Exhibition Wolfsburg: VW Bus - 75 Years of the Bulli

Exhibition tip: for the classic car anniversary - The VW Bus turns 75

Happy Birthday Bulli! The VW Bus turns 75 - Under the title "From Samba to Stromer," the Autostadt celebrates the Bulli at the Zeithaus in Wolfsburg.

Special exhibition shows all Bulli models, from the legendary T1 to the ID Buzz (Deutsch)

Wolfsburg. Happy Birthday Bulli! In 1950, it was a "symbol of the economic miracle." Every classic car enthusiast knows it or has even driven one. It all started as a small bus for work at the VW factory in Wolfsburg. But then, when it went into series production, the fan base grew rapidly. The Flower Power generation enjoyed the Samba, the Camper, and everything that came after it. Now, over seven decades have passed, and the bus racer has changed, but it still finds fans. The legendary VW bus has transported us, goods, and, as a small caravan, even vacationers to holiday destinations on the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, or the Baltic Sea. It's a legendary 75th anniversary, hosted by the Autostadt in Wolfsburg. A journey through time features selected VW bus models – from the air-cooled T1 with its many windows to the all-electric, compact ID. Buzz. The following VW bus photographs were taken in Munich at the legendary classic car gathering on the Theresienwiese and are included in this article as symbolic images.

T1 with original Partina, - Photo: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv)

The Bulli models come from the Autostadt collection and from the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Classic Cars inventory

The Bulli has changed, but its character has remained the same, the one that Bulli enthusiasts expect. Because, as we've also learned: every model was unusually new in its time, but our viewing habits quickly became GUTFREUND with the slight model changes.

The exhibition features the following Bulli models:

• Volkswagen Type 2 T1 "Sinalco" (1950)

This is the second oldest surviving Bulli in the world and thus a true highlight of the exhibition.

• Volkswagen Type 2 T1 "Samba" (1964)

With 23 windows, a panoramic roof, and aluminum trim strips...

• Volkswagen T2 Westfalia Camper (1972)

The T2 Camper with Westfalia conversion - a favorite of independent travelers.

T2 California, Foto: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv)

• Volkswagen T3 "California" (1989)

With this iconic design, it marked the beginning of a new era of travel.

• Volkswagen T4 Multivan "PanAmericana" (1999)

A true adventure vehicle: In 1999, it drove the legendary Pan-American Highway – 22,880 kilometers from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in a whopping 15 days.

• Volkswagen T5 Kombi 4MOTION "Dakar Support Vehicle" (2006)

...you know it from the Dakar Rally – roll cage, rally seats, and special chassis. A testament to the van's off-road capabilities.

• Volkswagen T6 Multivan Business (from 2015)

Luxury with a conference table, leather seats, and ambient lighting for meetings.

• Volkswagen T2 Electric (1972)

A pioneer of electric mobility: the T2 with a swappable battery system, 22 hp, and a range of 80 kilometers.

• Volkswagen ID. Buzz (from 2022)

The ID. Buzz is a complete reboot of the Bulli, with 204 hp and a range of 423 kilometers. For the #BULLILOVEstories marketing tour, an ID. Buzz traveled over 120,000 kilometers through 41 countries.

The "75 Years of the Bulli" exhibition

 

Opening hours:

• Daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Autostadt Summer Festival from July 4 to August 17, 2025

Opening hours:

• From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Valid day or annual ticket for Autostadt

- Foto: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv) - Foto: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv) - Foto: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv) - Foto: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv)

VW plant Wolfsburg - Photo: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv)

 

Bremen: Classic car season 2024

English version: Start of the 2024 classic car season

 

Half a century, a truly golden wedding of Golf and Scirocco and 45 years of Bulli-Volkswagen Transporter - off to the classic car party in Bremen (Germany)

 
February 2nd to 4th, 2024 classic cars at the Bremen Classic Motorshow

 

Germany. Bremen Classic Motor Show. Since 2003, this trade fair has started in Bremen at the beginning of the classic car year. With the start of the season, almost 50,000 guests are expected to talk shop about classic cars from February 2nd to 4th, 2024 and be amazed at which models have been restored. The eight halls cover 52,000 square meters of exhibition space and numerous companies display their classic cars and everything around them. In Bremen, for example, you can also experience a journey through time with Volkswagen Group brands. As part of the mobile anniversaries, the Autostadt from Wolfsburg is presenting “50 Years of Volkswagen Scirocco”. The anniversary year “50 Years of Volkswagen Golf” will also be celebrated under the motto “Volkswagen Classic”. And then there is the commercial vehicle division, which is at least there with “45 years of the third generation of the Volkswagen Transporter”. And the sister Audi shows itself in a mobile tradition and brings with it the first generation of the Audi RS 4 Avant. “Four brands, four anniversaries, one stand,” is how the Autostadt announces its presentation, which makes us curious. So off to “Volkswagen Classic, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Vintage Cars and Audi Tradition Parts” in Hall 5 of the Bremen Classic Motorshow.

