Volkswagen

By the late 1960s, Volkswagen was ready to move beyond its signature air-cooled, rear-engined cars. The solution came through the acquisition of NSU, a financially struggling brand that had been developing a modern sedan with a water-cooled engine and front-wheel drive. Originally intended as an NSU model, the K70 was conceived to complement the NSU Ro 80 and compete with sedans like the Audi 100 and Volkswagen’s own 411. Internal concerns over market overlap delayed its debut, which eventually took place in August 1970. The K70 was Volkswagen's first front-engined, front-wheel-drive, water-cooled vehicle, and a dramatic departure from the company’s traditional lineup. However, the K70 struggled commercially. Performance was modest, early quality issues and rust affected its reputation, and the 1973 oil crisis made its fuel economy a drawback. The K70 was replaced in 1973 by the Volkswagen Passat, although it continued in production until February 1975, by which time Volkswagen had produced 210,082 units.

1971