VW K 70

Volkswagen
VW K 70 (1970-1975)
K 70
Production period:	1970-1975
Class :	Middle class
Body versions :	limousine
Engines:	Petrol engines : 1.6–1.8 liters (55–74 kW)
Length:	4455-4470 mm
Width:	1685 mm
Height:	1450 mm
Wheelbase :	2690 mm
Empty weight :	1050-1070 kg

The VW K 70 was the first Volkswagen with a front - in - line engine and water cooling and the first mass - produced Volkswagen with front - wheel drive. It was developed by NSU . It came onto the market in September 1970 and marked the beginning of a new vehicle technology at Volkswagen, which until then had only built vehicles with air-cooled rear engines.

Model history

Development at NSU

After a board resolution NSU Motorenwerke AG began on 12 January 1965 under the leadership of NSU heads of development Ewald Praxl the design department and later conductor Claus Luthe the development of a sedan of the middle class with notchback and four doors and an estate version with three doors, which should complement the larger NSU Ro 80 .

On July 30, 1965, the draft for the station wagon was initially ready (contrary to the original plan with four doors) and was recorded in the works files under the working name "Type X I". In view of a foreseeable shift in trend, NSU manufactured a so-called Fastback body based on the NSU Type 110 or NSU 1200 with the designation Study 77 I in October 1965 . At the same time, a successor to the Type 77, the "Type X II", was created with two doors, a front engine and front wheel drive. Parallel to this development, the NSU designers worked on the new model "Type X III" or K 70 (where "K" stood for reciprocating pistons in contrast to "Ro" for rotary pistons in the NSU Ro 80 with Wankel engine ).

Built by VW in the new Salzgitter plant

Joint production of the K 70 and VW 412 in the Salzgitter plant

The presentation of the K 70 was planned for March 1969 on the occasion of the International Motor Show in Geneva . Shortly beforehand, however, the NSU AG , which was in financial difficulties, was slammed into the Volkswagen subsidiary Audi, which led to the cancellation of the presentation of the NSU K 70 in Geneva, which was eagerly awaited by the international motor press, although it had already been developing and pre-series production for two and a half years K 70 had been worked. The cancellation of the presentation led to suspicions, such as the one that the K 70 would not come onto the market due to internal competition from the group models VW 411 and Audi 100 , or that it would not come as an NSU, but later as the VW K 70 - which ultimately came true .

Although NSU AG was absorbed by VW subsidiary Audi, Volkswagen took on the fully developed K 70 - because with the much-sold Audi 100, Audi had a model in the same vehicle class. In September 1970, after minor changes, the vehicle was finally officially presented under the name VW K 70 and built in the Volkswagen plant in Salzgitter, which was specially built for this purpose . The K 70 was not available as a station wagon, so as not to damage sales of the in-house VW 411 Variant. Only a few prototypes had been built.

Technical aspects

Space and exterior

The K 70 (VW internal designation: Type 48) set new standards in the Volkswagen factory's range of passenger cars. The space available in this exclusively 4-door sedan was not only extraordinarily generous in comparison to the VW Beetle or VW 1600 , but it was also larger than the roughly equally expensive but approx. 7 cm longer VW 411. There was a large trunk in the rear (Volume 585 l, measured with blocks of 200 × 100 × 50 mm each), the all-round view was very good due to the large window areas and the low window line (the window height takes up over 40% of the door height) and parking maneuvers were easy, thanks to the relatively high seating position the body limits were also easy to overlook. The heating of the water-cooled K 70 was significantly more effective than that of VW models with an air-cooled rear engine.

The matter-of-fact form designed by Claus Luthe corresponded to the ideal of the early 1970s; In contrast to many vehicles of the late 1960s, Luthe dispensed with bulbous shapes and rich chrome jewelry in the “baroque style” and replaced them with slim and reserved elegance.

Trend-setting technical concept

K 70 on the test track of the Volkswagen factory on January 25, 1973

The technical concept of the water-cooled front engine with front-wheel drive prevailed at VW a few years later (from 1973 on the VW Passat and from 1974 on the VW Golf I ).