 

T1 Bulli with original patina, press photo archive: Helga Waess (ACM Oldtimer Meeting, Munich, Theresienwiese, spring)

Golf and Scirocco from the ZeitHaus (Wolfsburg)

In 1974 there was a mobile debut and the classic Golf racer was born, followed by the Scirocco as a coupé. It was developed by Karmann in Osnabrück and was available with 50 HP, 70 HP and then as a TS with 85 HP. The “viper green” Scirocco GT from the first generation and a Scirocco II GT II (1992) were exhibited in Bremen - the latter is presented in the color tornado red and comes from the collection of the ZeitHaus (automobile museum) in Wolfsburg.

 

T1 Bulli with original patina, press photo archive: Helga Waess (ACM Oldtimer Meeting, Munich, Theresienwiese, spring)

50 years of VW Golf - an icon celebrates its birthday

Certainly some Golf drivers will reminisce when they discover the Golf I. The Volkswagen icon turns 50 this year! And what's best: VW is showing the “unique EA 276 study” and presenting the forerunner of the Golf from 1969, which was built in Wolfsburg.

Back then it was an automotive revolution, let's say, when the Golf became the successor to the legendary Beetle in 1974. This was followed by front-wheel drive instead of rear engines. There was now enough space for a tailgate to easily load a large trunk, which offered endless space thanks to a folding rear seat back.

Let's come to the linear design, which was conceived by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro and which from then on would become the design language at VW. A basic line continues to today's Golf VIII. Well, here and there people were surprised and it took a while (with every new Golf model) for the NEW one to become embedded in the viewing habits of Golf fans. But every time you switched to a new model you realized: the old Golf was nice, but this one makes you quickly forget it.

The Golf quickly became the favorite model of many drivers and the first million were sold in 1976. It's hard to believe, but Volkswagen has delivered 37 million units of this successful model to date. The compact car is considered the “most successful European car” and the Golf is the best-selling VW of all time”.

VW GOLF is therefore AN ICON OF MOBILITY!!!

 

45 years of Volkswagen Transporter

The Bulli T1 was designed on the drawing board in 1947 and was the first transporter to be produced at Volkswagen in 1950. The T2 was already at car shows in 1979.

 In Bremen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Oldtimer presents the very first Type 2 Transporter of the third generation, the Bus L from 1979, and the T3 Microbus from South Africa, which was manufactured in 1994. - By the way, the last T3 rolled off the assembly line there in 2002 (production had already ended in Germany in 1990).



The Beck’s bus (1964) combines the Bremen and Hanover tradition.

A unique item will be shown next to the exhibition stand of the 1st Käfer Club Wolfsburg e.V.

 Let's come to AUDI and thus the Audi RS 4 Avant

At the trade fair in Bremen, the exclusive high-performance station wagon will be shown as an eye-catcher in Imola yellow.


“Audi Tradition Parts” presents the Audi RS 4 Avant, the first generation that was presented at the 1999 IAA in Frankfurt. This model also became a hit. The performance, sportiness and suitability for everyday use were all right, as he had already succeeded in working with Porsche with the Avant RS2 and the first RS model from quattro GmbH followed.

Spare parts and accessory offers

At the classic car fair in Bremen, spare parts and accessories from Audi Tradition Parts will also be available to supplement missing parts for the restoration of fans' cars. Visitors and hobbyists can take a look and find everything they need so that the classic car driving and rally season can get started soon.
 SO:
730 dealers and private providers as well as 100 clubs are waiting!

SEE YOU IN BREMEN (Germany) 

AT THE OLDTIMER FAIR 2024 

AT THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY!

 

 Bremen Classic Motorshow 2024

•     www.classicmotorshow.de

Opening hours:

Friday to Sunday, February 2nd to 4th, 2024: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m

With the VW Beetle to Bremen! Press photo archive: Helga Waess