1973 Volkswagen SP2
Brazil’s restrictive import laws in the early 1970s created demand for domestically produced sports cars, prompting Volkswagen do Brasil to develop this striking fastback coupe under “Project X” beginning in 1970.
Designers Marcio Piancastelli, José Vicente Novita Martins, and Jorge Yamashita Oba created bodywork that German magazine Hobby called “the most beautiful Volkswagen in the world” in June 1973.
The steel-bodied two-door featured distinctive headlights borrowed from the Brazilian-market Variant, a sleek 45.6-inch overall height, and dual trunks at both the front and rear.
Built at São Bernardo do Campo from July 1972 through December 1975, the SP2 utilized Type 3 platform components with a rear-mounted 102-cubic-inch air-cooled flat-four producing 75 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, paired with a four-speed manual transmission.
Total production reached approximately 10,205 units, with fewer than 700 exported and only one officially sent to Europe.
Despite criticism for modest performance compared to lighter fiberglass competitors such as the Puma, the SP2 has become highly collectible and is often regarded as a conceptual predecessor to the Porsche 924.
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