The K 70 - like the Citroën, DKW and the NSU Ro 80 - had internal front disc brakes on the differential housing. Although this reduced the unsprung masses , it made accessibility for maintenance work more difficult. Drum brakes with radial ribs for heat dissipation were installed at the rear. For passive safety, the car had a steering column angled twice (universal joints) as well as a body with deformable crumple zones at the front and rear and a reinforced passenger cell; the tank was in the protected area below the passenger compartment in front of the rear axle. To prevent it from opening while driving, the front of the bonnet was hinged. Seat belts cost a surcharge, but the threaded bushings required for retrofitting were available as standard for all five seats - on the outside front and rear for three-point seat belts , in the middle at the rear for a lap belt.

So that the car did not become too top-heavy, the longitudinally installed engine was inclined to the right above the differential, behind the gearbox, so that almost the entire drive was exactly over the front axle. The clutch could be changed without removing the engine or transmission.

landing gear

In addition, the chassis of the K 70 - which is similar to that of the NSU Ro 80 - was praised as very progressive: at the front the K 70 had MacPherson struts and triangular wishbones , at the rear a trailing arm axle with subframe, and telescopic shock absorbers on all wheels , including the rear axle combined with the springs . In addition, there were anti-roll bars (until 1973) on both axles, from 1973 only on the front axle. With this chassis construction, good road holding was achieved. In line with the demand for comfort in mid-range and upper mid-range vehicles at that time, the suspension of the K 70 was kept very soft and was made possible by long spring travel, which in curves led to a very strong body roll by today's standards. The steering scrub radius of the front axle was zero.

Engines and fuel consumption

There was the K 70 with 1.6-liter engines and an output of 75 PS (55 kW) or 90 PS (66 kW) and from 1973 (K 70 S / LS) with 1.8 liter displacement and 100 PS (74 kW). They were derived from the engine of the NSU 1200 , had a crankshaft with five bearings and an overhead camshaft with chain drive. The valves hung in a V-shape in the hemispherical combustion chamber and were operated via rocker arms. With the end of production of the K 70, the production of these engines was also discontinued - for the Passat, Scirocco, Golf and Polo less complex and cheaper engines were taken over from Audi ( e.g. the VW EA827 ) and newly developed.

The 75 PS variant of the K 70 could run on regular petrol, the more powerful 1.6 liter engine and the 1.8 liter engine required premium petrol and offered better performance. But all of them used a lot of fuel. This was due to the relatively high vehicle weight (1060 kg empty) and the high air resistance ( = 0.52) due to the angular shape . In a test of the K 70 with a 90 hp 1.6 liter engine, an average of 12.5 l / 100 km was determined (October 1970); the top speed was 159 km / h. A later test (December 1970) showed an average consumption of 14.1 l / 100 km. In a short test by the Automobil Revue , however, an average consumption of 11.3 l / 100 km was determined. ${\displaystyle c_{\mathrm {w} }}$

The advertising brochures from VW at that time indicate consumption (always measured at a constant speed of 110 km / h over 100 km and half the payload [here: 230 kg payload including driver]): the 1970 brochure for both engine versions (75 and 90 hp) 10.2 liters, the brochure from August 1973 shows 11.0 liters (100 PS) or 11.2 liters (75 PS) - the higher value for the 75 PS engine results from changes to the carburettor, the nozzle configuration in the Has changed several times over the years. In the car test series with Rainer Günzler , broadcast on radio and television in the 1970s, the testers determined an average consumption of the 90 hp engine of 10.4 l / 100 km at a constant speed of 110 km / h (motorway) .8 liters, on the other hand 9.8 liters on the country road.

The front section of the body was redesigned several times to reduce consumption (see also below in the section on facelift), but this hardly reduced the high air resistance.

