2019 Volkswagen Passat R36
Volkswagen is set to release its most potent 'R' model yet - the Passat R36. Joining the Golf R32 and only the second model in the Volkswagen line-up to carry the 'R' badge the new car will be not only the fastest Passat but also the fastest estate car Volkswagen has ever produced. The basis for the R36 is a new 3.6-litre FSI V6 engine developing 300 PS. It's mated to an ultra-responsive, six-speed DSG gearbox channelling drive through all four wheels to maximise traction. At each corner are revised springs and dampers linked to uprated brake discs and callipers to add more bite under heavy deceleration. Clothing the mechanical changes is a bespoke bodykit which at the front incorporates a trio of deep airdams drawing a family resemblance with the Golf R32. Deep sideskirts and chrome highlights are framed by unique 18-inch wheels wrapped in 235/40 R18 tyres. At the rear a deeper bumper houses a pair of chrome-tipped tailpipes and revised light lenses. The estate version features a discreet spoiler on the trailing edge of the rear window. Gripping the driver and front seat passenger are a set of sculpted sports seats bearing the R36 logo. The dashboard is finished in brushed aluminium panels set into which are a set of unique dials joined by a sports steering wheel and bespoke 'R' polished pedals. Equipment levels, as with the standard Passat, remain high with ABS, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), Xenon headlights, 2Zone electronic climate control, a heated windscreen and seats, six airbags and a radio/CD player. The R36 takes its place as the fastest production Passat with a claimed 0 to 62 mph time of 5.6 seconds. The estate version which, like the saloon, is fitted with 4MOTION all-wheel drive returns a time of 5.8 seconds. Both are electronically limited to maximum of 155 mph.
Some cars, like Ferraris, are worth big bucks from the day they're born. Others, like classic muscle cars, always have a following but attain collectible status only later in life. But some truly special cars are total busts when they're new but go on, decades later, to find their place in the hearts of car collectors, especially those with a sense of humor. McKeel Hagerty, president of Hagerty Insurance, which specializes in covering collectible cars, cites these examples as among his favorites flop-to-tops category. 3 billion in today's money, according to Hagerty Insurance, a company that insures collectible cars. During Edsel's short life, only 118,000 cars were sold, about half of what Ford needed to break even. Edsel's are valuable today in part simply because most cars from that chrome-and0fins era are increasing in value, said McKeel Hagerty, president of Hagerty Insurance. The more chrome and the bigger the fins, the better.
The German-made Amphicar, the only amphibious vehicle ever produced for the mass market, was a strange compromise between a road-going and water-bourne vehicle. It wasn't particularly good in either place. Since fewer than 4,000 were sold -- much less than the 20,000 that had been anticipated -- their appeal as curiosities today far outstrips the number of working models available. Other German-made cars from that time tended to rust easily, HcKeel Hagery said, but given that Amphicars appear regularly at collector car auctions, they seem to be holding up surprisingly well. An early example of a microcar, or a city car, the Isletta fared even less well in the U.S. Smart ForTwo, a modern example, has in recent years. The ultra-tiny Isletta was actually a big hit in post-war Europe, where it fit the need for ultra cheap transportation that could run on narrow roads using very little fuel. In the United States however, it was a bust.
That only makes it more desirable today. For many buyers, the Isletta is a sort of "comic relief" in their collection of otherwise fine cars, Hagerty said. Edsel wasn't the only new car brand Ford introduced in the 1950s. Wanting to stretch into the upper realm on the luxury class, Ford announced the creation of the Continental car line. 10,000 in its day. The Continental was an impressive car -- and it still is -- but people weren't ready to spend that kind of cash for Detroit metal. About half of the 3,000 Continental Mark II's produced still survive. The Delorean factory was supposed to crank out 30,000 of these futuristic looking cars. Unfortunately, the cars turned out to be underpowered and overweight, Hagerty said. Management troubles and drug trafficking allegations only added to the company's problems. As it turned out, only 9,000 were produced over two years. The Back to the Future films cemented its place in the public consciousness. The Jolly, a modified Fiat 500 or 600, was intended for wealthy yacht owners who wanted a car they could carry from resort to resort on their boat. The seats were made of wicker and an optional fringe top protected occupants from sunburn. Not surprisingly, perhaps, it didn't sell well. That's why fewer than 100 exist today, a small supply that increases their value. The hot-looking rear0engined Pantera was sold at Lincoln-Mercury dealers, a rather incongruous retailing channel for a car like this. With its Ford engine, the Pantera was supposed to be easier to maintain than something with a finicky Italian engine. Alas, keeping a Pantera running wasn't so easy after after all. Despite impressive performance numbers, dependability problems and a generally poor early '70s market for performance cars -- including gas price spikes and rising insurance costs -- kept sales low.
