Quiet day...

[tuna]

It seems that this forum is going through a quiet time, as we aren't getting many posts here. I'd like to get more activity here, so I'm going to start with a simple post.

All of us here are 411/412 fans, if you weren't you wouldn't be here. So, here's a poll to answer. Post your comments about why. Why did you answer that way. Let's get some chatter going on.

Tuna

[tuna]

For me, I'm partial to the 411, but that's only because I like the more unconventional headlight styling. It gives the car a distinctive look, something more recognizable.

Tuna

[Scott H]

I like them both equally but aesthetically speaking I think the 412 looks better.
I think the fact that the headlights do not protrude up into the hood as they do on the 411 is more pleasing to the eye.

[raygreenwood]

Its a tough one. I have owned and driven both. The 412..flatly...looks more modern. I used to think the curves on the front hood of teh 411 looked better. The hood does, the curved front nose between the headlights...not so much.
The 412 is right alongside a few other cars with undercut shark noses of the time. Not saying it directly competed in performance or price...but it had the looks of the time. Check out the undercut slant noses on BMW's of the time . The 2002 and 3.0csi for starters.
Also, once I found out what an aerodynamic differnce teh angles on teh 412 made by driving one. I found its sharp angles not so ugly. Ray

[Towel Rail]

I own neither, but I think the 411 looks better.

[Wally]

That is easy
Lets just say, I concur with the factory on this point

[Lahti411]

I also like them both and gave my vote to balance the gap between the two... I own a 411 but I'm going to buy a 412 some day. I would love to own each model though: perhaps an early frog-eye 411 4-door for the summer night and sunday cruising, a 411 vagon (which I already have) for everyday use and a 412 2-door which I would tune in the 70's racing style.

[plumcrazee]

i would have to say the 412 i like the twin headlights and the estate back looks better in imho

[kastenwa]

For me, both are interesting, but my choice goes to the 412.

In my opinion, the front hood and the lights look nicer than on the 411.

And the steering wheel looks modern.

[raykinsella]

I've had five type-fours - two 411s and three 412s. I currently have one 411 wagon, one 412 wagon and one 412 fastback. I like the looks of the 411 better; it looks more "Volkswagenly" with its big front headlight arrangement. It looks more friendly than the 412s, which look cooler, more sharky, as somebody else said. My 411 is a 1971, which means, among other things, it has the three-spoke steering wheel. I like the wheel on the '72 and the 412s better. Plus you can still buy a new turn signal switch for the later wheels. I still need a new one for my 411, but nobody has one.
I've had people tell me they thought my 411 was a Volvo, and that my 412s were BMWs. I got married in my very first type-four, which was a '71 wagon named Trotsky ( a friend had told me the car looked like those cars they used to make in the USSR, so I had to give it an appropriate name ). Then I got a 412 wagon named Sky Pilot. My current fleet is Maggie the 411, Rolling Thunder the fastback 412, and Sparkie the 412 Estate Wagon. I've tried naming the few water-cooled cars I've owned, but the names never stick. We had a 1976 Bus EXACTLY like the one in the movie Little Miss Sunshine, including the sliding door falling off.

[kastenwa]

In my opinion, 411 and 412 are a must in the air cooled VW universe.

30 years ago I didn't apreciate these cars. They were ugly and strange.

Now, I realized how confortable, reliable, and powerfull they are, compared with all other VW, Type 1, 2, or even Type 3 .

So, I changed. Now I d'ont think they are ugly, and I also like their years 70 colours.

My choice is a 412 LE VARIANT, wich I think is powerfull, confortable and spacious VW.

The problem is that they are so rare now...