Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 00:01:53 -0700
Reply-To: Doug in CA <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Doug in CA <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Subject: Re: that '89 Bluestar/Wolfsburg on ebay sold for $6100
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Hey Ben,
Look what we started, you gotta love it.
Do you think it would be accurate to say that I own a "US version of the
blue star" ?
As the color coded bumpers, rockers, mirrors and interior as well as the
wolfsburg outfit is all uniquely the same as the "euro spec blue stars"
right?
I agree with your technical / logical points about proper name
representation. If the differences are as you state then referring to these
US close models is in accurate. What prompted the factory to give the blue
star name to the euro version and not the US version? Did we get the
wolfsburg name instead? Were the euro blue stars wolfys?
In the Chevy hot rod world many "ss" models are considered "phantom ss"
models built up by their owners. Which means there can be a broad range of
how much of the original "ss" gear they have from just the emblem to all the
factory options on the "ss". In some cases the only differences become the
engine and chassis numbers and the historical GM records that a particular
car was not factory outfitted as a "super sport". Many "phantom SS" models
are so carefully researched and put together that they end up more original
than the original ones produced as parts are replaced during the cars life.
In the case of the vanagons, pretty hard to get all the euro gear and make a
true "phantom blue star".
One thing to consider isYOU are a rarity in your knowledge of vanagons. I
could most likely go around telling everybody I know and meet that my 89 is
a "blue star" and most of them and even the vanagon folks would not know
that was not on target.
Sure do like that name "blue star" was there a badge? (grin)
Cheers,
Doug
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben T" <BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 11:34 PM
Subject: Re: that '89 Bluestar/Wolfsburg on ebay sold for $6100
> In a message dated 4/6/2004 4:28:16 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> jrunberg@MAC.COM writes:
>
> << If I've read the posts correctly, the "Bluestar" is different in name
only
> (and original point of sale) while an M3 is a very, very different car
than a
> normal BMW. There's no performance difference, only a badge and serial
> number. >>
>
> John,
>
> Performance is different between the Bluestars (Red & White) vs. a US spec
> Wolfsburg Edition. They got the higher compression 2.1 Digijet engines
(112hp?)
> or 1.6 Turbodiesels. They only appear similar. Many came with ABS as well.
> This is similar to the differences between say an e36 M3 vs. an e36 325is.
They
> look virtually identical when one opts for the M3 style body kit. Badges,
> serial numbers, brakes, and horsepower ratings would differentiate the
cars. Kinda
> sounds like the difference between an ABS equipped 112i European spec
Bluestar
> vs. a US spec 95hp Wolfsburg Edition Vanagon with normal brakes, doesn't
it?
> Sounds logical to me.
>
> You may be thinking about the e30 M3's which were vastly different from
their
> lesser brethren like the European spec 323i and US spec 325e, es, i, is,
ix,
> etc. I've owned e21 and e30 323i's which were in the same logical vein
that
> you are looking for when compared to their US counterparts. But then
that's for
> another list for another day.
>
> We can argue this all day long but at the end of the day, something is
being
> represented as something that it is not.
>
> BenT Lowjick
| 