Marketing and end of production issues

From August 1970 to May 1975, 211,127 vehicles of the K 70 were manufactured. The sales figures were relatively low across all model years. One of the reasons for this was that the K 70 was very modern compared to the other VW models and found it difficult to appeal to the classic VW clientele that appreciated the rear-engined vehicles and the typical design. In addition, it was relatively difficult for the VW dealerships to advertise both the modern K 70 and the other models, which are now considered obsolete, but still very popular, such as the Beetle, Type 3 or the VW 411, so objectively the K 70 - which until 1973 was the only model with a forward-looking technical concept at VW - often and completely wrongly fell behind. Due to the low sales figures of the K 70, but also due to its special status in production (since it was developed by NSU, there were hardly any parts identical to other vehicles from the VW Group), production was unprofitable. In addition, its “two-story” motor-gear unit, the three-shaft gear and the complex rear trailing arm axle caused high production costs. Though there were considerations for a facelift, of which the car magazine MOT already gave an impression in 1972, this was not pursued further. There was therefore no direct successor model, as the Passat was considered the successor to the VW 1600 (VW Type 3); in addition, the VW Passat came onto the market as early as 1973. As a result, the K 70 indirectly rose to the upper middle class , as the Passat was marketed as a new middle class vehicle and, at least in the basic version, was much more simply equipped than the K 70.

With the VW Santana and later the VW Phaeton , Volkswagen tried to position another sedan above the middle class. In view of the low number of units and the problem of corrosion , the K 70 has practically disappeared from today's street scene and has become a rare vehicle even in the classic car scene.

Equipment variants and available special equipment

Two equipment variants of the K 70 were offered throughout the entire production period - the basic version ("K 70") and the luxury version ("K 70 L"). The engines with 75 and 90 hp could be combined with both equipment variants, as did the 100 hp engine from 1973 (basic version "K 70 S" or luxury version "K 70 LS").

The models with the more powerful engines - 90 or 100 hp - had a tachometer in the instrument cluster .

Comprehensive standard equipment

Even the basic version was equipped with above-average equipment in view of the manageable purchase price of around DM 9,500 at the time and offered better basic equipment than many other competing models of the time: automatic wipe-wash for the windshield, doors completely clad on the inside and with the front One storage pocket each, two interior lights, glove compartment lighting (until autumn 1971), control lights also for the starter pull and handbrake (the latter also warning light that the brake fluid level is too low), electric timer, 2 ashtrays in the rear doors, lighting for the cigarette lighter and heating and ventilation control Instrument lighting infinitely adjustable with a rotary knob, coat hooks on the B-pillars and also on the handles above the side windows (only available until autumn 1971).

In the L variant, the following were added as standard: front seats with reclining seat adjustment, storage pockets on the backs of the front seat, more elaborate seat covers (velor), interior flooring with carpeting instead of needle felt, chrome-plated trims on the interior door panels, rear seat back with fold-out armrest in the middle, Both sun visors with make-up mirror, lock in glove compartment lock, trip meter, trunk lighting, bumper with rubber cover (from autumn 1971), round halogen double headlights (from August 1972) and lockable fuel cap (from 1973).

Optional extras

Optional extras were available: laminated glass windscreen, heated rear window (also part of the "bad weather package" with rear fog light , fog lights and more powerful generator), rear mud flaps , various Blaupunkt radios (also with stereo sound), trailer coupling, green-tinted heat protection glazing front / rear / side (available individually or completely), detachable headrests front, seat belts front (standard from 1973) and rear, synthetic leather seat covers, black textured paint on the vehicle roof (vinyl coatings were only done by external workshops), signal paint (yellow or red), exterior mirrors for the Passenger side and cast aluminum wheels from model year 1974.

In addition, the equipment details of the L variant could also be ordered individually for the basic version.

In addition, a number of accessories were available for the K 70, such as stick-on side protection trims or various storage consoles for the space between the gear lever and the transmission tunnel.

