The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or Kombi, informally as Bus or Camper, was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen. To Europeans and Americans the Volkswagen Bus is a distant memory of days gone by. Once commonly used as every day transportation for all walks of life, the Bus has been sent to the vast pantheon of automotive history.
In Latin America the story is different, because Brazil still makes them. The Bus' popularity and desirability in Europe and the fact that they are still coming out brand new in Brazil created a magnificent opportunity for Volkswagen's Dutch operations and as of last month, the Bus is available as a 2012 model.
4 comment(s):
We called them microbuses in the US. My family had one (actually two) when I was growing up, and it's what I learned to drive on!
They still have a big following here in So California but you don't see many of them on the road. The rear mounted, air cooled engine design does not do well in our hot weather and they tend to catch fire.
Owners keep them in pristine condition and rarely trot them out aside from likeminded gatherings. I always wanted one myself to add to the string of vintage bugs and square backs (also fire traps) I have owned over the years but it has never come to pass. Now they are too expensive to restore!
Thanks for sharing as always Gerrard.
You've been able to buy them in the UK for quite a long time, but not through official VW agents. They are also far from cheap when fitted with a full camper conversion.
I had a 1970 model camper that I drove for many years. It is my favorite vehicle of all that I have owned. I sold it when it needed an expensive repair at over 200,000 miles. My only problem with it was the lack of a sufficient heating system. I would like to have one today.
Stanley
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