The Volkswagen Brasilia is a rear-engined compact car, manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen in Brazil between 1973 and 1982; in Mexico from 1974-1982; and as knock down kits in Nigeria where it was marketed as the Igala from 1976-1980.
Designed to replace the Beetle (or Fusca) in the Brazilian market and originally available in a three-door hatchback body style (subsequently also as a five-door hatchback), the Brasilia combined the air-cooled engine of the Volkswagen Beetle, the chassis of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and styling reminiscent of the Volkswagen 412.
Developed by Volkswagen do Brasil (Volkswagen of Brazil) and internally designated as the Type 321, the Brasilia was named after Brazil's capital city and by the end of 1982, over one million examples had been manufactured.
In September 1970, Volkswagen of Brazil's president, Rudolf Leiding, challenged the company's designers to recreate the Beetle with the Brazilian market in mind. At that time, the Beetle, the Bus and the Karmann-Ghia were the only air-cooled VWs that proved successful in Brazil. For Leiding, the new Volkswagen should be practical, economical and larger than the Beetle.
In three months, more than 40 prototypes were developed. The prototypes were expensive and VW was looking for a new cheap car, to compete with the brand new Chevette, from Chevrolet.
Sales began in 1973, with the Brasilia originally marketed as a commercial small van to take advantage of the lower tax rates on "trucks" — a classification and marketing approach that may have hampered initial sales. The Brasilia was the first Brazilian hatchback with five doors, a version ultimately manufactured in small numbers.
Total production reached over one million vehicles including exports to Chile, Portugal, Bolivia, Perú, Ecuador, Venezuela, Paraguay, Uruguay, the Philippines, and starting in March 1976, in CKD kits of the 5-door to Nigeria, where it was renamed Igala. The Brasilia was also assembled in Mexico from 1974-1982.
The Brasilia's introduction received notoriety, when a reporter photographed preliminary test vehicles near the factory and security personnel fired shots — triggering Brazilian media attention, an official apology from Volkswagen, increased sales for Quatro Rodas, the magazine which purchased the photographs. The reporter, (Cláudio Larangeira), who was immediately hired by Quatro Rodas.
At its debut, the Brasilia had a 4-cylinder, air-cooled boxer engine with single carburetor. The rear-engine, rear-wheel drive had a gearbox with 4 speeds. In the 1980s, Volkswagen also offered an alcohol-engine option, with 1300 cc and 49 hp. The 1974 Volkswagen Brasilia, with dual carburetors, could run 10.4 km with one liter of gasoline on a highway. The urban fuel consumption is around 14 km/L.
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