Mild-duty pickups have change into a factor once more! We have now a Ford Maverick, Honda Ridgeline, and Hyundai Santa Cruz. It’s been awhile since we’ve had that many utes within the American market, which brings us to our Choose of the Day, a 1981 Volkswagen Pickup Truck. It’s listed on the market on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Christiansburg, Virginia. (Click on the hyperlink to view the itemizing)

Did you overlook Volkswagen constructed a Rabbit-based pickup for the American market from the 1979 mannequin 12 months by 1984? It may carry 1,100 kilos of absolutely anything. VW favored to brag that it dealt with like a sports activities automobile – definitely that was a stretch, however the crop of automobiles in VW’s portfolio was identified to have dealing with chops, so why not the Pickup Truck? Did you say it was FWD? In comparison with a number of American automobiles on the time, it in all probability felt like a sports activities automobile contemplating the cabin for 2.

Customary energy was a fuel-injected 1.7-liter OHC 4 with a four-speed handbook that was claimed to hit 50 in 9.7 seconds, with an elective 1.6-liter Diesel “shut behind,” although that sounds optimistic as nicely should you’ve ever ridden in a Rabbit Diesel. A five-speed handbook was elective, although I consider it was customary with the Diesel.

There have been a number of trim ranges for the Volkswagen Pickup Truck. The LX added chrome-plated bumperettes and a extra luxurious inside. There additionally was the Sportruck, a flashy mannequin that got here with a five-speed customary. Different options included fancy paint job with particular striping, protecting aspect molding, map pockets, middle console, particular instrumentation, wider radial tires on particular rims with trim rings, particular color-coordinated inside, entrance spoiler, and extra.

Chances are high you haven’t seen one in many years, however right here we now have a Royal Purple 1981 Volkswagen Pickup Truck with an Autumn Tan leatherette inside, which suggests this one is the LX trim stage. Sadly, we don’t know way more than this as a result of the seller hasn’t included every other data, however the photos within the gallery present an odometer that reads 121,709, a tailgate with a Diesel badge, an inside with air con and an upgraded cassette stereo, and a five-speed handbook.

Why purchase a brand new light-duty pickup when you may have a German-engineered ute that has the torque to hold the load and may obtain 39/48 mpg? Skip the lease and purchase this VW for $21,777.

Click on right here for the ClassicCars.com Choose of the Day.