Date:         Sat, 15 Dec 2001 16:17:50 -0600
Reply-To:     Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Organization: not likely
Subject:      Re: What does "GL" mean?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> Sorry if this is stupid, I own a 85 water-cooled Vanagon GL (my
sweetheart),
> but don't know what the "GL" stands for - anyone know?

there are no 'stupid' questions, only questions that don't get asked,
and therefore do not get answered. ;)

now, being that these are German buses, it stands to reason that GL
would be an abbreviation of some Germanic nonsense, right?

at first, vw used the L models (early vanagons). that stands for
Lachanfall.
which basically is a fit of laughter. hysterics, in other words. cause
them wiley Chermans were laughing their asses off at us 'Mericans (and
others) buying their breadtrucks. :)  it then follows that GL is
Grosser Lachanfall or really really serious hysterics (well, the GLs
did cost more, ya know). :)

there were rumors throughout the land that L stood for Lache ...
puddle or pool. but this wasn't logical (and we all know that, if
anything, German engineers are extremely 'logical'!) since the first L
models were aircooled and didn't create their own puddles or pools.

some said it was for Laderaum ... cargo space ... but this fails due
to the fact that the Standard models (that is, the cheaper non-L
models) could hold the same or more stuff (less interior frills).

others with ears inside the factory claim it was for Langmuetigkeit
... patience or long-suffering. but that was not always true of all
the buses.

but what it really meant was Luxusausfuehrung ... de-luxe model. :)
also sometimes known (in autos) as Luxuswagen.

then along came the watercools, and they wanted to have something
fancier.
so they made up the GL classification (notice that the L model kinda
dropped away). well, it isn't what you think ... a Grosser Luxuswagen
would be a larger deluxe model, and the GLs aren't any bigger than the
Ls. :)

and even though some folks refer to antifreeze as 'goose oil', GL
wasn't an abbreviation for Gaensefett Luxuswagen or watercooled deluxe
model.

that same bunch that liked the 'hysterics' version of the L models
figure GL stood for Gelaechter ... laughter or laughing stock. not so.
;)

because of the increases in prices, some said it was for Geld
Losbinden ... throwing your money away.

a few said, no, it's for Gemaechlichkeit Luxus ... luxurious comfort,
ease, lesuseliness. :)

others, die-hard aircooled fanatics, said it would stand for Gumpe
Leiden ... suffering from deep pools. ;) but that's not logical since
all the watercools were not GL models. :)

but most likely, it's just some marketing/advertising clerks way of
saying Gliech Luxuswagen ... or "about the same thing". ;)

unca joel