18 Facts About Volkswagen Santana

Volkswagen Santana is a nameplate used by Volkswagen for various sedans and station wagons since 1983.

In Europe, the Volkswagen Santana name was dropped in 1985 and the car was sold as a Passat.

The Volkswagen Santana had been built in China on a small scale trial basis by the Shanghai Tractor Automobile Corporation, predecessor of the SAIC Motor, since 1982.

The first Volkswagen Santana was assembled in April 1983 by a team from Shanghai Auto.

Volkswagen Santana signed a contract with STAC, along with the China National Automotive Industry Corporation and the Bank of China to form the Shanghai Volkswagen Santana Automotive joint venture in October 1984.

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The Volkswagen Santana has had a number of updated features added since the original 1983 model.

Some updated features the Volkswagen Santana has been include with are Bosch electronic fuel injection system, a 5-speed manual, a third brake light, improved back seats, hydraulic clutch, MP3 and CD compatible radios, ABS brakes with electronic brake distribution.

The Volkswagen Santana 3000 was the first in the Chinese developed Volkswagen Santana series to be available with optional ABS brakes with electronic brake distribution, electronic differential system, a multi function display system, and a sunroof designed by the German Webasto company.

In January 2008, Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive released the Santana Vista and Santana Vista, featuring front and rear visual updates and minor chassis modifications.

Nonetheless, Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive decided to discontinue the Santana in 2012.

New Volkswagen Santana has been redesigned for more power and a sleeker design.

The price of the Santana was considerably lower than of imported Volkswagens.

Nissan's Volkswagen Santana was changed for Japan with a right hand drive wiper layout which, as well as a new linkage mechanism, required a new bonnet pressing as there were recesses in the trailing edge for the wiper pivots.

In January 1987 the Volkswagen Santana received a facelift, with a new fascia and new larger bumpers.

In 1991, Volkswagen Santana do Brasil then engaged in a joint venture with Ford called AutoLatina, decided to retain the Passat shaped sedan and wagon instead of building the newer third-generation Passat .

Under the terms of AutoLatina, this "new" Volkswagen Santana was marketed as the Ford Versailles in Brazil and as the Ford Galaxy in Argentina.

Volkswagen Santana was launched to the Mexican car market in February 1984 as the all-new Corsar CD.

In 1984 and 1985, the Corsar was marketed only as 4-door sedan, the same European Volkswagen Santana body, matching the appearance of the US's market version .