Thanks again Derek!
On Sun, Aug 26, 2012 at 12:26 PM, Derek Drew <derekdrew@derekmail.com>wrote: > For today's treat, I have for you a message sent out from the > executive at Volkswagen who was overseeing Vanagon/Camper/Syncro in > 1991 of the coming catastrophe in the world of VW vans. > > I guess I had already got my name on VW's list of van freaks that I > got this odd letter. > > It is a funny letter because he *knows* that some of us would feel > ill when seeing VW had prepared to replace the Vanagon -- he politely > and ominously warns that we will be "completely unprepared" for what > the Eurovan is, and provides a not-too-subtle suggestion that maybe > you should PANIC and go snap up one of the last of the brand new > Vanagons, Campers, or Syncros left in North America. (At the time, I > panicked.) > > Then he goes on to provide a US MAP of where all the last inventory > is so you can get one before they are all gone forever, adding with a > wink, "I want to make certain that those of you who want to buy the > last of an era get some 'inside' help", which he then provides via the map. > > The map is interesting because it shows that as of June 1991 the > inventory of Syncros in the Southeast at that time was ZERO, whereas > 85% of all the remaining syncros (~175?) were either in the pacific > northwest, or the mountain states. > > There were ~700 Campers (non-syncro) left in the country to buy as of > June 1991, but only another ~100 or so Syncro Campers, about a 7 to 1 > ratio. > > Maybe somebody else can get these numbers into Excel and get some fun > analysis out of them, tintop ratios and such. > > This is as close a letter as I can think of to VW hinting that > something bad was about to happen (for people of a certain mindset). > > Here is the map: > > <https://docs.google.com/a/**derekmail.com/file/d/** > 0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk/**edit<https://docs.google.com/a/derekmail.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk/edit> > >https://docs.google.com/**a/derekmail.com/file/d/** > 0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk/**edit<https://docs.google.com/a/derekmail.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk/edit> > > > Here is the complete letter: > > <https://docs.google.com/a/**derekmail.com/file/d/** > 0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM/**edit<https://docs.google.com/a/derekmail.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM/edit> > >https://docs.google.com/**a/derekmail.com/file/d/** > 0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM/**edit<https://docs.google.com/a/derekmail.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM/edit> > > > Go ahead and expand them to see them zoomed in for better reading. > > ==============================**========= > In case of trouble with the above two links, try these: > > https://docs.google.com/open?**id=**0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk<https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8sxgRMrur9XUGNDa0FSUkJoMUk> > > https://docs.google.com/open?**id=**0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM<https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8sxgRMrur9XTy1NMzR3U2xGWnM> > > Go ahead and expand them to see them zoomed in for better reading. > > > > ______________________________**_________________ > Derek Drew > Washington DC / New York > derekdrew@derekmail.com > Email is best normally but... > PHONE: 202-966-7907 (Call the number at left normally) > (alt/cell for diligent calling only): 703-408-1532 > |
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