Rusty But Trusty

Back in 1973, when the Audi 80 debuted, your average Volkswagen had a horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, rear-wheel-drive, a frunk (and sometimes a trunk as well) (unless it’s a type 2), and a heating system based on channeling warmth from around the engine into the passenger compartment. Just around this time, VW had been on a buying spree, picking up NSU and Auto Union. This gave them the Audi 72 (based on the longitudinal-engine, front-wheel-drive DKW F103) and the NSU K70, a compact front-engine front-wheel drive sedan. These two cars netted VW the B1 Audi 80 and the VW Passat. Neither has survived in significant numbers in North America, but check out this 1977 Audi Fox for sale for $1450 in Hillsboro, OR.

It’s hard to believe that this is where the Audi A4 has its roots. The Audi 80/Fox was pretty revolutionary in its day, with relatively light construction helping it make the most of its small engines’ power, and a more spacious interior than buyers would expect in its class. It even beat out the Renault 5 and Alfa Romeo Alfetta for the European Car of the Year award; would you agree with that assessment with the benefit of hindsight? It’s hard to argue that it had the greatest impact in terms of sales of those three, or that it still has a place in the heart of enthusiasts.

That said, this is a pleasant-enough looking Euro box, with the folded-paper styling that is typical of VW/Audi products of the 1970s and 1980s. How many still remember a time where it was so patently obvious that plebeian VW and patrician Audi shared the same components, right down to wheels and door handles? Big bumpers are an unfortunate addition of the late 1970s. Just to the right of the Audi logotype is the Fuel Injection badge that signifies the later Fox with the 1588cc engine, giving all of 83hp.

The interior looks like it’s from an older car, though in its favor it’s fairly sporting in style, with wood facing, two big round gauges in the main pod, and an additional 3 in the center console (like a GTI!). And for once, this survivor has a manual transmission. Seats look to be in good condition, while the cracking on the upper surface is unfortunate. The car is said to be the seller’s daily driver, with new tires and catalytic converter, as well as a fresh oil change and recent tuneup. It’s said to run strongly, have a good functioning electrical system, and to have no leaks. The car really does look pretty decent, in spite of its flesh-tone color, so if you’re looking for a cheap entry to the local budget rallies, this might fill the bill.

Tags: audi, Feature, fox, german, sedan, under $2000

This entry was posted on February 17, 2015 at 11:49 pm and is filed under Feature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.