GTP Cool Wall: 1990-1991 Volkswagen Golf Country

[Wiegert]

1990-1991 Volkswagen Golf Country nominated by @MrWaflz55

Body Style: 5-door crossover
Engine: 1.8L I4
Power: 89 hp
Torque: 105 ft-lbs
Weight: 1070kg
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front-engine, all-wheel drive
Additional Information:
This car was produced by Volkswagen in the 1990's to fulfil a roll of medium off-roading. Popular in the Alps, this car came with numerous features typical of beefed-up off-road cars, such as changing the drivetrain to AWD, giving the base car beefier springs and so on. The car started life as a MK2 Golf Syncro CL and was taken to a factory where it was chopped up and reborn as a quirky hatchback-SUV hybrid.
(some specs taken from the Golf Syncro, of which this car is derived, it's very hard to find anything about this one)​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

 

[VXR]

Sub zero in my book. I can't wait for the Matchbox version that's coming in 2017.

 

[Liquid]

Ruler with a calculator levels of serious uncoolness.

 

[Turbo]

So obscure that it's actually kind of cool.

 

[FT-1]

I find this cool in a strange kind of way. I'm not a fan of the looks but this is a crossover produced before they became so mainstream and this one looks like it is actually capable of handling rough terrain.

 

[Turbo]

You know what would be really cool? If the 1.8L engine from the G60 was used in the Golf Country. VW should of considered that.

 

[LivingWithGames]

I took a look at the second picture on the spoiler hidden images.

Yes, I'm guilty as charged on this particular one. Obscure, but Golf's are always cool in my book.

Not the proper tires, but put proper tires, and it's Sub-Zero. Right now? Sitting at High Cool.

 

[sparkytooth]

SZ because it looks like Lada and says country in name so remind me of old country comrade.

 

[Sage Ages]

You're not a Mercedes, VW. Stop it.


Uncool.

 

[UltimateYosh]

I think it is cool that it actually has AWD and can go offroad.

I can imagine the potential for it to be a nice off-roader with a GTI engine.

Cool.

 

[Tornado]

I miss when Volkswagen tried quirky stuff like this.

 

[MisterWaffles]

My favourite SUV is a kooky beefed-up hatchback/crossover that isn't even really an SUV in the traditional sense. It looks like it could handle some decent off-roading though, and that's better than most SUV's on the market today.

SZ

 

[Parker]

I love it, but it isn't cool.

 

[niky]

A car that does everything a Crossover should do but which most Crossovers don't?

Crossovers ain't cool, but this isn't a crossover.

Sure, it's a dorky little thing, but it's adorkable.

Cool.

 

[Mike458]

1990-1991 Volkswagen Golf Country nominated by @MrWaflz55

Body Style: 5-door crossover
Engine: 1.8L I4
Power: 89 hp
Torque: 105 ft-lbs
Weight: 1070kg
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front-engine, all-wheel drive
Additional Information:
This car was produced by Volkswagen in the 1990's to fulfil a roll of medium off-roading. Popular in the Alps, this car came with numerous features typical of beefed-up off-road cars, such as changing the drivetrain to AWD, giving the base car beefier springs and so on. The car started life as a MK2 Golf Syncro CL and was taken to a factory where it was chopped up and reborn as a quirky hatchback-SUV hybrid.
(some specs taken from the Golf Syncro, of which this car is derived, it's very hard to find anything about this one)​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

VW trying to be an Audi Quattro.

Uncool. Closing in on SU.

 

[GranTurismo guy]

I can't imagine anyone cool driving one. I think you'd look a bit stupid TBH.

 

[Adamgp]

Easy SU.

 

[SPhilli911]

It's cool in a weird way, I love it. It may be one of the only Volkswagens I actually like, just because it's so silly.

 

[mustafur]

VW trying to be an Audi Quattro.

Uncool. Closing in on SU.

So this

Trying to be this

by doing this

wat.....

 

[TheCracker]

"What's wrong with your Golf?" Uncool.

 

[axletramp]

Looks like a bad DIY project. Uncool.

 

[Matej]

Cool. Tempting choice for rural areas, simple to maintain.

Allegedly it has no low-range gear nor locking differentials, only shorter first gear.

Taken from Awdwiki, description of Golf II Syncro system (on which the Country is presumably built):

In normal conditions, this is a front wheel drive vehicle. In normal driving conditions 95% of torque transferred to front axle. Because viscous coupling is considered to be "slow" (some time is needed for silicone fluid to warm-up and solidify), 5% of torque is transferred to rear axle at all times to "pre-tension" the viscous coupling and reduce activation time. The coupling locks when slipping occurs and up to near 100% of torque is automatically transferred to rear axle. In on-road conditions the car will not move if one front wheel and one rear wheel lose traction.

Also, some important notes taken from a VWT4 forum:

Syncro - some people say it is 4 wheel drive.
It is not.
Syncro means 2 wheel drive (front wheel drive on T4). And in case one, (or both) driving wheels are spinning out of control (loosing grip to the ground), then Syncro sends power to the rear wheels.

Next I will explain in detail how this works:
The power from the gearbox goes straight to the front wheels.
Front wheels are connected to the prop shaft that goes to the rear axle.
The prop shaft ends up into a viscous coupling.
Viscous coupling goes into the rear axle's differential.

The Syncro system will never send more than 50% power to the rear, and will never send less than 50% to the front.
So the Syncro system will send power to the front between 100% and 50%,
And will send power to the rear between 0% and 50%.

 

[Vegard]

'Tis a silly thing - uncool

 

[Wiegert]

Braces up front. Bum bag at the rear. Orthopaedic shoe lift all-round. The standard Syncro paid a hefty price for wanting to be more capable off-road.

Seriously Uncool.