Jalopnik: santana

Gullwinged, Amphibious Sports Car Is China's Best Creation Since Gong Li

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:40:00 EDT

The amphibious sports car isn't a new idea, there's the Rinspeed sQuba and Gibbs Aquada to name just two, but we have to give credit to the creator of this Chinese p***y magnet yellow amphicar for the addition of gullwing doors, ideal for when you're chilling on the Yangtze. We're fairly sure this is a custom job and not a Tang Hua prototype.

If you're worried you'd never be able to own a car this stylish and functional, one of the blogs pointed out that this car is likely based on the Volkswagen Santana, which is just the Chinese version of the B2 Passat. Project car anyone? [Blog.Sina.com via The Tycho]

Black Magic Cab: The Volkswagen Santana

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Besides Chinese people and hazy air, the most common sight in Shanghai simply has to be Volkswagen Santana taxis. Based on the B2 Passat, the Chinese Santana is essentially a long-wheelbase Quantum, filling roughly the same role in PRC society that the Crown Victoria does in the US. In '91, the Santana was upgraded to Santana 2000 spec, and the Santana 3000 (the first car to be developed by Shanghai Volkswagen) followed in '04. Nevertheless the O.G. Santana remains on sale. Think of the B2 as VW's Panther platform. Meanwhile, scope the gallery of Santanas going about their business on the streets and avenues of Pudong. And yes, we said Pudong. – Davey G. Johnson

Oye Como Va!: The Santana Anibal Short Line in Geneva

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 06:30:53 EST

We get a certain kind of chill thinking how trendy a Spanish-made SUV could be in certain parts of the US; in particular, Jalopnik ports of call, New York and LA. Imagine thousands of Spanophile hipsters sweating Ibiza, getting gored by Pamplona's bulls, enduring a K-hole in Madrid and rocking a Santana Anibal in Silverlake. Originally a licensee of Land Rover in the 1960s, the off-roaders have evolved somewhat over the years, with the new models sporting IVECO common-rail turbodiesels. The company showed off its new, Short Line prototype, which is its own version of the LR Defender 90. Santana plans to bring the short-wheelbase version to market by the end of the year. And maybe then some hipster's Congressman dad can get the company an import waiver. There's probably a dealership opening in Williamsburg (Brooklyn, not Colonial) as we speak. [Thanks, Mattias.]

[via Auto Motor und Sport]