For an even better description of some of these vehicles, without the
somtimes awkward Dutch to English translation, visit
http://www.volkswagen.com.au/LifeTour/default.asp.  The 4-Motion would be
of particular interest to us syncro owners; for the front/rear power
transfer it utilizes a Haldex clutch, this being the current technology
performing the function handled by the viscous coupling in the syncro.

The European and Australia/New Zealand are getting these vehicles for the
simple reason that they buy them. Americans, with our relatively
inexpensive gasoline (yes, that's right, it's still cheap by world
standards), still subscribe to the "bigger-is-better" philosophy, thus
the "houses" on wheels you see everywhere.  Consequently, you're unlikey to
see such modest vehicles as these VW vans offered in the U.S.  Maybe when
gasoline costs $5-6 per gallon, and the big rigs become as extinct as the
dinosaurs, these vans will have a market here.  I'm not advocating more-
expensive gas, believe me, I'm just offering an opinion as to why the vans
many of us admire so much are not available in the U.S.