At this year's Techno Classica in Essen from April 15 - 19, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will be celebrating two anniversaries in Hall 7: 65 years of the VW Bus and 30 years of all-wheel drive.
Bulli celebrates 65 years
On March 8, 1950, series production of a bestseller begins with ten vehicles per day. Its straightforward name: Type 2 - quickly becoming known as the VW Bus or Bulli.
The second model series from Wolfsburg is based on components from the Beetle, but the self-supporting body with ladder frame is new. It is available as an estate or panel van, with seats or a cargo compartment.
30 years of all-wheel drive
Around 35 years after its appearance, the third generation of the Transporter marks the start of the era of all-wheel drive versions. Its name: syncro. At that time equipped with a viscous coupling.
However, the ideas for a 4x4 go back even further. As early as 1978, five test vehicles with selectable front-wheel drive were built and put through their paces in the Sahara. The "replacement" comes with the debut of the T5. From 2003, a Haldex clutch provides power distribution to the axles and since then the all-wheel drive VW Bus has been known as 4MOTION.
Today, the all-wheel drive models are the most sought-after in all generations. Representing the respective beginnings, a Transporter from 1950 and a Caravelle GL syncro can be seen on the VW Commercial Vehicles stand. Traditionally, the Becks van and the Currywurst van will also be inviting visitors to linger. They can all be seen at the Techno Classica in Essen until April 19.
