This as nothing to do with late Vanagon!
It as everything to do with the "flat" FI engine/oposed cylinders design.

Most inline 4 or V6 have solid fuel rail, on those engine there is basicaly
only one main flexible fuel line, even then, they use rigid pipe from rear
to front, the use of flex line is sometime no more than a few feets.

The flat4 by design need many flexible Fuel line to get fuel to each cylinder.
Pre-80 VW bus's had the same problem!
http://home.comcast.net/~patcal096/burnedbus.htm

To answer your question,
Maybe late Vanagon are not old enough!!!! people asume that the line are
still ok.

And here is what i think,
If you own a Vanagon/Bus and you never replaced / double check / or at least
know the maintenance history of the fuel line.... DO IT, NOW!!!!!!!!!!! is
that clear enough! I didn't know better when i bought my first 87, i
traveled 8000 miles with rusted line ready to explode....

Before:
http://www.benplace.com/engine/engine_before2.jpg
After:
http://www.benplace.com/engine/engine_after1.jpg

In other words, VW can be a "time bomb" if not well maintain. Like someone
else said, the fuel tank in the front doesn't help much. Big leak from this
one would result in a instant fire!

Take care
http://www.benplace.com/