L Is For LT

The LT is a forgotten Volkswagen, poorly regarded even by those who know their VW Buses. Yet it made a very fi ne Campervan, with a lot more space and size than a Type 2. And, of course, there’s that’s certain urban myth about its engine…

- Richard Gunn

How do you annoy a Porsche 924 owner? It’s easy… walk up to one at a show and ask if that’s the Porsche with the Volkswagen van engine in it. Yes, the Volkswagen LT is the commercial VW that Porsche owners love to hate. Well, to be honest, Porsche owners probably aren’t keen on most slow, working vehicles - although certain tractors are fine - but the LT no doubt has a very special place in hell with them. Because nearly everybody thinks both it and the budget Porsche share the same heart. The reality of the 924 engine is that, while a derivative of its 2.0-litre overhead-cam engine did pop up in the VW’s cargo hauler, both the 924 and LT unit are derived from the Audi 100 motor. Porsche further tweaked its offshoot with Bosch fuel injection plus an uprated cylinder head to produce 125bhp upwards. By contrast, the carburetted LT engine put out 74bhp. They’re pretty different. Nevertheless, don’t let this knowledge spoil your fun teasing 924 owners…

Of course, if you want to get on the right side of an LT owner, just innocently inquire if they’ve got the Porsche engine under their bonnet (well, alongside their seat, as access to the engine is via a panel in the interior). Refer to the LT as the load-lugging version of the Porsche 924 and they’ll probably be your friend for life!

The LT has a pretty bad press of it. While Type 2s get a lot of love, their bigger, bulkier Seventies sibling doesn’t have anything like the same level of appreciation. But the LT was launched to address the limitations of the Type 2. While it had done sterling service since 1950, customers wanted greater capacity, more power and an engine that wasn’t stuffed in the back.