Presented to the public at the end of November 1968 and with sales starting in January 1969, the VW Sedan 1600, popularly known as “Coffin Joe”, was a milestone in the Brazilian automobile market.
This innovative sedan was the first Volkswagen with four doors sold in Brazil, using the base of the beloved beetle.
He matched modernity, practicality and a touch of boldness, standing out as the first member of a new family of vehicles from the automaker.
Although it lost the title of absolute pioneer to the Type 4 411, launched three months earlier in Germany, the Sedan 1600 brought a new perspective to the national market.
Nicknamed “Coffin Joe” Due to its door handles that resembled coffin handles and the more square shape of the body, the model soon became a historical curiosity in the Brazilian market.
O VW Sedan 1600 was designed to use the same platform as Beetle 1300, with small modifications to the bodywork attachment and adjustments to components.
This concept of platform sharing, now widely used to reduce costs and accelerate the development of new models, was an advanced idea for its time.
If you have the opportunity to see or perhaps drive one, VW Sedan 1600, take the opportunity to appreciate a piece of Brazilian automotive history.
This car, although underrated in its time, is living proof that innovation is not always immediately recognized, but the legacy is eternal.