Have you heard of the VW Quantum? No, it’s not a model produced for other countries. It’s was built for the US market. In other countries it went by the more familiar name of Passat. It’s a front engine front wheel drive model based on the Audi 80. The coupe was only produced for about 18 months, so this barn find is a rare (but not valuable) survivor. The three door hatchback was dropped after only 2 years. With an overall length of 175 inches, this was a big car for Volkswagen compared to the Rabbit and variants they were selling at the time. It’s in Fremont, across the bay south of San Francisco and listed on craigslist. The asking price of $2,582 seems very reasonable. The dealer doesn’t provide any details as to how long it might have been stored. It runs and drives well and has passed a safety test and SMOG. It’s completely original except for the aftermarket stereo.
The dash is familiar 1980s VW. The dash has seen better days and has several cracks. And it is indeed an automatic.
The driver’s seat needs attention, but the rest of the interior looks pretty nice.
The back seat looks like it’s never been sat in.
It looks neat and tidy under the hood. It’s a 1.7 L and looks like everything is original.
It looks really nice for a 36 year old car and could be worth $2,500 as a used transportation car. Most folks would choose a newer car at that price, but hopefully there’s a someone who appreciates VWs. The automatic transmission takes some of the fun out of it but it would still be a nice old driver. You would only need to redo the driver’s seat and buy a dash pad to throw over the cracked dash. Anybody want an unusual VW?
no
and im a vw fanboi
i wonder why it still has the upshift light? if only this had a manual transmission. i drove a 4dr, 5cyl, manual for short time and enjoyed it. great find.
I like these. But I can assure you the wheelbase is NOT 175 inches. The overall length, maybe.
Great engine! Just can’t wrap my head around this Malaise refugee aesthetics.
I was working at a VW dealership, selling and finance stuff from 1974-1984. The Quantum came out I think late 1981. We got mostly 4door and wagon models, but had one or two of the oddball 2-door hatches. One was put into demo service and I drove it on and off lots of times. I guess it must have sold finally but I don’t remember
And, I actually bought a wagon for my wife (1982) since we had 3 kids by then. It was a decent car with some odd quirks. She had a tendency to get into wrecks, not always her fault, but in the last one, she was hit in the back by a kid who’d had his driver license for 2 days. He pushed her into a school bus in front. It was totalled. I’d have to go back and think what we bought after that since I wasn’t in the business by then.
Do you have to know anything about cars to write for this blog — or just be able to make really close guesses?
Do you have to be a nice person to reply to this blog or just be able to seem like a jerk?
I would love to have this! Yeah, these are b2 Audi’s, just like a 4000 or Coupe GT.
I was booking a ticket to CA until I saw the tranny…
The Quantum is more familiar to the longitudinal-engined VW fanatics…Fox, Dasher, Quantum. I swapped a 1.6 diesel engine from a Jetta into a Fox wagon, and had to source some engine bits from a Quantum diesel, to make it work. I also swapped a Quantum 5spd in place of the Fox 4spd. There was also a Quantum Syncro 4WD model.
Quantum Syncro Wagon. Often referred to a QSW by fanatics. Only with the 5 cylinder.
There’s a typo here. Wheel base of 175 inches would make it a limo.
One could probably change it to a 5 speed with about 10 hours labor. All Pick N Pull parts, probably cost you $150.
I drove one for a while that had a turbo diesel 1.6 engine. 68hp did quite well with that little car and had a range of about 500 miles. I liked the car a lot. One of the better designs from the 80’s.
I would believe an overall length of 175 inches, but a wheelbase of 175 inches is 25 inches longer than a 1973 Fleetwood 75.
Good catch Ed. I think he must have meant length too.
Just a note this model was called a Scirroco in europe and the name has again been used recently on a new model sports coupe.
Definitely not close to the European Scirocco as this will show, Scirocco was built on the VW Golf/Rabbit chassis not the Audi 80. http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/detail/motors/classic-cars/volkswagen/scirocco/150989
Had a ’78 Dasher coupe in bronzit (think burnt orange metallic) with automatic. Was never going to win any races but it got respectable mpg and FWD was welcome in the country.
I have a barn find 1985 Quantum Diedel GL. 4 door sedan. Clean as a whistle all original, all power windows, cruise control, AC, runs like a top and only 117,500 miles. Body is in great shape with maybe some very small road rock dings but can’t see them. It’s burgandy and has a power sun roof. The only issue is a cracked windshield and hard to find a replacement. The crack is on the pasenger side about 2”-3” in diameter. it is for sale. Will provide photo on request.
David, thanks for sharing! You can list your car for sale here on Barn Finds!