The Chinese-built Santana jump-started an entire industry — local parts content went from under 6% in 1986 to 89% by 1995.
Lead trim: 1.8 EA113 (petrol)
Volkswagen Santana1983–2013
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Volkswagen Santana yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe Chinese-built Santana jump-started an entire industry — local parts content went from under 6% in 1986 to 89% by 1995.
The Santana's biggest success was in China. The Santana (B2) had been built in China on a small-scale trial basis by the Shanghai Tractor Automobile Corporation (STAC), predecessor of SAIC Motor, since 1982, the first 100 cars from CKD kits delivered from Germany, and the first Volkswagen Santana was assembled in April 1983. Volkswagen signed a contract with STAC, the China National Automotive Industry Corporation and the Bank of China to form the Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive joint venture in October 1984, production commenced in September 1985, and the 10,000th Santana was built in September 1986. The car and venture laid the groundwork for China's mass motorization, and the drive to fully localize production became the impetus for the Chinese auto parts industry: in 1986 the quota of made-in-China parts was below six percent, and by 1995 the local content stood at 89 percent. Initially launched with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, it was updated with a 1.8-litre petrol in 1987, first available in the Santana Variant station wagon introduced in April 1992. It was very popular as a taxicab, in service since 1987, along with police cars and other government services, and the last Santana was assembled on January 15, 2013.
Collectors Spotted in the Volkswagen Santana Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Volkswagen Santana yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 EA113 (petrol) | 1983–2013 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1.8 EA113 (petrol) | 1987–2013 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Volkswagen launched this all-new Santana in Wolfsburg in October 2012 as a subcompact — while the OLD three-box Santana sedan it was meant to replace kept selling in China for another three months.
The Santana Vista's taxi version kept working Shanghai's streets years after this generation ended production, only retired in October 2018 for a fleet of new electric cabs.
The Santana 3000 was the first car Shanghai Volkswagen's own designers created entirely by themselves, rather than adapting an imported German design.
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Volkswagen de México sent the utilitarian Corsar out in style — a black-and-silver two-tone limited edition with leather trim, released just months before the model was discontinued.
Thanks to VW's AutoLatina tie-up with Ford, the very same Brazilian-built Santana was also sold badged as the Ford Versailles — and as the Ford Galaxy next door in Argentina.
Building the Santana for Japan, Nissan redesigned the whole bonnet just to relocate the wiper pivots for right-hand drive — far more than a simple mirror-image swap.
The Chinese-built Santana jump-started an entire industry — local parts content went from under 6% in 1986 to 89% by 1995.
Rivals
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