Stan Wilder writes:

Then there is the reality of the desire to have some ventilation in my
Westy that the Germans apparently didn't need: or was this fresh air
distribution system just a form of revenge?

German cars and VWs in particular used to be pretty spartan, and fresh
air was available if you just opened the window-nothing more was
necesary.  And northern Germany is kind of cool, certainly not at all
like Texas, Stan.  I lived in Wolfsburg long enough to know that for
sure.  They don't get so much of the extreme winter cold temperatures
that we do in Iowa, where I live now, but it tends to be cooler, and
rainy.  The VW cars had no fresh air vents until the Rabbit and Dasher,
AFAIK.  The bus was actually first with air coming in through the front
in the original Microbus and the Baywindow busses.  The Vanagon system,
with fresh air going to the rear as well, was evolutionary, and really a
good deal for the day.  Remember, the body was designed in the '70s.
Check out a Chev/Ford/Dodge van of the day and look for air to the rear.

On another note, the possible intro date for the new T4(Eurovan), I'll
add this.  My wife and I visited in Wolfsburg this past March.  We have
close friends there some of whom work at VW.  One ,who is in management,
said that perhaps some of the new model vans would be coming out to
dealers strictly as floor models in Germany/Europe as soon as
November/December.  That was the guesstimate in March.  Anyway, it
sounds like it will be a while before they're really for sale.

I don't think we should expect an inexpensive car from VW.  They don't
want to go for that market, judging from what we've seen them do for the
past years.  Germans like nice things, appreciate something that lasts,
and have high standards for their cars.  This doesn't add up to cheap in
initial price.  Long run costs are something else.  We like our '80s
Vanagons--the 80s US vans are mostly gone by now.

Chuck Hill