1987 VW Cabriolet Specs

• The Volkswagen Rabbit was introduced as replacement for the Beetle in the mid-1970s. The Rabbit featured a water-cooled front-mounted four-cylinder engine, a first for Volkswagen. The German body maker, Karmann, made convertible bodies for Volkswagen from Rabbit cars. The first Rabbit Convertible was introduced in late 1979 as a 1980 model. The name was changed from the Rabbit Convertible to the Cabriolet in 1985. The Cabriolet was improved over the years, but by 1987 still looked remarkably like the original. The body had angular lines and there was a structural roll-bar visible in the passenger compartment when the top was down.

General Information

• There were 13,563 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolets sold in North America. Top speed was 103 miles per hour and the acceleration time from a stop to 60 miles per hour was 13 seconds. The standard vinyl-upholstered interior consisted of twin bucket seats in the front and a bench seat in the rear. Leather seating surfaces were optional. The steering wheel was black on all models and had a distinctive circular pattern on the horn pad. Passenger compartment air bags were not available. This was the last year of Cabriolet to have the large, single round headlights of the original. In 1988 the Cabriolet used a dual-headlight system. Air conditioning was available as an option, but curiously cool air came out of the side vents only, and not the center vents. The heater and the venting system exited air from the center vents.

Engine and Mechanical

• The 1987 Cabriolet was powered by a 1.8-liter displacement in-line, four-cylinder engine with an output of 95 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 105 foot-pounds of torque at 3,000 rpm. The compression ratio was 8.5:1. The 1987 Cabriolet came with a five-speed manual transmission, with a three-speed automatic being optional. The braking system was power assisted and consisted of vented discs up front and drums in the rear. Anti-lock braking system, ABS, was not available.

Exterior Dimensions

• The overall length of a 1987 Cabriolet is 151.3 inches. The total width was 64.2 inches. The overall height was 55.6 inches with the top up, while the ground clearance was 4.9 inches. The wheelbase was 94.5 inches and the minimum turning radius was 31.2 feet. Total weight of the car was 2,254 lbs. The fuel tank could hold a maximum of 13.8 gallons. The standard wheel size was 5 1/2 inches by 13 inches.