by Phil Matthews
1991
Australia’s biggest VW show, the VW Nationals, is moved to the Valentine
Sports Park at Parklea, home of the NSW Soccer Federation. Two Caravelle Syncros,
driven by VW-enthusiast police officers Dallas Tidyman and John O’Donnell,
are used to take passengers around a special off-road bush track beside the
show area. This dazzling and impressive display of the Syncro’s abilities
results in a number of Syncro sales the following week.
Lanock Motors, once Australia’s largest Volkswagen dealer, is closed down and their last two sites are sold. The St Leonards site closes first, and later becomes a Holden dealer. The last site at Camperdown, which Lanocks had occupied since 1954, soon follows. It becomes a Toyota dealer. Former Lanock Motors staff hold a wake at North Sydney Leagues Club to say goodbye to the old organization.
Release of the Passat for Australian sale is postponed indefinitely. TKM issue statements to the press that the VW Polo would go on sale in Australia in 1992, but this does not eventuate. TKM appoints former Daily Telegraph motoring editor, Nick Senior, as their Public Relations manager. TKM National Sales Manager Keith Coulston loses his job.
Graham and John Lees again compete in the Australian Safari in a Syncro Double Cab Transporter, again winning their class and finishing 13th outright.
The last T3 syncro Transporters are sold and the model is discontinued. VW dealers begin a Golf GTI & Cabrio ‘End of Model Runout’ sale, a year before any new models could be released, which causes concern for VW’s future in Australia.
954 Volkswagens are sold – 289 Golfs and 665 Transporters.
1992
TKM struggles with the marketing and sales of VWs in Australia, attempting to
sell VW’s modern range to dealers and the public still mentally stuck
in the air-cooled era. Rising costs and superseded models are becoming stumbling
blocks to VW’s regrowth.
TKM Automotive is taken over by an even larger British-based auto company, Inchcape plc. The TKM name and business continue without change. A team of Inchcape executives visit VW Germany to investigate the Golf 3 for Australian sale.
The old Mk2 Golf 8V GTI and Golf Cabrio are discontinued, ending VW passenger car sales in Australia again. The Golf 3 is scheduled for Australian release, but not until next year.
More examples of the Passat B3 are imported for sale, but the model has already been replaced in Europe by the B4 and TKM considers it uneconomic to continue. The Corrado is considered, but is also judged uneconomic for local release. TKM managing director Peter Sturrock expresses doubt about VW’s future in Australia, given the DM exchange rate.
The last rear-engined T3 Transporter is sold, and the model is discontinued. This brings an end to rear-engined VWs in Australia, in a history stretching back to 1954. The T3 is replaced by the modern, front-drive T4 Transporter with 62 kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. The panel van is $24,750, and the window van is $29,990. The T4 makes its debut at the Sydney Motor Show.
Australian VW Power magazine ceases publication, after 21 issues.
George Geshos and Boris Orazem are the first competitors to run a Volkswagen Beetle in the Targa Tasmania.
418 Volkswagens are sold – 90 Golfs, 2 Passats and 326 Transporters.
1993
Due to the European delay in introducing the Mk3 Golf Cabrio, TKM imports
another batch of Mk1 Golf Cabriolets, 360 of them. These take more than a year
to sell. The few Passats that were imported are also sold off, and the model
discontinued.
The VW Nationals is expanded, so that the old-fashioned ‘Bug-Inn’ dirt motorkhana can be an additional part of the normal drag day and car show, making Australia’s biggest and best VW show even better. US-based VW hot-up expert, Gene Berg, visits for the first time.
The 81 kW 5-cylinder Caravelle version of the Transporter goes on sale, priced at $42,990 for the manual and $45,690 for the auto.
TKM displays a Golf Mk3 at the Sydney Motor Show, in VR6 form. The Jetta version of the Mk3 Golf, to be called the Vento, is also imported for evaluation but doesn’t make it to the Motor Show.
Express Publications begins a series of bi-monthly colour VW magazines, edited by Geoff Paradise and sold at newsagents. They are colourful, but lack meaningful content and suffer from inconsistencies. Sales are hampered by a curious and annoying policy of changing the name of the magazine each issue. The series lasts 20 issues, into 1998, before closing.
616 Volkswagens are sold – 290 Golfs, 1 Vento, 1 Passat, 95 Caravelles and 229 Transporters.
1994
TKM establishes a Purchasing Office in Australia, in order to source locally
made components for VW’s overseas factories and thus gain import tax concessions.
This should reduce the purchase price of Australian VWs, making them more competitive.
After several years of uncertainty and disorganisation, TKM makes a fresh launch of an entire new range of VW cars and commercials on the Australian market. This is Volkswagen’s third official Australian ‘relaunch’ since 1987.
The Golf 3 is released in two versions – a base 85 kW 2.0-litre GL hatchback, and the 128 kW 2.8-litre VR6, auto or manual. Prices range from $28,600 to $49,090. A Vento GL (booted) version of the Golf GL is also released, priced only slightly above the Golf version.
The Transporter now has a choice of engines, the 81 kW 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine or the 2.0-litre petrol four. The 57 kW 2.4-litre diesel is also introduced later in the year. A special custom low-floor ute version is introduced, privately converted by Razorback Vehicles of Sydney.
Three new Volkswagens are shown at the Sydney Motor Show in October – the Vento, which goes on sale immediately, and the Passat and Golf Cabrio, which are to be released next year.
TKM launches the VW-owned SEAT brand in Australia, promoting the Ibiza, Cordoba and Toledo as a sort of cheaper Volkswagen.
1,801 Volkswagens are sold – 459 Golfs, 217 VR6s, 72 Ventos, 163 Caravelles and 890 Transporters.
1995
The Golf 3 Cabrio is released, priced at $46,000 for the manual and another
$2,000 for the automatic version. Like the last Mk1 Cabrios, the fabric roof
is power operated. It proves very popular and soon there is a 3-month waiting
list.
The Golf VR6 is updated with a range of new bright colours – red, blue, green, yellow and black. The limited edition is called the ‘Colour Concept’. Only 20 examples of each colour are imported.
The new B4 Passat GL is released; the first time the Passat is available for general sale in Australia since 1981. It is available with a choice of 2.0-litre four or 2.8-litre VR6, and either manual or DSP automatic. Prices range from $38,990 up to $50,090, the first Australian Volkswagen to pass the $50K milestone.
The Australian Transporter range is expanded further when a long wheelbase version of the T4 is available for the first time. The double cab chassis version of the T4 Transporter is also released, with a syncro 4WD option available.
Gene Berg returns to the VW Nationals, together with his wife Dee and son Gary. With sponsorship from Vintage Veedub Supplies, they bring out their famous black 1967 drag race Beetle. This car sets a new Australian SS/C national record of 10.379 sec at 126.72 mph at Willowbank in Queensland, driven by Gary Berg.
3,639 Volkswagens are sold – 1,283 Golfs, 227 VR6s, 272 Golf Cabriolets,
65 Ventos, 60 Passats, 99 Caravelles and 1,633 Transporters.