The Volkswagen (VW) name is one of the longest-standing in automobile history. Founded in 1937, the company now encompasses other brands, such as Porsche, Audi, and Skoda.

Over the years, famous Volkswagens like the Golf and Scirocco have emerged from their factory. Plus, a few rarities along the way.

This list features 24 of the rarest VW models. It includes low-volume production vehicles, Volkswagens that have become rare, and a few of the company’s best concept cars and prototypes.

Volkswagen XL1

Volkswagen XL1
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Volkswagen produced just 250 XL1s, one of the most exciting vehicles in its history. The futuristic-looking coupe is a diesel hybrid that achieves an astronomical 260 MPG. This is thanks to its highly aerodynamic body, the 800 cc mid-mounted two-cylinder diesel, and the 25 hp electric motor.

2001-2003 Volkswagen New Beetle RSi

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The New Beetle, introduced in 1998, previewed Volkswagen launching a high-performance version a few years later. This was the RSi, with a 221 hp 3.2-liter VR6 engine under the hood and a six-speed manual transmission. Volkswagen produced 250 RSi Beetles, and it’s not unheard of for them to sell for at least $70,000.

1965 Volkswagen Type 147

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The Type 147 Kleinlieferwagon was first commissioned in the 1960s by the German postal service. The Type 147 used the Type 14 and the Beetle powertrain platform, with parts sourced from other VW vehicles. Volkswagen built just 6,139 examples between 1964 and 1972.

1961 Volkswagen 1500 Cabriolet Prototype

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The 1500 Cabriolet prototype is one of the rarest of all Volkswagens, with just 16 produced, all hand-built. The car was first shown to the world at the 1961 Frankfurt Auto Show, with the folding top featuring a glass rear window. The vehicle never entered production, but the Volkswagen Museum does have two of them in its collection.

2001 Volkswagen Nardo W12 Coupe Concept

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Volkswagen isn’t known for supercars, but the W12 Coupe Concept was an ambitious move in that direction. The W12 supercar was ultra-reliable, running around the VW test track for 24 hours and covering up to 5,000 miles. Sadly, the 414 hp car would not go into production, but it proved that Volkswagen could produce a supercar.

Volkswagen Brezel Käfer

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The Brezel Kafer, or Pretzel Beetle, is one of the Beetle’s rarest forms. The nickname came from the shape of the split rear window, and their wartime creation makes them exceptionally rare. The Volkswagen Museum in Stiftung has one example on display, making it a rare survivor of a wartime KdF-Wagen.

Volkswagen Phaeton W12 LWB

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Volkswagen will often share platforms and ideas with other companies within the Volkswagen Group, such as Audi. In the early 2000s, the company did less of this, resulting in the W12 Phaeton. Under the hood was a 6.0-liter W12 with 437 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. Volkswagen produced 24 examples, and the car shared its platform with the Bentley Flying Spur.

1961-1969 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Type 34

1966 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Type 34
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The Karmann-Ghia is one of the most beautiful of all Volkswagens. Based on the Bettle Type 1, the bodywork is hand-shaped by Italy’s Carrozzeria Ghia. But the Type 34 version is actually based on the Bettle Type 3, and at the time, it was Volkswagen’s most expensive and luxurious vehicle. Just 42,505 examples were ever produced, making them scarce in 2024.

Volkswagen Mk1 VW Golf 16S Oettinger

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There was a desire to extract more power from the first-generation Golf for some enthusiasts. So VAG of France came up with the 16S Oetinger. This was the most powerful production Golf Mk1 ever built but also one of the rarest. The 16-valve twin-cam-head engine had 136 hp, and VAG produced just 1,250 units exclusively for France and Switzerland.

Volkswagen Touareg W12 Sport

Volkswagen Touareg W12 Sport
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The Toureg W12 Sport came just two years after VW launched the Touareg. It had the same W12 engine as the Phaeton W12 sedan, giving the Touareg 135 hp more than the standard Toureg V10 TDI. Volkswagen planned to make just 500 units, but demand saw a few extras produced. It remains one of the rarest VWs of all time.

1989 Volkswagen Futura

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The 1989 Futura was an Integrated Research Volkswagen (IRVW) packing plenty of innovative technology for the time. This included distance sensors, parking and braking assistance, and an electronic parking brake. The radical gull-wing doors also gave the Futura a very modern appearance. The Futura never entered production, but the original design elements did make it onto the production ID.3 EV.

2005 Volkswagen EcoRacer

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The 2005 EcoRacer diesel concept was a convertible, coupe, and speedster all rolled into one. Volkswagen made it the most economical sports car of all time, with a 136 hp diesel engine and a top speed of 142 mph. Carbon fiber made up its construction and had a bold and futuristic design. Drivers could even remove the windscreen frame and the roof to make the EcoRacer a speedster.

