VW T1 | 1950 - 1967
The design of the original VW Transporter (more commonly known as the splitscreen or splitty) was based on a sketch created by a Dutch businessman following his visit to the VW factory. The vehicle came with a split windshield but variations over the years included changes to the Volkswagen air-cooled engine, the wheels, cargo capacity, rear barn doors and the engine bay size. From 1964, sliding doors were also added as an option. Customers could choose from a variety of model options; the Panel Van, Microbus (7-seater and 9-seater versions), Samba, Kombi, Ambulance, Pick-Up and Double Cab.
VW T2 | 1967 - 1979
The T2 came onto the market in 1967 following the success of the T1. It was more commonly known as the "Bay Window" or "Bay" thanks to the disappearance of the T1's split windscreen. The T2 was larger and heavier than the previous Transporter and came with a number of upgrades. Modifications included a larger engine, 12 volt battery/electrical system, half-shaft axle rear suspension, 90 degree front doors, front brake discs, new wheels with brake ventilation and side bars.
VW T3 | 1979 - 1992
The next Transporter once again grew in size and weight but unlike the previous models, the T3 was marketed under different names around the world. It was known as the Transporter/Caravelle in Europe, the Minibus in South Africa and the Vanagon in North and South America. Features included air conditioning, power steering and heated mirrors and it also had larger disc plates in the front and larger drums in the rear than earlier T2s.
VW T4 | 1990 - 2003
Due to the success of the previous Transporters, VW brought the T4 to market in 1990 - the first of it's kind to have a water-cooled engine at the front of the vehicle. It came with a range of options including a standard or high-top roof, sliding doors on passenger side or both, short nose at the front of the vehicle or a long nose to allow room for a V6 engine and a permanent 4WD system. The T4 had a successful 13 years on the market due to being established as a great base for converting into a camper van.
VW T5 | 2003 - 2016
The T5 was available in a range of variants and configurations such as the Van, Minibus, Single-Cab, Double-Cab, Drop-Sdie and Chassis Truck. It was also available as a people carrier with 4 different seating options. The Kombi was the entry level people carrier, able to carry up to 11 people and available in every roof height and wheel base option. The next level up was The Shuttle which was only available as a Short Wheelbase or Long Wheelbase but came with optional extras like colour-coded bumpers and bench seats. The Caravelle came with more of the Kombi and Shuttle features as standard but could only seat up to 10 people. Finally, the Multivans were the most spacious option. They seated 6/7 people with a rail feature that allowed the seats to slide forward and back. Optional extras could also be added onto the rails and were moveable.
VW T6 | 2015 - Present
The T6 is the most recent and most car-like Transporter to-date. It came with numerous cosmetic changes including a new front-bumper and grill design, changes to the light clusters and position of the side repeaters, a large rear window, slightly modified rear bumper and a scallop around the licence plate mounting area. It's 15% more economical on fuel consumption, has a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gear box option for higher-output models and a driving alert system that can detect when the driver is tired.
It is these T6 Transporters that we convert into top-of-the-line Multivans. To find out exactly how we are converting these iconic vehicles, visit our Collections page.