I beliive the top gearing of the auto and manual are within 2% of each other

For what is worth, If you look at a older jetta manual, (the trannies are in fact are the sisters), only the rear end is geared different. The jetta is 3.41 vs the vanagon of 4.09,  
if you factor if the revs per mile of the different stock tire sizes (808 vs 915) the jetta was designed to run at 3750 rpm when the vanagon is pushing 4000. 

This is pretty darn close and more evidence that VW fully intends that the I4 should run at what many of use think is "high" rpms