Bud Lindemann (Car and Track) tests the 1973 412

[tlake]

A very positive TV road test by Car and Track. This popular show used to air on CBS from the late '60s to mid '70s. In those days, reflecting the market, most cars tested were domestics, but being very dominant in the import field, VWs got some attention.

Car and Track test the 412

[raygreenwood]

Thank you for this!

I wonder where they did this? This HAD to be a four speed model. In a four door that would have only been available in Europe, Canada, UK or Australia.

The 11.2 second 0-60 is about spot on for the 4 speed...and better than teh advertised 13 seconds for the automatic.

There were a few small discrepancies on information in the video:

The 76hp rating was from the changeover in that year from DIN to BHP rating. It is still listed as 80hp DIN and 76hP SAE with 8,2:1 compression and injection in 1973...and the same exact spec engine in 1972 is listed as 80hp DIN and 82-85hp SAE.

The issues with the front wallowing and then becoming "washed" out...are because of two items:

The biggest being poor valving in the front struts coupled with just overall weak pressure in the struts. There was not enough rebound control versus compression....and when multiplied by the nose high attitude....you get too much strut extension...AND...all of this is greatly multiplied by the second item...

Which was the fact that the rear was excessively low because the front was simply too high. The chassis pivots around the rear axle...and it needed more sway control on the rear sway bar.

I can tell you....that this car gets rid of ALL of those handling issues when you do the Audi strut mod....which had better valving in both directions...drops the front level.....and...add the double sway bar mod to the read end....and this car handles an easy 200% better, flatter...and no more pulling the front wheel off the ground.

I can tell you....I have done that very thing...same scary maneuver...in my very first 1972 VW 411 four door.

You add 10 hp to the 1.7L and do some tuning to the injection ...and with the four speed and good tires....right around 8-9 seconds 0-60 is easy.

[kirk knighton]

THANK YOU for sharing this! I have two fully-operational and mint 412s. And I see you also live in Washington State? Where? And you have a 412?

[Lars S]

Thanks for sharning!

Surprised over how high and narrow wheeled the cars were from factory...but after all 155/85 was the stock tire dimension for the coupe.

/Lars S
_________________
Porsche 914 -72, Bahia Red daily driver
VW411 2-d -70, White, sold
VW412 4-d, -73, Gold Metallic, daily driver
Suzuki T500, -69, Candy Gold, sold
Suzuki K50, -77, Black, daily driver
BMW R69S -69, White, sold
Husqvarna 118cc, -47, Black, Sold

[raygreenwood]

[Lars S]

The Variant had steel radial 165's and the Coupe had 155's as listed in the 411 owners manual. Dont think that changed for the 412.

/Lars S
_________________
Porsche 914 -72, Bahia Red daily driver
VW411 2-d -70, White, sold
VW412 4-d, -73, Gold Metallic, daily driver
Suzuki T500, -69, Candy Gold, sold
Suzuki K50, -77, Black, daily driver
BMW R69S -69, White, sold
Husqvarna 118cc, -47, Black, Sold

[tlake]

The Car and Track show was based in Michigan, and you can see Michigan plates on all the cars they tested, but it isn't easy to see.

The test times magazines and shows got in the '70s and '80s varied greatly. For the most part Car and Track seemed to get really good figures for the cars they tested, often better than you would expect, so I would say they tested an automatic and just happened to get a very good time. The 1974 AMC Matador X coupe they tested got about the same 11+ second time, but I suspect that car's 401 V8 was out of tune, and emissions were a little stricter in 1974.

I suspect the 412's high front had something to do with Federal lighting laws / ride height. Imports like the MGB and BMW 2002 had spacers in their shock towers, when these were removed handling got better.

The 80 DIN 76 SAE figure for 1972 was really very good, considering many imports lost a lot of power with smog tuning. As common with many magazines the specs they annnounce always seem to refer to the previous model year. I assume shows and magazines get their cars very early for testing.

For a stock car I thought the 412 handled very well. There's a video online of an '83 Porsche 911 SC convertible MotorWeek tested, when they took their foot off the gas when doing the lane swerve test, the tail really came around pendulum style, the driver lost control and missed the target lane altogether At the end of the day these are rear engined cars. I should add that most of the domestics the show tested handled very badly, including plow on understeer. The '73 412 and '74 Super Bug seemed almost like sportscars in comparison.

Did I put WA? That's family origin, I am mainly in NC for work. No, I don't have a Type 4, but have always liked them, and felt they should have had more commercial success. After all, as Car and Track concludes, if you really like VWs, then you should love the 412 because they are like an ultimate sedan development.