Vintage VW Bus - The Bulli is 75 years old
The vintage VW Bus is a source of emotion - driving a Bulli is a way of life! The first one was built in 1960! The T1, T2, T3, and T4 are welcome guests at classic car meets - short history of the vintage Bulli / VW bus
The VW Bulli Bus was built until 2003 and continues to delight all classic car fans at classic car and Bulli meets today. Here are the times and locations of the numerous 2025 VW Bulli meets in Northern Germany, including Salzburg - in German: VW-Bulli-Treffen im Land Norddeutschland bis Salzburg
VW Bus 75th anniversary. It's been cherished and cared for. It's loved! Who doesn't fondly remember a study trip in a VW Bus? - From the 1960s to the Golf generation, there are probably some who are nodding now. - It went to France, Italy, or simply to the nearest lake. Usually, someone had a guitar with them and strummed songs by Stevens and the like around the campfire. Vintage car fans carry this memory or a completely different one with them, because a VW Bus evokes emotion. Now the family bus – affectionately known as the VW Bus – is celebrating its 75th birthday, and all fans and VW Bus drivers are already looking forward to the big VW Bus reunions in the anniversary year of 2025.
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| T1 with original patina at the ACM classic car meeting on the Theresienwiese in Munich - Photo archive:Helga Waess (Pressearchiv) |
The Volkswagen Group developed the VW Bus in Wolfsburg in 1960, initially for its own internal transport
The VW Bus was initially used only at the factory. At that time, no one was even thinking about a van series. The company simply converted the decommissioned chassis of a Beetle. It was covered with wooden panels, and they had a loading area.
That's how it all began. The success story followed with the T1, T2, T3, and T4 models, which lasted for decades and only ended in 2003.
Initially just a nickname: Bulli or Bully
Once the T1 series was decided upon, the factory looked for a name. "Bulli" or "Bully" was one of many suggestions for the new model. However, trademark rights to the "Bulldog" had already been registered, and there was a risk of confusion. So the VW Bus remained.
The word marks Bulli and Bully were only acquired by the VW Group on the 60th anniversary of the VW bus.
It all began with series production of the Type 2 T1.
Series production of the Type 2 T1 began in Wolfsburg in March 1950. Here are a few technical details:
- Rear-wheel drive
- Air-cooled 4-cylinder boxer engine
- Initially only 25 hp
- Rotary disc suspension
- Drum brakes
- Load capacity: initially 760 kg / later 1 ton
The T1 was built from 1950 to 1967.
The T2 from 1967 to 1979 (a total of 2.5 million vehicles were produced)
The T3 was built from 1979 to 1992.
The T4 was a completely redesigned model. It was the first model with front-wheel drive. The redesigned Bulli was then available from 1990 to 2003.
The T4 marked the end of the success story of the legendary Bulli series at VW. All four models were available as minibuses, flatbed trucks and panel vans.
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| Bully T1 with original patina at the ACM classic car meeting on the Theresienwiese in Munich - Photo archive: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv) |
Articles IN THIS art-culture blog on the topic of vintage Bulli/VW-Bus
here in German:
- VW-Bulli-T1-Samba-Oldtimer. Volkswagen Bulli - T1: Bulli T1-Sonderedition Samba - Ein Scheunenfund erfreut die Oldtimer-Szene. Caramba ein Samba
- BULLI-FESTIVAL 2017 in Wolfsburg und Hannover. Wolfsburg feiert das 70-jährige Jubiläum des "Bulli's" - T-Baureihe wird 70! Sonntag, 6. August 2017 - Bulli-Parade von Wolfsburg nach Hannover-Stöcken und Open-Air-Abschluss-Party des Bulli Sommer Festivals
- OSTSEE, Fehmarn: Oldtimer Bulli Festival: Oldtimer - Termin im Juni - 15.-18.06.17. Treffen: mit dem Bulli an die Küste - Midsummer Bulli Festival am Südstrand von Fehmarn
- VW-Bus Oldtimer Bulli: Der VW-Bus als Oldtimer - Ein VW-Bus ist Emotion. Er wird gehegt und gepflegt. Er wird geliebt.
