What's with all the talk about Volkswagen working on a low-budget brant that can sell a car for under $8,000? Come on, haven't you guys heard about what they're selling in south America?!
If that's the case, then check out the 2014 Saveiro Cross. It's been on sale in places like Brazil since last year and it looks like a bad rendering of a Volkswagen Polo. But we assure you, this is not us playing an elaborate joke using Photoshop, even though we were also rubbing our eyes as if looking at a picture of the Chupacabra. The Saveiro is a two-door chopped version of the Gol and like its hatchback brother it received a facelift last year.
It was originally launched back in August 2009 with either regular or extended cab, both having a wheelbase that's 152 mm longer than the one of the Gol. The Saveiro Cross is a lot newer than that, having been released last year, and features rugged plastic protective cladding, larger alloy wheels with beefy tires and a a bit of aluminum trim on the lower front bumper and side skirts. It really is a cool-looking thing, isn't it?… in a Subaru Baja sort of way.
The only engine available is the 1.6-liter borrowed from the Gol. This makes 101 hp and 154 Nm on regular gas or 104 hp and 156 Nm on ethanol, a popular fuel in South America. The only transmission option is a 5-speed manual and no, it's not RWD.
Prices in Brazil start at R$51,890 (equivalent to $22,923) and standard kit includes the following:
air conditioning
Airbag for driver and passenger
Canvas objects under the front passenger seat
Steering column with adjustable height and depth
Auxiliary headlights dual action
ABS brakes with EBD
Side detailing with inscription "Saveiro Cross"
Sliding rear window with protection grid
Lights incorporated toward the rear of the bed
Fender flares for the wheel housings
Frame sills
Alloy rims in 15 "
New bumpers with "off-road" logo and "CROSS" on the radiator grille
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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