1972 VW 411 LS

In 1968 VW introduced the 411 as an attempt to enter the luxury car market. The car itself was a remarkable leap forward in terms of technology over previous VW offerings. It was similar to the 1302 / 1303 in the front suspension, with MacPherson struts up front and a coil spring system in the rear. It came in a 2 door, and also a 4 door version, a first for VW sedans. It was available with either a 4 speed manual or 3 speed automatic gearbox. The engine was a 1.7 litre unit, similar to the Type III 'pancake' engine, and it also had dual carbs.

Cut-away of the VW 412

The ride comfort was excellent, but despite all of the good things it had going for it, the car was never popular, it recieved bad press when it was released and was only updated once (VW412). The 412 recived fuel injection, and some larger engines. On the outside the front was given a facelift with a 'leaning forward' look. Volkswagen discontinued the Type 4 range in 1974, although it's engine still lived on in the Type 2 and the VW-Porsche 914.
For more information on the Type 4, refer to type4.org