2014 Volkswagen XL Sport

2014 Volkswagen XL Sport
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Volkswagen entered the supercar field once again with the XL Sport of 2014. The design is similar to the XL1 and is an evolution of that very car. The XL Sport has a 200 hp two-cylinder engine under the hood, good enough for a 0-62 mph time of just 5.7 seconds. The engine itself comes from a Ducati 1199 Superleggera.

1986 Volkswagen Scooter

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The Scooter is a three-wheel, front-wheel drive car aimed at city driving. The engine was front-mounted, while the bodywork was two-door coupe style. VW also went with gull-wing doors to add a sportier side to the 40-hp Scooter.

1954 Volkswagen Beetle 1200 Deluxe Cabriolet

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The 1200 Deluxe Cabriolet is one of the many evolutions of the original Type 1 Beetle. Under the hood is a 1,192 cc engine with a mere 36 hp, but it is much lighter than modern vehicles. VW would produce 202,174 1200 Deluxes. However, just 1,470 of those were in Cabriolet trim. Their rarity has made them incredibly valuable, and one sold for $66,125 at RM Sotheby’s in 2013.

Volkswagen Golf (Mk2) G60 Limited

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The Mk2 Golf is sometimes viewed as the finest hot hatch of the 1980s, with up to seven different versions leaving plenty to choose from. Some were extra special, such as the G60 Limited based on the Rallye. Volkswagen produced just 71 Golf G60s, all from its motorsport division. Changes from the standard Mk2 Golf included the exclusive G60 supercharger, 16-valve engine, and Syncro all-wheel drive.

1973-1976 Volkswagen SP2

Image Credit: Volkswagen do Brasil -Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

The Volkswagen SP2 is a remarkable VW, born from Brazil’s ceasing of imports in the 1970s. Based on the Volkswagen Type 3, the rear-mounted air-cooled SP2 is exceptionally rare, with just 10,000 units produced in three years. Rust would sadly plague the SP2; only a few remain on Brazilian roads. A few did sneak out of the country but can sell for as much as $50,000 in the US.

Volkswagen Mk1 Scirocco Storm

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The Mk1 Scirocco Storm is one of the rarest of all Sciroccos. The Storm is a coach-built version produced by Karmann, with a 108 hp 1.6-liter engine under the hood. This is good enough for 115 mph. Storms are rare in any country, with just 13 taxed on UK roads as of 2023.

2002 Volkswagen Magellan

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Possibly one of Volkswagen’s ugliest concepts, the Magellan was a cross between a car, SUV, and pickup truck. VW’s Spanish Design Center created the Magellan, and it had 19-inch wheels, air suspension, and a 2+2+2 layout in the spacious interior. The questionable-looking Magellan, however, did not progress beyond the concept stage.

2018 Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak

2018 Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak
Image Credit: Volkswagen.

The Atlas Tanoak was Volkswagen’s first foray into a pickup truck for the US market. It debuted at the New York International Auto Show in 2018 with a V6 under the hood. It would become the world’s first pickup based on the modular transverse toolkit. However, after two years, Volkswagen decided not to put the Atlas Tanoak into production.

1963 Volkswagen EA128 Prototype

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The 1963 EA128 was Volkswagen’s vision for a new luxury car with plenty of interior space for occupants. The EA128 had a three-place front bench, allowing the vehicle to sit six people comfortably. The EA128 even had the 2.0-liter air-cooled engine borrowed from the Porsche 911.

1949 Volkswagen T1 Prorotype

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The 1949 T1 is arguably one of the most famous VW prototypes. The T1 is the prototype for the Type 2 Transporter, proving Volkswagen could produce a reliable and practical utility vehicle. The T1 also has the honor of being an attractive-looking van.

1991-1995 Volkswagen Corrado VR6

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The Corrado VR6 would elevate the Corrado nameplate to a new level. The VR6 was the high-performance version of the coupe, with a 2.8-liter VR6 engine under the hood with 179 horsepower and 177 pounds of torque. It proved to be a powerful, comfortable, and reliable coupe, but with less than 100,000 produced, it is a tough find on the used car market.

2003 Volkswagen Golf R32

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It might seem understated, but the Golf R32 is one of the best versions of the hatchback. Added to the Mk4 Golf range in 2003, the R32 has a 3.2-liter VR6 engine under the hood with 237 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. This is the same engine found in that year’s Audi TT. The R32 was the world’s first production car with a dual-shift transmission.

Author: Henry Kelsall

Henry is a freelance writer, with a love for all things motoring whether it be classic sports cars, or Formula 1 racing. He has freelanced for over eight years now, mostly in automotive matters, but he has also dabbled in other forms of writing too. He has a lot of love for Japanese classics and American muscle cars, in particular the Honda NSX and first-generation Ford Mustang. When not writing, Henry is often found at classic car events or watching motorsports at home, but he also has a curious passion for steam trains and aviation.

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