Many moons ago in the 1970s the sole family car was a VW beetle that was reputed to be airtight and floatable. Not that it was ever put to that test, but judging from the rather more leaky features of the Morgan even a deep puddle or a drop of rain is a challenge.
It may have been floatable but with a low slung flat four boxer it would have died instantly - a Landie it is not..
My late father called them "Clankboxes" but he was Polish and knew the Hitler Heritage, he was right they do make a dreadful noise unlike the Scoobies with a similar arrangement albeit watercooled, quieter and considerably quicker, World Class winners in fact.
As a yoof, I liked the VW exhaust note, as it was aircooled and sounded like a four cylinder m/cycle.. Given quite how popular the Beetle became in the UK and world wide, I suspect rather a lot of folk rather liked them in time...I even owned one an old 6 volt Beetle in the seventies and was very impressed with the build quality, less so with the progress of corrosion on it`s less than well repaired bodywork.
As you suggest Richard, I suspect the engine would cease to run in short order once the water reached dizzy or carb intake level..
As an aside my father in law, was a WWII vet and after years of him running both Ford and BL, and that his second new metro leaked water in exactly the same place as the first... I was reluctant to suggest he try a Micra, which he did, after which he stuck with Nissan till he could no longer drive.... I guess one could say much the same about the switch from Brit to Japanese m/cycles for much the same reasons.. Now it seems to be a similar story emerging re the Chinese in the EV market in the UK and elsewhere.... Do we still make anything here...Hmm..?
