Shanghai VW Santana R.I.P.

Another one bites the dust: The Volkswagen Santana, the car that provided the foundation of China’s mass motorization, will be put out to pasture in 2012, Gasgoo reports. The car’s history in the PRC provides a unique insight into the country’s move towards motorization.

In Germany, the Santana was a flop. Launched in 1981, it was stopped three years later. The story that VW foisted their unwanted factory on the unwitting Chinese was a myth. It was a lucky stroke: In 1979, a high ranking government delegation sprung a surprise visit on Volkswagen to discuss a possible joint venture.

Quickly, all present and some future VWs and Audis were lined up in the “Walhalla,” the internal nickname for the presentation hall of the VW R&D department. The Chinese official pointed at the yet to be launched Santana, the translator said “den hier” (that one), and history took its course.

Experimental production of the Santana started in 1983. In 1985, full scale production began (much to the chagrin of the Chinese) based on CKD (completely knocked down) kits. Made at SVW, a joint venture with China’s SAIC, 3.21million Santanas were sold so far in China. The car had several facelifts, sold as Santana 2000 since 1995, and as Santana 3000 since 2004. At its heart, there is still the old B2 platform of the second generation Passat. Together with the Jetta, the Santana reached cult-like status in China.

In light of the robust performance of the Made-for-China Lavida, the PQ34-based “Mini-Phaeton” as it is lovingly called in China, the top management of SVW believes that they can retire the veteran warhorse that still dominates Shanghai’s taxi fleet.