May 27th, 2009 | 
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Several things can be said about the Volkswagen Cabrio series: including the polarizing reactions most buyers have towards their car. The four-cylinder engine is at the heart of the strong emotions, it is powerful for its class and delivers a large amount of torque.
Volkswagen Cabrio Engine Specs
The restyled Cabrio Base is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that utilizes 8 valves. The engine is mated to a Volkswagen five-speed transaxle. This has resulted in an increase in horsepower and torque over the 1997 version.
The fuel system for the 1998 Cabrio is a traditional Bosch Motronic, running on gasoline fuel. The fuel is controlled by an electronic system and is a fuel-injected MFI design. The capacity of the fuel tank is 14.50 gallons.
The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are drum. Steering is handled through a power-steering rack-style configuration. The Cabrio uses power-assisted brakes, with Non-ABS support. Load balancing is provided by coil front springs and coil in the rear.
Statistics
The Cabrio is 160.40 inches long, 66.70 inches wide, and 56.00 inches high. It has a wheelbase of 97.40 inches. It is able to seat 4 comfortably.
The listed retail price in 1998 (MSRP) was $22,290, with a dealer invoice cost of $20,240. This price is in line with the industry average price for a two-door Convertible.
There is a 50,000* mile, 60* month warranty with this vehicle, including a powertrain warranty of 50,000*/36* miles/months. This is normal for this price range.
Fuel Efficiency
The 1998 Cabrio gets 29 - 31 miles/gallon on the highway and only 22 - 24 in the city. This is below average for a convertible car.
Parting Shots
There are several reasons why the Volkswagen Cabrio Base sold well in 1998. Mainly the increase in availability and a marked improvement in quality meant the buying public was more apt to choose a Volkswagen, specifically a Cabrio.
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