VW Fox Facts

Here are some other Fox Facts I've heard of throughout the years...
 
• Base price for Foxes in 1987 was $5690 USD!! (-- Eric Benjamin)
• Base price for a Fox in 1992 was $8995 CAD!!  (-- an employee at Pickering VW)
• Contrary to popular belief, the VW Fox has no equivalent in Europe.  In fact, the VW Voyage was never exported outside of North and South America.
• The Brazilian VW Voyage, exported to Canada and the USA as the VW Fox is based on the BX platform, which it shares with the Brazilian Parati, Gol and Saveiro.
• This means that the VW Derby/Polo platrorm is different from the North American VW Fox.
• Despite the similar name, the European Polo Fox is not related to our North American Fox.
• Neither is the Audi Fox, though both Foxes have much more in common than you'd think.
• -- me
• Someone recently told me that some Foxes made it to the Middle East, but due to the Gulf War, this exportation was stopped.
• The early Foxes (1987-~1990) were the only Brazilian Volkswagen made of entirely German parts.  The exceptions were the obvious - the body, some glass, and other Fox-specific items.  After 1990 many parts no longer bore the "VW-Audi" logos, and instead had an "Industria Brasileira" one.
• After Industria Brasileira took over, the quality of the Fox wasn't as good unfortunately
• --  me
• Certain Canadian 1998 VW Foxes were equipped without a catalytic converter.
• Canadian law allows any new vehicle not to meet all standards during its first model year.  Thus, the Fox was allowed to be sold with a resonator in place of the catalytic converter.  This boosted the engine's performance to about 90 HP - equivalent to a Golf of the same year.
• -- Phillip Amshad
• What is that cardboard "insert" for, that's riveted behind your front grill?
• The VW Fox (and other VWs also) had a design flaw which was discovered after they had gone into production.  On a cold day, if you were driving rather fast and the engine had not yet warmed up sufficiently, there was a possibility of ice forming inside the valve cover thereby causing serious damage to the engine.  The cold air blowing on the timing belt cover was in the "proper" spot to excessively cool the top of the engine for there to be a possibility to causer serious damage.  The cardboard "insert" is there to direct air away from the timing belt cover and valve cover.
• -- Phillip Amshad
• Where did the Fox's styling come from?
• Originally called the VW Voyage in Brazil, the car had its beginnings in 1980.  It started with an air-cooled engine.  The Voyage's styling is essentially a blend of several other VW and Audi cars.
• The front end (engine, suspension, etc.) is very similar to the Audi Fox.
• The rear end is borrowed from the early Brazilian Quantums, especially the suspension.
• -- Phillip Amshad
• There were over 2000 changes necessary for the VW Voyage and Parati to be able to be exported to Canada and the USA
• Due to very high taxes in Brazil, the cost of a Fox in Canada or the USA was still proportionately lower than in Brazil
• -- ???
• There were big plans for the Fox in North America, but prices in Brazil went up so it no longer became feasible to continue importing them here.
• There were talks of importing the GTI versions - with bigger engines (2.0L 8v)
• The Gol (a hatchback Fox) was also supposed to be imported here
• -- Phillip Amshad
• Differences among Foxes you may not have noticed:
• Early Foxes have only lap belts in the rear, later ones have 3-point belts
• Early Foxes have 4 towing hooks in the front, later ones only have 2
• The exterior seal around the rear window:
• 1987-1989 Foxes have a seal that's flat
• 1990-1993 Foxes have one with a built-in gutter
• Having driven both kinds, I can say that the gutter makes a big difference.  Without it, when it rained a puddle of water would ride on the rear window (especially at highway speeds) obstructing the view.
• 2-door Foxes:
• Some have opening rear windows, while some don't.
• VERY few have opening triangular windows in the front doors
• Interior:
• 1987-1989 Foxes have a compartment under the radio to put stuff in
• 1990-1993 Foxes were made safer with the addition of a "knee bar" to protect your knees during the unfortunate event of a collision
• This, however, resulted in a smaller glove compartment and the disappearance of the place where the radio was.  The radio is relocated to where the compartment used to be.  (I'll have a picture eventually).
• Front interior door handles on 2-door Foxes
• Some had solely horizontal ones
• Others had ones that curved up towards the front of the car, and had an actual grip
• Fox wagons have larger rear drums brakes
• Later USA Foxes have "automatic" seatbelts - the "high" end of the shoulder belt is attached to the door.
• This one will take a bit to explain.  When I was rebuilding my Fox after the accident, I got the front end off another 1992 2-door.  The "1/2 Fox" was stripped totally, down to the last nut and tie-wrap.  I noticed that my Fox had more sound dampening material underneath the driver's and passenger's feet as well as againt the firewall.  My Fox has A/C, while the "1/2 Fox" didn't; my guess is that either the Foxes with A/C have better insulation, or my Fox was a more "luxurious" version made in the factory.  Neither Fox was a "GL" ["GL" wasn't even an option in Canada in 1992].  If anyone knows what's going on here, please tell me.  Another difference, though a minor one, is with the trim on the A-pillars.  When you remove those plastic covers, my Fox had small strips of felt glued to both ends, while the "1/2 Fox's" were bare.
• Accessories you may not have known about:
• Autobahn rear spoiler
• Autobahn front spoiler
• Autobahn side skirts
• Autobahn luggage rack for the trunk (can't be used with the spoiler)
• Rear window "cover" - consists of horizontal slats to reduce glare
• "Fox" mud flaps
• ...
• Other cool stuff:
• Ashtray light
• No rear middle safety belt
• Ice-cold A/C
• .
• There will be lots more information here as I slowly try to remember all that I've heard...
• If you've told me something that isn't written here yet, by all means please remind me!