant was essentially the same one found in the Audi 80, and consisted of 1.5-liter, water-cooled four cylinder that generated 75 horsepower. The engine would eventually get fuel injection, which would boost horsepower to 78. A diesel also would be offered as an option later in the Dasher's run.

Standard features for the Dasher included a four-speed manual transmission, rack and pinion steering, and a power-assisted braking system. Interior amenities included bucket seats, full carpeting, a ventilation system, and a rear-window defogger. The vehicle also came with a traction control system called Skidbreaker, which automatically swung the steering wheel in the opposite direction when one of the wheels couldn't move freely. Air conditioning, a sunroof, and an automatic transmission were among the options.