Facelift

Despite the relatively short construction time of the K 70, there were a number of mostly smaller model maintenance measures. Those that are also visible from the outside also help to distinguish the individual model years from one another:

Model year 1972

• From August 1971 (model year 1972) instead of the angular bumpers, the laterally rounded bumpers of the then current Audi 100 (C 1) were installed. In the K 70 L, the front and rear bumpers also had rubber pads.
• For the 1972 model year, the K 70 received the seats of the VW 411 built in parallel, as well as its headrests, which were available as special equipment. On the other hand, VW saved some interior details from model year 1972 onwards: The glove compartment lighting was omitted, as were the door contact switches on the two rear doors for the rear interior light, which was now only switched via the front doors together with the front one the coat hooks on the handles above the side window. In addition, the continuous polished stainless steel trim on the dashboard was omitted. The heating and ventilation fan was only two instead of three stages (in the off position it no longer ran continuously); the two still existing fan stages became stronger. In addition, the previously inadequate noise insulation towards the engine compartment has been improved: the insulation mats behind the dashboard are 20 mm thick, twice as thick as before, and the body cavity between the engine and interior space below the cowl panel is filled with foam.
• In the spring of 1972 VW improved the shift linkage and provided it with a smaller number of joints, which significantly improved the shiftability of the transmission; a new gearbox synchronization for the 1973 model year also improved shiftability.

Model year 1973

• From August 1972 (model year 1973) a larger wind deflector with ventilation slots under the front bumper provided better cooling for the brakes on the differential and a laterally slightly more inwardly drawn bow for a slight reduction in drag. The hood was provided with a wide bead in the middle. The L model received halogen double headlights (previously this only had rectangular headlights). In addition, a steel sliding / tilting roof operated with a hand crank was offered.
• The decorative rings of the instrument cluster were kept in black from model year 1973, the borders were omitted. In addition, the forced ventilation grilles in the D-pillars disappeared; instead, the rear doors were given ventilation slots that were not visible from the outside, with a ventilation grille under the armrest on the inside door panels.
• An important change in the 1973 model year concerned the carburetor: It was switched from a manual starter pull with an indicator light in the instrument cluster to an automatic starter. The air intake element in front of the carburettor was also equipped with an expansion thermostat, which automatically switched from cold air to air preheated by the exhaust manifold; the previous manual control flap with switchover from summer to winter operation was omitted.
• At the end of the model year, in May 1973, the third K-70 engine with 100 hp (1.8 liters) came onto the market. The increase in performance was achieved through a larger cylinder bore to a displacement of 1.8 liters. No cooling water flowed between the cylinders; To compensate for this, the engine was given a larger radiator and a five-blade instead of the previous four-blade cooling fan. First, as a special "K 70 LS" ( "S" stand for "sport") in a limited edition of 5000 pieces provided with optional black racing stripes laterally, a black-painted rear sheet and with cast aluminum wheels of piston Schmidt available, replacing the 100 PS engine for model year 1974 the previous 90 PS engine. The K 70 was now also available in the basic version with 100 hp.

Model year 1974

• From August 1973 (model year 1974), the previous three-spoke steering wheel was also replaced by the four-spoke steering wheel of the VW Beetle at the time (with a large baffle plate), there were also simpler steering column switches (made of metal), the ignition lock was now on the steering column, not on the dashboard. When the ignition was switched off, the parking lights could be switched on by actuating the indicator lever in the appropriate direction; the separate parking light switch to the right of the main light switch was omitted; a black cover panel was used in its place. The horizontal aluminum trim strip in the middle of the rear light diffuser was omitted; to enhance the lighting effect, they were given a circular structure. In addition, the instrument cluster was changed again: it received new indicator needles on the speedometer and tachometer without aluminum caps on the hubs, and the warning light for insufficient fuel reserve was omitted. The clock was now quartz-controlled and received a continuously rotating seconds hand. In the L version, the make-up mirror in the sun visor on the driver's side was omitted. The L version of the tank cap was also available with a lock.

