1979 energy crisis was a key factor among other crucial events, which led to a period of severe recession around the globe. The year saw abrupt inflation in America. Because of the sharp rise in gas prices, Americans turned their backs on the large and thirsty vehicles in search of fuel efficient, small size alternatives. Volkswagen tried to surf this compact size wave in the US by introducing city-friendly Golf derivatives. Rabbit was one such utility truck, built to meet the demands of the buyers during the rough phase. It was the North American pickup version of the forgotten classic car VW Rabbit hatchback, which was known elsewhere as Volkswagen Golf Caddy. Rabbit was locally produced in the company’s Westmoreland Assembly Plant in Pennsylvania from 1978 to 1984, probably to dodge the chicken tax.
According to Core77, Volkswagen managed to sell 77,513 units of these in America. The first-ever Rabbit truck was sold here in 1979. It was later introduced in the European market under the nameplate of Caddy in 1982. However, that name was never used officially in America. The truck retired from Europe by 1992 but continued to sell in South Africa until 2007. 1979 and early 80s was the time when diesel prices were comparable, in fact, cheaper than gas, hence VW wisely launched this pickup with an optional diesel-powered engine. Swift Rabbit aimed to compete with Ford Courier, Subaru BRAT, Chevy Luv, etc., but sadly it did not match the expectations of the company or the buyers. As a result, the model was discontinued in 1984. In fact, even the Assembly plant was shuttered down within 4 years.
The Rabbit was an efficient compact size truck with decent hauling capacity for the daily commute. Here are a few reasons why we think Volkswagen should bring the Rabbit truck back. PS: If you love small practical trucks and classic cars too, pour your love out in the comments section.
It Is Time To Bring Them Back
Claimed to be built like a truck and handle like a sports car, Rabbit pickup came equipped with the options of 1.5-liter diesel and 1.7-liter gasoline-powered engine. The gas engine churned 62hp, while the oil burner produced 48hp. The diesel engine came with five-speed manual transmission. They claimed 39 and 32 mpg mileage for diesel and gas respectively. Although these things were sort of sluggish the diesel version being even more so, both the variants were economical. They sipped fuel with straws and yet behaved like mini power-packed workhorses. These trucks were fuel-efficient too (offered at least 30mpg combined). The best thing was that they were extremely cheap (under $6,000) which made them more practical.
Rabbit pickup was way cooler than some of the best trucks of current times. Moreover, there is a broad spectrum of buyers now that desire a practical fun-size pickup with higher fuel economy, something which can double up as a daily driver. It is actually the right time to bring the Rabbit back.
These Compact FWD Trucks Were Way Ahead Of Their Time
On April 25 in 1980, the then President of Volkswagen America Inc., James W. McLernon said that one of these days VW will have a hundred percent of the domestically built compact pickup market. Several decades later, the Rabbit pickup is actually one of the few mini trucks with as much potential in spite of the small size and other limitations. This truck was way ahead of its time. It’s mind-blowing that VW had achieved in 1980 what even the present compact pickups are struggling with, a hard-to-find combination of excellent front-wheel-drive handling, stunning mileage, and affordable prices. Moreover, they are one of the best classic pickups to modify into performance trucks.
They Will Revolutionize The American Pickup Market
Most of the traditional American buyers see their pickup as a do-everything vehicle and expect it to tow X,000 lbs and have over XX mpg even if they don’t actually tow up to that capacity ever, except maybe once a year. This is the major reason why in spite of being the smart trucks that they were, Rabbit pickups did not pick up and were killed by Volkswagen after an extremely short stint of 5 years.
In the past, compact pickups were designed exclusively for markets outside the US. The local automakers didn’t seem to make consistent global strategies, hence foreign companies like VW had to follow the suit too. Unfortunately, the time was not favorable for these brilliant trucks in the 1980s, but things are changing rapidly and buyers are more open to new ideas now. It is the perfect time for VW to make a strike. A huge segment of modern consumers feels the need for a small and practical truck which can also be used for real-time towing and hauling purposes.
The Rabbit was a small and cheap but fuel-efficient, unibody pickup. If brought back and made to hit right, Rabbit pickup will surely revolutionize the entire American pickup segment.