Throughout November and December, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is celebrating two significant anniversaries at the AutoMuseum in Wolfsburg, Germany.  It’s 60 years since Heinrich Nordhoff presented the first prototype Transporter van to the press, and 30 years since the third generation Transporter was launched.  Both anniversaries come at a time when Volkswagen is preparing to celebrate the launch of the latest versions of the Transporter van and today’s people carrier and camping derivatives, the Caravelle and California, in the new year.   The first generation of Transporter prototype, a Dove Blue panel van, is on show, together with memorabilia from all generations of Transporter.  The T1 is affectionately known as the ‘splittie’ thanks to its distinctive split windscreen which was initially derived from ideas generated by the T1 Beetle.  

Also on display – and a very appealing attraction – is the so-called Beck’s Bus, a converted Volkswagen T1 with a built-in bar dispensing ice-cold beer.    From T1 right through to T3, which was launched in 1979, the rear-mounted, air-cooled engine was a hallmark of the model range.  Only in 1984 was the engine changed for a water-cooled unit.   The Transporter is Volkswagen’s best-selling model in the UK and worldwide.  Over one million of the current model have been sold since introduction in 2003, making a total of over 10 million since production started in March 1950.    For more information on the exhibition please visit http://automuseum.volkswagen.de/veranstaltungen.html (German site); for more details on the whole Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles range please go to your local Van Centre or see www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk.