Known as the Volkswagen Bulli, Kombi, Type 2, or even simply the “hippy van,” the famous people carrier is celebrating its 70th anniversary. Since it rolled off the Wolfsburg production line, there have been six generations and over 13 million sold.
Revealed as a hand-built panel van prototype in 1949, the T1 eventually launched as a rear-engined panel van, passenger van, and eight-seat bus with the engine and gearbox shared with the Volkswagen Beetle. In 1951, the iconic “Samba” model was revealed with all-round windows and folding sunroof. Production moved from Wolfsburg to Hannover in 1956 while some were even produced in Brazil. By 1967, around 1.9 million people had purchased the T1 with its “splittie” windscreen, making it a global success.
With the T1 forging its name as something of a cultural icon in the “flower power” era, the successor had a lot to live up to. The T2 took the utility of the van on a step further with a new front end and air intake grille. A sliding door was now standard, and the pop-up roof camper version became an instant hit with globetrotters. During its run, 2.14 million vehicles were built at the Hannover plant although production continued until 2013 at the Volkswagen plant in Sao Paulo, breaking the record for longest production period.
In the modern era, Volkswagen also offered the T4 under its then distributor in the 1990s. Known as the Caravelle, this generation marked a technical revolution wherein it switched to a front-engine, front-wheel drive design for the first time. This enabled it to offer more engine choices and even better handling.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to comment or share your views. Comments that are derogatory and/or spam will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to moderate and/or remove comments.