A Brief History:

"The VW Fox was intrusted to Italy's Giorgietto Giugiaro.  He is also the same man who designed the Audi Fox and the VW Dasher.  The Dasher started production in 1973 just as the Type 3 was coming to an end.  The Dasher shared mechanical specifications with the Audi Fox.  The VW was a fastback and 173.1 in. long.  This is 10 in. longer than the Audi Fox.  He kept the same type of suspension and the longitudinal engine that the Audi Fox had.  The idea for the longitudinal engine comes from the Mercedes-Benz designed Audi 100 in 1966."

Info taken from Volkswagen Buyer's Guide, by Peter Vack 1993.
[Thanks to Mike for the info.]

Here's is Italdesign's official web page.  This is the company run by Giorgietto Giugiaro.  I strongly urge anyone with automotive interested to spend some time looking through their web page.  I didn't realize so many cars were designed by Italdesign!

The first BX-platform car went into production in 1980 in Brazil.  The first Brazilian models were powered by a 4-cyl aircooled boxer engine (mounted at the front) borrowed from the Beetle;  the 4-cyl gasoline engine which we got in the Fox was introduced shortly thereafter, albeit in a carburated form.  Although the VW Fox was essentially the same as it's Brazilian couterparts, many modifications were made before it was brought to the North American market.  "Development of these vehicles started in December, 1983 for the United States.  To aid in development, pilot fleet vehicles were sent to the United States and Canada for testing and evaluation.  Over 2,400,000 miles have been driven to ensure quality and reliability." (from "Volkswagen Fox Service Training", VW Part # WSP 521 143 00)  In a very lucky coincidence, I have seen one of these test vehicles in person, and have more information and pictures here.

For more information about the history of the Fox and other BX-platform cars from Brazil, please click here (coming soon).

In North America, the Volkswagen Fox was available in 3 different body styles:  2-door sedan, 4-door sedan and 2-door station wagon.  Brazil and other countries in the Americas also had a 2-door pickup version as well as a 2-door hatchback.

Sales started in 1986 (for the 1987 model year) in both the USA and Canada, and at that time only the 2-door sedan and 4-door sedan models were available.  For the 1988 model year, the 2-door station wagon was added to the lineup, and the 3 models were available through 1990.  Starting from the 1991 model year (with a few exceptions, which will be described later on), the styling was somewhat altered, and the station wagon was no longer available.  Furthermore, the 4-door sedan version was dropped from the Canadian model line up starting in 1991.  Sales of the 2-door sedan in Canada continued until 1992, at which point the Fox was no longer available.   The USA got both the 2-door and 4-door models through the 1993 model year.

A "Wolfsburg edition" Fox was also available, but unlike other Volkswagens from the past that were branded "Wolfsburg edition", the Fox was still built in Brazil (and not at the Wolfsburg plant in Germany).  Incidentally throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s other Volkswagens branded "Wolfsburg edition" were also made outside of Germany, thereby losing the special designation which the Wolfsburg emblems once stood for.

The Fox was available in several model extensions:  a base model (just badged "Fox"), Fox GL, Fox GTS, Fox GLS, Fox GL Sport, Fox Polo, and the above-noted Wolfsburg Edition.  There was never a "GTI" model available in North America.  Also of note is the fact that all Foxes had the same engine and power rating.

A styling change occured starting in the 1991 model year.  1987-1990 Foxes had one look to them, and 1991-1993 had a slightly altered one.  The differences were purely cosmetic - front (fenders, rad support, hood, grille, headlights and turn signals), rear (taillights, and license plate backing trim on GL models), a different font for the "Fox" badge, a "Volkswagen" badge on 1987-1990 models versus a large "VW in a circle" logo in 1991-1993, and on the inside, approximately in 1989 a different, safer dashboard with a knee bar was introduced.

Earlier (1987-1990) Foxes can be converted to look like the later ones, but it involves swapping all of the parts over (i.e. the hood, fenders and rad support need to be switched over, if one wants the newer headlights and turn signals).

Other notable differences:

• Early models (1987 and some 1988) had 4 towing hooks in the front bumper, compared to only 2 in later models.
• Later models lacked the "VW-Audi" logo on the timing belt cover, and instead had an "Industria Brasileira" logo.
• Early 1987 models had an upshift indicator light as well as an Oxygen Sensor light.
• The gear shift knob changed design between 1987-1990 and 1991-1993 models.
• Later USA models had "automatic" (but non-motorized) front seat belts.
• The stock hubcaps changed design between 1987-1990 and 1991-1993 models.

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The Fox didn't have many options to choose from:

• Air conditioning
• 5-speed manual transmission (starting in 1988, I believe)
• GL trim (different cloth for upholstery and seats, rear license plate backing on non-wagon models, ceiling-mounted map light, glove compartment light, trunk light, tachometer [except on wagon models], body-coloured bumpers [the lower portion], full-wheel hubcaps, passenger side exterior rear view mirror, 175/70-13 tires, locking gas cap and 3-point rear seat belts).
• Metallic paint
• Some "Autobahn" accessories, sold through Volkswagen dealerships

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The only engine available was a 1.8L 8v gasoline powerplant.  It varied somewhat throughout the Fox's model years, but remained essentially the same.  The engine carried 3 different engine codes, although there were also some minor changes between engines branded with the same code.

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Dimensions:

 
Capacities:

When it comes down to specifics, very few things make the Fox radically different from other Volkswagens of the time (namely the Golf and Jetta).  The suspension is Fox-specific, although the front shock absorber inserts are identical to those found on Audi 4000s and other cars).  The transmission is shared with the Fox by 4-cylinder models of B1 (Audi Fox / VW Dasher) and B2 (Audi 4000 / VW Quantum) platform cars.  The engine is virtually identical to that of Golfs and Jettas of the same time period, with the only differences being:  no knock sensor on any Fox engine, small valves in the cylinder head (38mm/33mm), and a restrictive gasket placed in the exhaust just ahead of the catalytic converter to restrict the Fox's power output, and of course the hardware needed to mount it longitudinally (intake- and exhaust manifolds and engine mounts).  The interior and lighting, as can be expected, is Fox-specific.  The wheels are also the same as other Volkswagens - 155/80-13 or 175/70-13, 4x100mm bolt pattern, ET45 and the same hub size.

Having said this, one should realize that as far as engine modifications go, anything that can be done to other Volkswagens of the era, can be done to the Fox.  For more information about what can be done to modify the Volkswagen Fox, please check out my Tuning Guide.

Most of the specifications here were taken from "Volkswagen Fox Service Training" (VW part # WSP 521 143 00), and are reprinted without permission.