Mexico’s love of the original Volkswagen Beetle led its being produced there until 2003! That nation also produced the EA489 Basistransporter seen here, under the Beetle-inspired name of Hormiga, Spanish for “ant.” This 1977 Volkswagen Hormiga in Tucson, Arizona shows fewer than 19,000 miles, according to the description here on eBay. At least five bidders have cast lots to own the barely-used utility vehicle, with the top bid crawling above $14,000 so far.
A rather unusual shift lever stirs the four-speed manual gearbox on this front-wheel-drive COE (Cab Over Engine) truck. Though Volkswagen hoped to see the Basistransporter reach many low-cost regions of the globe, ultimately only 6200 left the factories in Hanover, Germany and Puebla, Mexico from 1976 to 1979, according to Wikipedia.
Somewhat imposing in these picture, the Hormiga’s 94 inch wheelbase matches that of the era’s more common VW Transporter Microbus. Both the Microbus and Hormiga featured air-cooled engines under 2000 cc positioned over their respective drive wheels, Transporter in the rear and Hormiga in the front. Either makes for a compact mechanical package and excellent traction.
With a featureless face that only a robotic mother could love, the Hormiga seems void of opinions or sense of humor. Without its pie plate-sized VW symbol, the vehicle’s front could easily be mistaken for an industrial washing machine or drawbridge control room.
While no engine picture graced the listing, this vintage photo shows the simple nature of the Hormiga, a tractor-like vehicle designed to be cheap to buy and simple to maintain. Thanks to below-the-radar for this shot. Accessing the belly-mounted spare tire could be an excellent way to pick up hormigas of the natural sort and other unwanted hitchhikers. If you like Volkswagen Beetles and Transporters, but want to fly your freak flag even higher, consider traversing your local ant hills in this gently kept Mexo-German insect truck. You may even win bragging rights for having the most fuel-efficient truck in their neighborhood. Is that something people brag about? Have you ever seen a VW Hormiga?
I saw this truck a few days ago for the first time. VW usually does a better job with their design even for commercial applications. This one is downright ugly. I’m sure there are others who bleed VW who think this thing “no pun” is a must have. Hard pass for me.
I love it just for being so basic . Where’s the HP and 1/4 mile time when I need it Barn Finds ?
1/4 mile test still ongoing; waiting for the finish.
Hilarious 😆
I see speakers but no radio, weird shifter, looks great but very unsafe, nothing to absorb impact. Great for shows I guess.
The radio/stereo head unit is just to the right of the steering wheel. All impacts absorbed by driver and passenger.
Driver and passenger continue forward as there is no seat-belts either. Maybe that is how the 1/4 mile test run is completed. I hope the top speed is 10 mph or less.
I think the shifter is a forward/reverse slide.
This vehicle is aerodynamic as a box.
I’ve never seen one before. Not a curve anywhere on it except the headlights. $14k would buy a nice old 55-57 Chevy -GMC truck with a lot more style
That’s what you get when you lose your drawing compass and use a t-square insrtead. Great find.
How cool this would have looked with a vanagon or Microbus frontend cab. I like the idea.
This is incredibly cool and a cheap way to be a star at any import car meet.
I think the original idea behind the industrial design was this truck was created to be assembled locally in countries with very limited production capabilities. I guess the project never got to that point.
“drawbridge control room”. Hahahahah… best line ever!
..def not pretty designwise but if it was aimed at low income countries flat glass and panels v easy to repair..in the same line of thought of the Citroen 2cv..anyone can fix it. ….realise the 2cv has curves but this is a different era
Just a thought
Shoulda used rectangular headlights for design purity
Cool, no covers for the speakers?
This has a Soviet army feel. Don’t know why.
I lived in Mexico 1978-83, but even there and then the Hormiga was not a familiar sight!
Must be of interest for the FWD application of the classic VW flat 4? Are there any other such applications?
I don´t know the exact circumstances of the design brief, but I guess that like others have found, building basic transport for third world farmers was not going to pay back first world car giants. There´s no margin, even if you could get the volume going.
VW do Brasil used the air cooled flat four in the earliest versions of their FWD Gol (not to be confused with the Golf). I think it was mated to a Passat transmission though.
A few years ago my wife pressured our son into selling his ’89 Vanagon Westie. We were both concerned about front end crash survivability. Looking back now, that thing was Volvo tank compared to this deathtrap. You won’t see another one at your local cars and coffee, but just be careful driving it there.
13 bids at this time to $14,300…. and reserve not yet met! In the eBay photos, noticed the owner has a VW Thing in front of this truck.
So, the new Tesla pickup took a few cues from this one ? Every panel is flat , making for cheap production. This should be like $5k and probably was less when it was new
Seen one? I had never even known of their existence until I saw this posting. These to me are not much more than a curiosity, but I loved the Transporters I saw in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, and I wish they were available here, especially in TDI form.
Hormiga in Spanish is ant
Love it! And I like it, looks funny.