Volkswagen Orbit (1986) Explained

Volkswagen Orbit
Production:	1986
Designer:	Italdesign Giugiaro
Layout:	Front-engine, four-wheel-drive
Engine:	I4 SOHC

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]

Notes and References

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