Volkswagen Passat B1 Car & Caravan COBI 24644 – Action Town 1:35

VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT B1 & Caravan Model | COBI 24643 

A brick-built model of the Volkswagen Passat B1 in a striking blue colour, complete with a traditional white and brown caravan. The set includes a minifigure wearing a yellow Hawaiian shirt and jeans, accompanied by a brown cat that has just caught a fish. The holiday camping atmosphere is enhanced by a cosy campsite scene featuring a tall palm tree, a gas barbecue with a hot dog on the grill, plus ketchup and mustard. A metal rubbish bin helps keep the campsite tidy. The model is produced under the official licence of the VW Group.

Did you know?

Introduced in 1973, the Volkswagen Passat B1 was the first Passat to feature a front-mounted engine and front-wheel drive. It was available as a two-door or four-door hatchback and as an estate version known as the Variant. The Passat B1 became one of the most popular family cars of the 1970s thanks to its lightweight construction, good fuel economy and the reliability of its four-cylinder petrol engine.

Travelling with a caravan became especially popular across Western Europe during the 1970s and 1980s. Families could travel at their own pace, stay at campsites and bring almost everything they needed for their holidays. This required a dependable towing vehicle capable of pulling a caravan. Alongside the Passat B1 and its successor, the B2, popular campsite vehicles included the Opel Rekord, Opel Ascona, Volvo 245 and Mercedes-Benz W123.

A typical caravan of the period weighed around 450–700 kg when empty and 600–900 kg when fully loaded. Caravans were relatively simple inside. Sleeping accommodation usually consisted of a fold-out bench seat for two to four people, with mattresses and storage compartments hidden underneath. The kitchenette typically featured a two-burner gas cooker, a sink with a water tank and cupboards for food and kitchenware. Some caravans had a small gas or 12-volt refrigerator. Most lacked a built-in shower or toilet and often had neither heating nor air conditioning.

Countries with the strongest camping traditions included Germany, the Netherlands, France, Denmark and Sweden. German and Dutch travellers formed the largest groups of visitors to European campsites and continue to make up a significant proportion of camping tourists today. Popular destinations still include the Adriatic coast, southern France, Germany's northern coastline, the Alpine regions of Austria and Switzerland, and even the Spanish coast.

Technical specifications: 

• inline four-cylinder OHC engine
• engine capacity 1,588 cm³
• four-speed manual transmission
  
• front-wheel drive
• top speed 163 km/h
• 45-litre fuel tank
• manufacturer-approved towing capacity: up to 1,200 kg braked, up to 450 kg unbraked
• fuel consumption without trailer: 6.8–11 l/100 km, with trailer: 10–15 l/100 km

What was written about the VW Passat B1 at the time:

"The Volkswagen Passat proves to be a dependable tow car for light caravans. Thanks to its efficient use of space and relatively low kerb weight, it remains stable even when towing a fully loaded caravan. For a family of four with luggage and a touring caravan weighing up to around 700–800 kg, the Passat 1.6 is a typical family car for holiday travel."

About the COBI building set: 

• COBI building set 24643 contains 361 high-quality ABS bricks
• Action Town collection, 1:35 scale
• pad printed – no stickers
• authentic detailing
• made in the EU
• compatible with other leading brick-building brands