The idea of turbocharging air-cooled VW engines first gained acceptance in the 1970s, but it was still far from a common thing to do then. VolksWorld has followed the trend and featured its fair share of turbo cars since it started in ’87.
Historically, these VWs follow in the footsteps of many other automobiles, though turbochargers have been used in marine and railway applications for the last 100 years or so. Various aeroplanes employed the same devices during WWII, too.
While the mainstream automotive industry began experimenting with them in the 1950s, customers would have to wait until 1962 to see two regular production models appear on the market: the exotic sounding Chevrolet Corvair Monza and Oldsmobile Jetfire. However, both experienced only limited sales success in the US.
European customers finally enjoyed the sound of a high-spinning turbine under the bonnet in 1973, thanks to the short lived, but much loved BMW 2002 Turbo.
