The
«Beetle», the 600, the «4latas», «the cirila»…only a handful of vehicles have become iconic. And none have been as long-lasting as the Volkswagen Transporter, the Bulli or simply ‘the hippie bus’, emblem of the social and cultural revolution of the 1960s and pioneer of tourism on wheels.
Today,
75 years after his birth, the price of the first and second generation models, T1 and T2, skyrockets on the second-hand market. Units can be found from €35,000 (many of the more affordable ones assembled in Brazil, where the T1 was produced until 1975) or even upwards of €100,000. The most coveted examples are in high demand, as evidenced by the recent FurgoVolkswagen, the annual owners meeting in Sant Pere Pescador (Gerona).
“She’s still one of the family,” says Eduardo, owner of a 1966 T1 of the Bus variant, the most desired. His, in red and white, shows off a
excellent state of preservation: still in original paint and barely 140,000 kilometers. Originally bought by a wealthy businessman from Barcelona, he used it for years to take his children to school, with a driver at the wheel.
The original idea for the Transporter came from the Dutch car importer
Ben Pon, who in 1947 saw a Beetle modified to carry metal plates by some workers at the brand’s factory. A “solution” that served as inspiration to sketch a model of greater habitability.
Heinrich NordhoffVolkswagen factory director, took over from Ben Pon: a few years later he presented four prototypes: two vans that could transport 750 kilograms of cargo, a combi and a small bus with a capacity of eight passengers.
Nordhoff promised that the Transporter would be as powerful and robust as the Beetle itself: “These vehicles will not be handled with care, but
very demanding for daily work» he assured. Mounted on a central tubular frame, its resistance was one of the keys to its success, in addition to its unusual and casual design. Ten years later, there were up to 30 different options on the market and sales grew exponentially.
“My dad bought it in 1985. He called it”
the grandmother‘ says Eduardo, who runs CamperCar, a restoration company for this type of vehicle and also has a Karmann Ghia, two T2s and two other T3s in his enviable garage, as well as a 1956 ‘Beetle’.
Right now, a man offers to buy it for her within five minutes, and onlookers wander. Good evidence that the “pull” of the model is getting stronger. That is why Volkswagen wants to give continuity with the new ID. Buzz, now powered by a 100 percent electric motor, will arrive at the end of this year.
San Pere Pescador was exactly the setting the brand chose for its debut in Spain, in front of an ‘audience’ of more than 800 Volkswagen Transporter owners and almost 6,000 visitors. One of them, Christian, boarded an ID card in Girona. Buzz in a motorhome, with mattress and folding kitchen, with which he will tour half of Europe until the end of summer.
Volkswagen employee, ensures that you can already cover long distances in an electric vehicle.
You need to change your mindset to use the time at the stops to recharge,” he says. “But it is not necessary to check the route in advance, because there are already many charging points on the highway, at least in France and Germany.”
After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, fans and owners reunited in the Girona city of Sant Pere Pescador on May 27, 28 and 29. This year’s edition, number 18, saw a record attendance, with more than 6,000 people and 800 vans present, from all generations of Transporter, including the recently launched plug-in hybrid Multivan PHEV, with 50 kilometers of electric autonomy. Born spontaneously in 2004, and growing in participation year after year, taking into account its last editions with the support of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which has chosen the format to maintain contact with its customers throughout its lifetime. In fact, the brand has just launched the “The Originals” community, which revolves around its own web portal with access to vehicle information and exclusive lotteries, with the aim of building a long-lasting emotional connection with buyers.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
