1996 Harlequin

Country and/or Category: Mexico | VIN range: not known | S-code(s): not known |
Extras/Options M-code(s): not known

Paint and Upholstery:

LR132 Ginstergelb/Ginster Yellow (body, rear fenders)/ LD6D Pistaziengrün/Pistachio Green (front bumper, doors, rear apron)/ LD5D  Chagallblau/Chagall Blue (bonnet, headlight rings, rear side panels, license light housing, rear bumper)/ LY3D Tornadorot/Tornado Red (front fenders, engine lid.  Cloth Flannel dark grey, design ‘Wood’ or ‘Punkt Diagonale’ or special ‘Harlequin’ design (1998).

Technical Data:

1600i ACD engine.

Factory Fitted Optional Equipment:

4.5×15″ alloy sports wheelsy wheels (Firebeetle).

Context:

Produced at the Puebla factory, initially for auto shows, from four colours LD6D Pistaziengrün/Pistachio Green, LD5D  Chagallblau/Chagall Blue, LR132 Ginstergelb/Ginster Yellow and LY3D Tornadorot/Tornado Red. We have good evidence that the component colours were hand painted on Ginster Yellow base cars to achieve the desired effect.

141 1600i Beetles were manufactured.

Also made as 3,800 Polo editions in 1995 for Europe and 264 Golf editions in 1996 for USA and Canada.

In 2002 the Brazilian artist Jarbas Lopes realised the artwork “Troco-troca” (Portuguese for Swapping) composed of three Fusca (Brazilian built Volkswagen Beetles) in three different basic colours with their body parts swapped. That created a look similar to the Mexican Harlequin Beetles (which all had yellow bodies). Part of the artwork were travels from Rio de Janeiro to Curitiba (2002) and Belo Horizonte to Brumadinho (2007) with passengers listening to the same music through the same soundsystem. The objects belong to Inhotim Collection, Brazil, Eduardo Eckenfels.

Sales Literature:

Non produced.

Pictures courtesy RossVW.com and Tim Sewe. Some information courtesy Alexander Kukk/K-UE-Club.


This page last modified: 2023-01-28