Volkswagen Bus Through the Years

The Iconic VW Bus: from Type 2 to ID. Buzz

The story of how the VW ID. Buzz came into existence as a long and winding road that started all the way back in 1947 when the first concept drawings of the VW Bus came to life. It was very loosely based on a vehicle called the Plattenwagen, or the flat car. That vehicle was made specifically for use at the VW factory to move parts from one location to the other in the most efficient way. The VW Bus took that idea and applied it to moving people in the most efficient way possible, and it’s been a hit around the globe ever since. Here’s the full story of a legend on four wheels.

1st Generation (1949-1967)

1954 Volkswagen Type 2 – media.vw.com |  Shop Volkswagen Bus on Carsforsale.com

• Dubbed the Type 2 upon production, the first generation is referred to as the T1 in most circles despite not having that name when produced.
• At the initial launch just two versions of the Bus were available. One focused on carrying passengers, called the Kombi, and the other was made for cargo hauling.
• Each one used a two-piece V-shaped windshield to improve aerodynamics.
• Shortly thereafter, many additional versions came online including the MicroBus and the Deluxe MicroBus.
• An ambulance model was brought online in 1951 and a version with a truck bed instead of an enclosed cargo space was also created.

• That same year, VW began production of the Samba or the Sunroof Deluxe as it was called in the USA.
• The Bus couldn’t have come at a better time in America as it offered the counterculture of the 60s a perfect way to stand out from the crowd.
• Thanks to its ample size and seating, it also allowed owners to bring a crowd with them to festivals or protests.
• Power originally came from an air-cooled flat four-cylinder engine making around 24-horsepower.
• By 1955, a more potent 30-horsepower version was developed and by 1959 40-horsepower units were in production.

2nd Generation (1967-1979)

• A new generation was introduced in 1967 with many changes including a single piece of glass for the front windshield.
• Four different versions of the VW Bus were built.
• They include two pickup versions, one crew cab, and one regular cab.
• The lineup also featured a pair of four-door vans, one panel, and one minibus.
• It’s commonly called the “bay window” or “the bread loaf” due to its shape.

• Everything about the vehicle was a bit bigger including overall weight and total horsepower.
• A 1.6-liter air-cooled engine developed a whopping 47-horsepower at initial release but grew into a 2.0-liter with about 70-horsepower before the end of its generation.
• This would be the very last version of the Bus to feature nothing but air-cooled engines.
• It was the first VW Bus to offer a 4WD version of the platform.

3rd Generation (1979-1991)

1985 Volkswagen Camper Vanagon – carsforsale.com |  Shop Volkswagen Vanagon on Carsforsale.com

• As the 80s hit, Volkswagen provided the sharpest Bus yet with angular lines and a distinct lack of curvaceous surfaces.
• It would prove to be the final version of the VW Bus that featured a cab-over design where the driver was seated above the front axle.
• It’s also the last to have the engine placed all the way in the back of the vehicle.
• In America, it was sold as the Vanagon, a portmanteau of station wagon and van.
• Both rear and 4WD models were offered once more.

• A Camper version was offered with an integrated kitchen including a refrigerator.
• By 1983, the first water-cooled engine was installed in the Bus. It made 83-horsepower thanks in part to fuel-injection technology.
• Volkswagen added tech inside the cabin too with features like air conditioning, power steering, and heated mirrors making their first appearance on the Bus.
• This generation of the Bus ended US market production in 1991.
• 1992 was skipped altogether but the vehicle itself continued to be made in South Africa until 2002.

4th Generation (1993-2003)

1995 Volkswagen Eurovan – carsforsale.com |  Shop Volkswagen Eurovan on Carsforsale.com

• This is the very first version of the Bus that most would consider modern.
• It ditched the rear-engine platform for a far more conventional front-wheel-drive, front-engine layout.
• It also moved the entire passenger compartment back behind the front axle and grew in size to accommodate more cargo.
• Under the hood, five different engines ended up being available starting out with an 83-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder.

• Every other engine featured five or six cylinders culminating with the 2.8-liter VR6 which made a whopping 201-horsepower at 6,200 RPM.
• It wasn’t sent to America until 1992 as a 93 model year but was well-received when it arrived.
• In a shift from the previous nomenclature of Vanagon, the new Bus was called the Eurovan.
• It was the very last Bus sold here in America.

5th Generation (2003-2015)

• Volkswagen continued selling the Bus around the globe though and the fifth generation had some big advantages over the one it replaced.
• First, it was considerably larger and even had one configuration that could seat 11 people.
• In addition, it had the widest range of engine options for a VW Bus ever including both diesel engines and even a 232-horsepower gas-burner.
• Across Europe it was considered one of the best vans available due to excellent safety scores and outstanding versatility.

6th Generation (2015 – Present)

2016 Volkswagen Transporter – netcarshow.com |  Shop Volkswagen Transporter on Carsforsale.com

• Volkswagen refined the Bus further with an update to the platform in 2015. Some argue that this version is just a facelift of the fifth gen but VW says otherwise.
• In any case, it does feature modern technology like never before including VW Group’s Digital Cockpit driver information display.
• Multiple models are on offer including a shuttle, a chassis cab variant, and a camper van version with a pop-up top.

7th Generation (22-)

• The ID. Buzz is the first new Bus in the states since the fourth generation was discontinued. It’s also the very first all-electric version of the Bus.
• It returns to the rear-wheel-drive or AWD power of the past with a battery powering the pair or foursome.
• It goes on sale this year in Europe though no pricing has yet been released. Estimates of a starting price have ranged from $40,000 to $60,000.

• American customers will need to wait till 2023 to see what the North American production version will look like and then until 2024 before they can buy it.
• We do know that VW is planning to make it longer than the one sold in Europe.
• That Euro spec one makes 201-horsepower and features a range somewhere in the neighborhood of 275 miles.
• VW has promised that the ID. Buzz will come in a variety of versions including a camper van though we don’t know when.

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