9. Volkswagen SP2
The biggest car company in Brazil was Volkswagen. In fact, they produced all their products there, including the Beetle, T2 Van and 1600 TL. The combination of air-cooled quality, usability and low prices made Volkswagens the most popular cars in Brazil. However, Volkswagen didn’t have any performance credentials or a sports or muscle model.
So, when muscle cars became popular in the early ’70s, Volkswagen wanted a piece of the action. But the problem was, Volkswagen didn’t have powerful engines or drivetrain components to turn their models into performance cars. So, to produce a performance car, Volkswagen took the Beetle’s 1.7-liter flat-four engine and tuned it to 75 HP. Although this wasn’t much, it was far more than stock.
The finished product was called SP2. They introduced it in 1972. It looked modern with a long front end, low profile and sporty silhouette. Although the car cost more than any other Volkswagen product, it delivered decent performance numbers. However, it failed to meet the expectations of performance-oriented car fans.
The SP2 was in production for four years until 1976. During that period, Volkswagen made over 11,000 examples. Even though it wasn’t exactly a proper muscle car, the SP2 is significant since it was a Brazilian conversion model. It was also one of the most interesting Volkswagen classic cars.