Volkswagen Caddy - Wikipedia

First generation (Typ 14)
Overview
Also called	Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup
Production	1979–19951981–2007 (South Africa)
Assembly	United States: Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County (Volkswagen Westmoreland Assembly Plant) Yugoslavia: Sarajevo (TAS) South Africa: Uitenhage (VWSA)
Body and chassis
Related	Volkswagen Golf Mk1Volkswagen Jetta (A1)
Powertrain
Engine	gasoline: 1457 cc I4 1588 cc I4 1715 cc I4 1781 cc I4 diesel: 1471 cc I4 1588 cc I4 1588 cc turbo I4
Transmission	4-speed manual 5-speed manual (fifth gear labeled as economy gear)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,625 mm (103.3 in)
Length	4,380 mm (172.4 in)
Width	1,640 mm (64.6 in)
Height	1,490 mm (58.7 in)
Curb weight	1,000–1,100 kg (2,205–2,425 lb)
Chronology
Successor	Volkswagen Taro

 

Released in 1979, the first Volkswagen Caddy is a coupe utility and van based on the Volkswagen Group A1 platform, shared with the small family car Volkswagen Golf Mk1.

Volkswagen Typ is:

• 147 = LHD (Left hand drive)
• 148 = RHD (Right hand drive)

Rabbit Pickup

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The Caddy came to fruition when Volkswagen of America was experimenting with Golf derivatives, developing an estate and a pickup truck with a 1.83 m-long (6.0 ft) bed.[1]: 28  VW of America's engineering team was led by Duane Miller, who acknowledged the initial design was completed in partnership with Sheller Globe.[2]

Volkswagen of America was interested in the pickup, and Volkswagen released the Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup in North America, produced at the Volkswagen Westmoreland Assembly Plant in Pennsylvania from 1978 to 1984.[1]: 28  Trim levels such as LX and Sportruck were available.[3]

In North America, the Rabbit Pickup was equipped with one of two engines: originally a 1.6-litre petrol engine, joined by a 1.5-litre diesel for 1980. These were soon replaced by a 1.6 diesel with 52 hp (39 kW) or a 1.7 petrol engine with 78 hp (58 kW).[4] One unique feature of the diesel was that it came with a five-speed gearbox, with the fifth gear, carrying a 0.76:1 ratio, labeled as E for "Economy". Fuel consumption was rated at 23 / 32 mpg‑US (10.2 / 7.4 L/100 km) on the EPA city/highway cycles for the petrol engine with the four-speed manual and a corresponding 41 / 54 mpg‑US (5.7 / 4.4 L/100 km) for the five-speed diesel.[2] Observed fuel consumption for the diesel with no load and driven at a steady 35 mph (56 km/h) in fifth gear was 57.6 mpg‑US (4.08 L/100 km), dropping to 38.9 mpg‑US (6.05 L/100 km) at 55 mph (89 km/h).[5] The maximum interior width of the bed was 64.4 in (1,640 mm) and the rated payload was 1,100 lb (500 kg).[2] In Canada and many other markets outside of the United States, a turbodiesel version was also available.

The first cars under the name Rabbit Pickup were sold in the United States in late 1979 for the 1980 model year, delayed from a planned early 1979 rollout.[6] It was not sold as the Caddy until three years later, when the model was introduced to Europe as the Caddy. Cosmetically, the North American Rabbit Pickup had rectangular headlamps, while the rest of the world received round headlamps.[1]: 28 

The Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup competed with compact pickups, such as the Ford Courier, Datsun Truck, Toyota Hilux, Dodge Rampage and Subaru BRAT.[5][7]

Worldwide

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The Caddy nameplate was never used in North America. Its first use was in 1982, when the vehicle was released in Europe. European Caddys were built in Volkswagen's plant TAS in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (at the time SFR Yugoslavia), between 1982 and 1992.[1]: 28  A fibreglass-reinforced plastic box cap was available to cover the open bed, turning the Caddy into a small panel van with an enclosed 2.65 m3 (94 cu ft) of cargo volume,[8] and it also could be used as a caravan with an appropriate in-bed unit.[1]: 28 

The original Caddy also was produced in Uitenhage, South Africa, from 1981 until 2007,[1]: 28  alongside the first generation Golf itself (which was sold until 2009).

Worldwide production of the first-generation Typ 14 Rabbit Pickup/Caddy totaled more than 207,000 vehicles.[1]: 28  For the pickup truck market, Volkswagen sold the Taro, a rebranded Toyota Hilux, from 1989 to 1997;[9] the Caddy name continued in 1995 as a slightly smaller panel van and multi-purpose vehicle developed with Škoda and SEAT.

Engine specs

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The 1979–1984 Caddy pickup used the following engines:[citation needed]

International

• 1.5 EA827: 51 kW (69 PS; 68 bhp), 110 N⋅m (81 lbf⋅ft) at 2500 rpm[10]
• 1.6 EA827: 55 kW (75 PS; 74 bhp), 125 N⋅m (92 lbf⋅ft) at 2500 rpm[8]
• 1.6 diesel EA827: 40 kW (54 hp; 54 PS), 100 N⋅m (74 lbf⋅ft) at 2300 rpm[10][8]
• 1.6 turbodiesel

North America

• 1.6 49-state: EA827: 78 hp (58 kW) at 5500 rpm, 84.1 lb⋅ft (114.0 N⋅m) at 3200 rpm (1979–1980, FI)
  • 1.6 California: 76 hp (57 kW) at 5500 rpm, 82.7 lb⋅ft (112.1 N⋅m) at 3200 rpm (1979–1980, FI with catalytic converter)
• 1.7 49-state: EA827: 78 hp (58 kW) at 5500 rpm, 88.2 lb⋅ft (119.6 N⋅m) at 3000 rpm (1981–1984, FI)
  • 1.7 California: 74 hp (55 kW) at 5000 rpm, 89.6 lb⋅ft (121.5 N⋅m) at 3000 rpm (1981–1984, FI with catalytic converter)
• 1.7 petrol
• 1.5 diesel: 48 hp (36 kW) at 5000 rpm, 56.5 lb⋅ft (76.6 N⋅m) at 3000 rpm at 5000 rpm (1980)
• 1.6 diesel EA827: 52 hp (39 kW) at 4800 rpm, 71.5 lb⋅ft (96.9 N⋅m) at 3000 rpm[5] (1981-1984)
• 1.6 turbodiesel (Canada only)

South Africa

• 1.6: 63 kW (86 PS; 84 bhp)
• 1.6: 60 kW (82 PS; 80 bhp)
• 1.8: 70 kW (95 PS; 94 bhp)
• 1.6 diesel: 44 kilowatts (60 PS; 59 bhp)

Gallery

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•   1981 Rabbit Diesel LX (US spec)
•   1981 Rabbit Diesel LX (US spec)