The Volkswagen Bus
Also called Type 2 - is the second model which was produced by postwar Volkswagen. After the Second World War there was a large demand for commercial vehicles, Volkswagen soon developed itself as the leader in this segment. Under the name, Type 2 they brought 5 variations on the market, from the T1 to T5. The name Type 2 is, in contrary to what sometimes is thought, not synonymous for a T2 bus. During the fifties the Type 2 had no competition. Of course many car manufactures around the world constructed a commercial vehicle, because many retailers were simply dependent on their van, with the introduction of the Volkswagen Bus it was the start of a new era.
The early versions of the T1 van until 1955 were often called the T1a or "Barndoor", because of the enormous rear engine cover, while the later versions with a slightly modified body (the roofline above the windshield is extended), smaller engine bay, and 15 in (381 mm) wheels instead of the original 16 in (406 mm) ones were called the T1b. From the 1963 model year, when the rear door was made wider (same as on the T2), the vehicle was referred to as the T1c. 1963 also saw the introduction of an optional sliding door for the passenger/cargo area instead of the outwardly hinged doors typical of cargo vans. This change arguably makes the 1963 VW the first true minivan, although the term wouldn't be coined for another three decades.
In 1962, a heavy-duty Transporter was introduced as a factory option. It featured a cargo capacity of one metric ton (1,000 kg) instead of the previous 750 kg, smaller but wider 14 in (356 mm) wheels, and a 1.5 L, 42 DIN hp (31 kW) engine. This was so successful that only a year later, the 750 kg, 1.2 L Transporter was discontinued. When the Beetle received the 1.5 L engine for the 1967 model year, its power was increased to 44 hp DIN (32 kW).
A lot of diversity
Among American enthusiasts, it is common to refer to the different models by the number of their windows. The basic Kombi or Bus had 11-windows. Deluxe models had 15-windows, but was not available in Europe. The sunroof deluxe versions had eight skylight windows and is known as the 23-window. A 13-window and 21-window version were produced starting in 1963.