• Models and equipment
• 

  One of the first VW K 70 L : built in 1970

• 

  VW K 70 from 1972

• 

  K 70 LS (1974) in Senegal red

• 

  VW K 70 L, rear view (black vinyl roof)

• 

  VW K 70 L from 1971: angular headlights

• 

  VW K 70 L, front section with double headlights, from 1972

• 

  Instrument cluster VW K 70 LS

Technical specifications

Vehicle type:	VW K 70 (90 PS)	VW K 70 (75 PS)	VW K 70 LS
Construction period:	08 / 1970-07 / 1973	08 / 1970–01 / 1975	08 / 1973–01 / 1975
Engine:	4-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine (above the front axle)
Displacement :	1605 cc		1807 cc
Bore × stroke:	82 × 76 mm		87 × 76 mm
Compression:	9.5: 1	8.0: 1	9.5: 1
Power:	66 kW (90 PS) at 5200 rpm	55 kW (75 PS) at 5200 rpm	74 kW (100 PS) at 5300 rpm
Max. Torque :	134 Nm at 4000 rpm	122 Nm at 3500 rpm	152 Nm at 3750 rpm
Valve control:	overhead camshaft driven by duplex chain
Cooling:	Water cooling with pump and thermostat (cooler volume 7.6 l)
Carburetor :	1 Solex flat-flow double carburetor 40 DDH, from model year 1974 DDHT
Transmission:	4-speed gearbox, fully synchronized, center shift; Front wheel drive
Front suspension:	Wishbones with MacPherson struts and stabilizer
Rear suspension:	Semi-trailing arm with struts
Body:	Self-supporting all-steel body
Steering:	Rack and pinion steering (turning circle left 10.80 m, right 11.03 m); 4 turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock
Brakes:	Dual-circuit system with brake booster (rear brake force limiter), front disc brakes, rear drum brakes
Wheelbase :	2690 mm
Track width front / rear:	1390/1425 mm
Wheel size:	165 SR 14 (100 PS aW 175 SR 14 or 185/70 SR 14)
Dimensions L × W × H:	4455 (L model 4470) × 1685 × 1450 mm
Empty weight (without driver):	1060-1100 kg
Maximum weight allowed:	1510-1560 kg
Acceleration 0 - 100 km / h:	13.3 s	16 s	13 s
Top speed:	159 km / h	148 km / h	162 km / h
Consumption (liters / 100 kilometers):	10.2 to 13.5 super	10.2 to 12.5 normal	11.0 to 13.5 super
Price (from DM):	9,645.00 (11/1970)	9450.00 (11/1970)	11,000.00 (08/1973)

Production numbers

The K 70 produced:

year	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976
number	-	23 (NSU)	13,324	76,780	55,922	56,721	5,210	25th	-

Literature and Sources

• car, motor and sport. Vereinigte Motorverlage, Stuttgart, issues 18, 22 and 26/1970
• VW brochures: 151.207.00 [8/1970], 24025.061.19008.00 [8/1972], 306 / 119.008.00 [8/1973]
• Volkswagen Chronicle An idea makes history. Volkswagen Public Relations, 375.802.194.00
• car models. Catalog 1970/71, Vereinigte Motorverlage, Stuttgart
• Dieter Korp: Now I'm helping myself. Volume 37 - VW K 70. Motorbuch-Verlag Stuttgart, 1973
• MOT Auto-Journal, Issue No. 14, July 15, 1972, Vereinigte Motorverlage, Stuttgart

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Dieter Korp : A model as a morning gift . In: The time . March 7, 1969 ( online [accessed July 13, 2014]).
2. ↑ Drawing in k70-club.de . Retrieved February 9, 2018.
3. ↑ ^{a b} front-wheel drive and water cooling . In: auto motor und sport , issue 18/1970, pp. 26–29.
4. ↑ Dieter Korp: The K 70 is coming . In: auto motor und sport , issue 21/1969. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
5. ↑ Car book / K70 . Retrieved February 9, 2018.
6. ↑ Autobild Klassik . Retrieved February 9, 2018.
7. ↑ car models catalog. Issues 1970 / 71–1977. United Motor Verlage GmbH Stuttgart.

Web links

Commons : VW K70  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Volkswagen Classic Dossier on the K70
• Bruno von Rotz: VW K 70 L 1970 - misunderstood mid-range wonder car? , Zwischengas.com from April 1, 2015
• Further information from K 70 Freunde eV
• Further information from the K70 Club