For today's treat, I have for you a message sent out from the
executive at Volkswagen who was overseeing Vanagon/Camper/Syncro in
1991 of the coming catastrophe in the world of VW vans.

I guess I had already got my name on VW's list of van freaks that I
got this odd letter.

It is a funny letter because he *knows* that some of us would feel
ill when seeing VW had prepared to replace the Vanagon -- he politely
and ominously warns that we will be "completely unprepared" for what
the Eurovan is, and provides a not-too-subtle suggestion that maybe
you should PANIC and go snap up one of the last of the brand new
Vanagons, Campers, or Syncros left in North America. (At the time, I panicked.)

Then he goes on to provide a US MAP of where all the last inventory
is so you can get one before they are all gone forever, adding with a
wink, "I want to make certain that those of you who want to buy the
last of an era get some 'inside' help", which he then provides via the map.

The map is interesting because it shows that as of June 1991 the
inventory of Syncros in the Southeast at that time was ZERO, whereas
85% of all the remaining syncros (~175?) were either in the pacific
northwest, or the mountain states.

There were ~700 Campers (non-syncro) left in the country to buy as of
June 1991, but only another ~100 or so Syncro Campers, about a 7 to 1 ratio.

Maybe somebody else can get these numbers into Excel and get some fun
analysis out of them, tintop ratios and such.

This is as close a letter as I can think of to VW hinting that
something bad was about to happen (for people of a certain mindset).

Here is the map:

<https://docs.google.com/a/derekmail.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk/edit>https://docs.google.com/a/derekmail.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk/edit

Here is the complete letter:

<https://docs.google.com/a/derekmail.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM/edit>https://docs.google.com/a/derekmail.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM/edit

Go ahead and expand them to see them zoomed in for better reading.

=======================================
In case of trouble with the above two links, try these:

  https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk

  https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM

Go ahead and expand them to see them zoomed in for better reading.

_______________________________________________
Derek Drew
Washington DC / New York
derekdrew@derekmail.com
Email is best normally but...
PHONE: 202-966-7907 (Call the number at left normally)
(alt/cell for diligent calling only): 703-408-1532