>> You're not forgetting about air bags, and ABS brakes and such things ,
>> right

T3s were available with ABS. Airbags are easily added. Stability
control likewise (but this is no guarantee of safety... "Wheels" in
Australia recently tested a Toyota Kluger (=Highlander) and the
stability control did NOT step in when it should have... and the
vehicle rolled several times (and the Aussie market demands much
better suspension than US).

>> since the only 'people sit right in front' vehicles sold in north America
>> are trucks.  ( I'm thinking those Isuzu cab-over diesel delivery trucks and
>> similar cab-over trucks  )
>> In all cars , mini-vans, and people haulers, the occupants are mid-mounted
>> these days.

Well, the Japanese have continued with forward-control vans (and
likewise the 2nd-generation Mitsubishi Delica made by Hyundai as the
H100). These must be passing Euro NCAP offset-head-on crashtests,
which the T3 would pass with flying colors.

>> ...and I sure don't see Touregs everywhere.........

Funny, as the near-identical Porsche Cayenne sells well.

>> not too kind to the Tourareg ( spelled it
>> right that time )

Um... no.

>> Fun, sporty, well made............half modest cars.......and with
>> Spunk..........that's why the New Beetle is a great product for VW , it's
>> got that VW 'thing' ........a certain funky cache.

The New Beetle is a grossly flawed car. It looks wierd, handles poorly
and has less room for luggage than a Real Beetle. It was a cynical
attampe to cash-in on the "retro" market.

I think a worldwide petition to VW might be worthwhile, but how to organize one?

--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van nut
Temporarily in Calgary, AB, Canada
<goose1047@gmail.com>

------------------------------------------------------------
+    To unsubscribe from the Vanagon List send an e-mail to
+    listserv@gerry.vanagon.com with SIGNOFF VANAGON
+    in the body of the message.
------------------------------------------------------------