Hi Dan,

You're right on the money about the required air-cooled/water-cooled
shift. However VW with their clear collabaration with Porsche could have
offered an overhead cam four(like Subaru)or even an in-line 5 cylinder.
Instead they arrogantly offered only the basic powerplants to a BOOMING
World-class U.S. auto market and neatly handed their market share to
Chyrsler for their mini-van. I think it's true that when the Germans are
on the ball, their automotive achievements are stunning; however when
they miss the market signals, they error badly. VW is clearly an auto
company that "created" the U.S. economy car market(beetle), the mini-van
market(Bus), the SUV market(Syncro Van)and even the van sliding door and
then lost ALL of these "bread & butter" markets due to their
Teutonic-cultural, classic nose-in-the-air attitude. Then the "shit
head" execs who approved these "Titanic-grade marketing errors", simply
grabbed the pull-string on their "Golden Parachutes" and left.

Regards,          John

P.S. - I'm just glad that I have an '86 Syncro and a '91 2WD Westy MV,
both with fresh VW exchange long blocks. The Eurovan is surely a
marketing "Disaster" since VWoA chose not to offer such a vehicle(in
certain years w/affordable engines)in a BOOMING U.S. automotive market.