Four-wheel fun at the castle

Four-wheel fun at the castle

Now in its 13th year, the festival of classic cars and motor vehicles was once again a colourful automobile garden party. Thousands of cars from almost 120 years of automotive history assembled in the well-kept castle area: from classic and elegant to sporty and robust, from pre-war precision, production classics, style icons and rare items to racing cars and future classics.

Strong colours and racy appearance

Even today, the Beetle 1303 S in matt black and Saturn yellow still looks rather aggressive. In its day, even politicians in the Bundestag were required to debate whether or not the 1973 ‘Yellow/Black Racer’ special edition, in its sporty attire, was not an invitation to speed. Nowadays, the sough-after classic promises honest Beetle fun.

Air-cooled summer dreams

The Golf Blue dream convertible at the Volkswagen Classic stand was another unique car. “Absolutely beautiful! I have never seen one like it,” was the regular response. Correct, as the open Type 3 is unfortunately a prototype. The elegant four-seater convertible thrilled visitors to the IAA back in 1961 – and had the same effect at the Classic Days in 2018. The Beetle 1303 convertible next to it may not be a one-off, but still proved to be an absolute eye-catcher in Metallic Viper Green. Recently restored in the Volkswagen Automobile Collection Osnabrück, the 1980s US model also shone like new. Whether Beetle or Type 3, both convertibles soon had people fantasising about the summer: get in, and off we go for a little spin through the castle grounds, then on to the lake in glorious weather…

Coatis in the grass

Roughly 7,500 private vehicles assembled between the head-high Miscanthus grass on Dycker Feld, forming Germany’s largest multi-brand club meeting. A perfect venue for a special anniversary celebration: 50 years of the Volkswagen Type 4. The association of Volkswagen 411/412 owners had pulled out all the stops to mobilise its international members. One fan even travelled from as far as Chile to the birthday get-together. The sun shone on just short of 50 fine examples of the Volkswagen Type 4, which was produced for the first time on 12 August 1968 – and five decades of the ‘Coati’ were celebrated deservingly at Schloss Dyck.

Prominence and prototypes in the paddock

The appearance of the Golf Mk3 leaves one in no doubt that this is a sports car: wheel arch extensions, extracted sills, bulbous fender flares, side air scoops, ducts and bulges on the bonnet, and a striking rook spoiler. The interior is relatively similar to that of the production model, but a roll bar, digital instrument cluster with various additional displays, and built-in extinguishing system are more clear indications that this is a sports car. With a two-litre, four-cylinder turbo engine generating 202 kW (275 PS), the A59 was capable of a top speed of up to 270 km/h. A computer-controlled four-wheel drive system, with hydraulically controlled, limited-slip central differential and limited-slip differential at the rear, applied the power to the 16-inch wheels.

The castle welcomes two Pikes Peak legends

Another powerful Golf prototype took its place next to the A59 in the paddock: the 1987 Golf Mk2 ‘Pikes Peak’. As soon as rally legend Jochi Kleint fired up the Golf, the raw power was clear to all around. After all, Volkswagen Motorsport’s turbo-powered Golf, designed by Kurt Bergmann, was built for the demanding hill climb on Pikes Peak in Colorado (USA). The prototype, with two independent engines, generated a maximum output of 480 kW (652 PS). Jochi Kleint was at the wheel of this unique powerhouse for Volkswagen Motorsport at the 1987 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.