Exactly 70 years ago, at the end of March 1950, the first vans and minibuses of the T1 series, produced in Wolfsburg starting from day 8, arrived in the dealerships of the German company, then much smaller than the current ones.
Just the T1, called Transporter to highlight its function as a 'derivative' of transport of the Beetle, has supported the growth of Volkswagen from the post-war period onwards, reaching today the significant amount of 13 million units sold.
After being built 'by hand' in 1949 to make the first prototypes for testing, the T1 was produced from 1950 to 1967. Launched as a van with a rear engine, but also as a promiscuous freight and passenger and as an eight-seater minibus, it used the Beetle's engine and gearbox and offered a maximum payload of 750 kg.
In 1951 the range was enriched with the iconic Samba model with 21 or 23 windows and folding sunroof, while a year later a pick-up version was unveiled. The success was such that production had to be transferred from Wolfsburg to Hannover in 1956, and a manufacturing line was also activated in Brazil. In 1967, when the Transporter with its characteristic windshield divided into two sections, went off the scene, the sum of those who had purchased a T1 came to around 1.9 million, making it a global success.
In that year, 1967, T2 arrived, the van that became a cultural icon in the era of 'flower power' and hippy youth movements. Transporter T2 takes the functionality of the Volkswagen van a step further. A new front, the air intake grille and the sliding door as standard are making their debut.
The lifting roof camper variant also arrives, an immediate success. Until 1979, the T2 was built in Hanover in 2.14 million units, but in fact its production continued until 2013 in the San Paolo plant, breaking the record for the longest production period.
The T3 generation of the Transporter lives between 1979 and 1992. The T3 brought the famous vehicle into the modern era with a wider body, more space for passengers and goods and greater safety. The platform and the presence of a flat engine, also available in a diesel variant, have never been seen before. In 1985 other technological innovations were added such as catalytic converters for the treatment of exhaust gases, turbocharged engines and all-wheel drive.
The California (camper) and Caravelle (luxury minivan) versions of the T3 also become popular, moving the Transporter to a higher end of the market, not a professional one. In total, 1.3 million T3s were built in Hanover in 13 years.
With the debut of the T4 in 1990 (it will continue until 2003) Volkswagen brings a technical revolution to its debut for its commercial vehicles: the engine passes in front and consequently _ with the exception of the Syncro 4x4 versions - the traction becomes front. A new design also arrives, with an elongated and more aerodynamic front, new suspensions and, for the first time, the availability of two steps. In total, the T4 generation closes in 2003 after selling 1.9 million units including van, kombi, double cabin, pick-up, single or double cabin chassis, Caravelle, Multivan and California.
Transporter T5, in production between 2003 and 2015, evolves in design and with greater attention paid to the interior and the driver's seat, as well as with a greater variety of petrol and diesel engines and an improved all-wheel drive system. In total 1.65 million units of the T5 range were produced.
In 2015, the T6 range made its debut, bringing to the market - in addition to the redesign of the front - new engines, intelligent driver assistance devices, an unprecedented infotainment system. As in T1, the two-color painting scheme also returns. In 2019, with the so-called T.1 series, the Volkswagen Transporter enters the digital era with a new dashboard, updates related to technology and connectivity, as well as a new power steering and efficient and environmentally friendly turbodiesel engines.
