Volkswagen Orbit (1986)

Volkswagen Orbit
Overview
Production	1986
Designer	Italdesign Giugiaro
Body and chassis
Layout	Front-engine, four-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine	1,781 cc (108.7 cu in) I4 SOHC
Dimensions
Length	3,985 mm (156.9 in)

The Volkswagen Orbit is a concept car by styling house Italdesign shown at the 1986 Turin Motor Show. It shouldn't be confused with another Volkswagen Orbit concept shown in 1991.[1]

Overview

Background

The Orbit was a further refinement of previous Italdesign concepts such as the Alfa Romeo New York Taxi (1976), Lancia Megagamma (1978), Capsula (1982) and Together (1984). The concept was built on a Volkswagen Golf Mk2 platform, specifically the new Syncro.[2] The goal was to produce a car around 4 metres in length. The concept was 15cm taller than the existing Volkswagen Golf and featured a large amount of glass.[3]

The Orbit would be developed further into the Italdesign Machimoto,[4] shown the same year.[5]

Interior

Inside it featured a unique digital instrument cluster.[6]

References

1. "VW (D) Orbit 1991" (in English and German). Retrieved 2024-05-07.
2. "Back to the Future With Exclusive ItalDesign Concepts From 1986". dyler.com. March 21, 2022. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
3. "Volkswagen. Les concept-cars insolites de Wolfsburg". www.largus.fr (in French). August 14, 2021. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
4. "The brilliant, beautiful cars of Italdesign". Autocar. October 24, 2019. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
5. "Project: Orbit - 1986". Retrieved 2024-05-07.
6. "The 15 Weirdest Concept Car Interiors In Automotive History". Car Throttle. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 2024-05-07.