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Healed and released - the historic test of the VW K 70 L

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Created on August 1, 1973

Text:

Herbert Völker

Photos:

Volkswagen

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Archiv

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Volkswagen

4

Archiv

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VW K 70 (1973) - with hot rally stripes

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VW K 70 L (1972) - the more upmarket models were fitted with twin headlights

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VW K 70 (1974) - on the horse farm

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VW K 70 (1974) - top model with 1.8-liter engine

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VW K 70 (1970) - the lean equipment had rectangular headlights

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VW K 70 (1971) - straight lines

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VW K 70 L (1973) - redesigned front end with twin headlights - at the Geneva Motor Show in 1973

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VW K 70 (1971) - Driver's seat and door

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VW K 70 (1970) - reclining seats and good space for the size

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VW K 70 (1970) - Dimensions

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VW K 70 (1974) - Transparency drawing

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VW K 70 (1970) - 600 liters trunk volume despite spare wheel in the storage compartment

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VW K 70 (1971) - Trunk and spare wheel

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VW K 70 (1970) - a Volkswagen for the discerning

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VW K 70 (1971) - the simpler model with the rectangular headlights

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VW K 70 (1974) - in the light of the setting sun

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VW K 70 (1972) - shown together with VW 412

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Summary

After its launch in 1970, the K 70 taken over from NSU matured into Volkswagen's family-friendly and moderately sporty flagship. Auto Revue tested the K 70 L in the summer of 1973 and found that most of the weaknesses had been eliminated and the advantages outweighed the weaknesses. This report reproduces the newly edited original text and supplements it with archive photos and the original brochure.

This article contains the following chapters

NSU has no chance
L for luxury package
Improved and mature
Safe road holding
Avoidable squealing at the start
High ride comfort and great seats
Complete dashboard equipment
Trunk space as a compelling argument?
Recommended purchase
The VW K 70 L compared with the competition

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

If you were among those who witnessed the embryo K 70 (at NSU) and its abortion five years ago, it was difficult to suppress pity for the bought-out Neckarsulmers and anger at the all-powerful VW giant. For many of us, the K 70 in the prototype stage was something like the second proof (after the Ro 80) that a small company could survive thanks to the creative power of its engineers, the beautiful dream, so to speak, of the brave craftsman standing his ground against the superiority of the industrial establishment. Today, it seems clear that the small NSU factory would have had no chance of allowing the Ro 80 to survive, nor would it probably have had a chance of establishing the K 70. In both cases, it took the staying power of a super-corporation to bring progressive ideas to a consumer-friendly end result. In the case of the K 70, this was only achieved with the start of the 1973 model year (i.e. three and a half years after the planned presentation of the original K 70 at the Geneva Motor Show!

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