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posted on January 31st, 2010 at 10:10 AM
Quote:
Originally
posted by Phil74Camper
You were asking about standard VW Beetle weights? These come from period magazine road tests from Australian, US and UK magazines. The different
countries listed slightly different weights - usually within 20kg of each other - so use these figures as a guide rather than an absolute.
1. 1956 1200 Beetle - 724 kg (14.25 cwt)
2. 1963 1200 Beetle - 741 kg (1631 lb)
3. 1966 1300 Beetle - 795 kg (1750 lb)
4. 1968 1500 Beetle - 825 kg (1815 lb)
5. 1971 1600 Superbug S - 838 kg (16.5 cwt)
6. 1972 1300 Beetle - 820 kg (1808 lb)
6. 1973 1600 Superbug L - 890 kg (1958 lb)
Fuel economy would depend more on the engine size and gearing, and how it is driven, rather than how much it weighs.
Aerodynamic drag increases with the square of the speed, and is also dependent on air density, and the coefficient of drag that is related to the
cross-sectional area.
Thanks for your input Phil, I was hoping your expansice knowledge would come in on this.
That's quite a jump between the '63 and '66.
It's actually a little surprising.
Smiley
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Phil74Camper
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posted on February 1st, 2010 at 06:19 AM
Thanks but it's more a case of having the right books to look it up...
Yeah there seems to be some jumps that don't quite make sense; the Aussie '66 1300 was very similar to the earlier 1200, with only a slightly bigger
motor, bigger brakes and different seats and trim.
Some of the road tests of the time used a weight that inluded half a tank of petrol - this might account for the extra weight - who knows. Anyway, use
the above figures as a guide. Basically, Beetles got heavier as they went along, with the Superbug L the heaviest. I guess this is always the case -
the Mk1 Golf was around 800 kg and the latest Mk6 is around 1400 kg. Modern cars are WAY heavier than Beetles were.
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posted on February 1st, 2010 at 06:02 PM
Guess they don't just call them Fatchicks because of the shape.
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