It is time for a small party in Wolfsburg, because the Transporter is exactly seventy years old this month. The now iconic van has grown into one of the best-selling commercial vehicles, with a total production of more than 13 million units.
With the Transporter, Volkswagen has the longest-running production of a company car. The very first Transporter, also known as T1 popularly, rolls off the production line on March 8, 1950. This happens after Volkswagen presented a handmade prototype a year earlier. The T1, recognizable by the split windshield, gets the engine from the rear axle and is eventually produced as a van and as a passenger car. The most iconic version is perhaps the Samba version presented in 1951. You can recognize these by all side windows that are placed around the entire body. Owners can store up to 750 kg of luggage in the van. Halfway through production, the entire line is moved from Wolfsburg to Hanover. When the T2 shows up in 1967, 1.9 million customers bought a Transporter.
T2 and T3
Building on the previous success, Volkswagen firmly adheres to the design of the T1 at the T2. It will be a bit more modern, with a tighter front with a large windshield and a new grille. The side door is now a sliding door and for the first time the Transporter is building a camper. Volkswagen built 2.14 million units until 1979. Production does not stop there, because the T2 will be built in Sao Paulo, Brazil, until 2013. The T3 is now being built in Hanover: a completely new and above all modern design. Diesels are added to the range, as is the first official California camper version. The design focuses on improved safety and, above all, better road holding. In the mid-1980s, Volkswagen improved the technology and came with turbo blocks and even four-wheel drive. In total, 1.3 million T3s are born.
T2: 1967-1979
T4, T5 and T6
In the early 90’s we meet the T4. The Transporter enters a new chapter, as the engine and drive are moved to the front of the bus. Furthermore, a more rounded design, (optionally) a longer body and a wide range of engines feature the fourth generation. With the bus, Volkswagen has several goals: from double-cab van to pick-up and from Caravelle to Multivan. In 2003 the T5 takes over the baton. This is the basis for the van that we know to this day. The design focuses more than ever on the comfort of the occupants and gives the van access to all new technologies and conveniences. The T6 will arrive in 2015, but is no more than a further development of the T5. The carriage is drawn a little more in line with the rest of the modern family. The engines are also making a significant innovation. The facelifted T6 has been with dealers for some time. Volkswagens total counter of Transporters is over 13 million units. A full electric ID bus is reported to be unveiled in due course. Would that mean the end of an iconic name?