Volkswagen Type 2 returns to Europe via Brazil
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 3:41 pm
Anyone seen this? 
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/12/volk ... ia-brazil/
Volkswagen buyers in the Netherlands will soon have the opportunity to get their hands on a brand-new 2012 Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus. That's right, the original hippie van will be available brand-new in Holland as a 2012 model.
How is that possible? Well, while the buses went out of production a long time ago in Europe and the states, South Americans have been enjoying unfettered access to the Type 2 (currently sold there as the Kombi) for decades. The Type 2s slated for the streets of Holland will be built in Brazil with their South American-market counterparts and then shipped to the Dutch market.
As you can see, the T2 hasn't been changed much to make it more suitable for modern families.That spare tire on the front end, however, is anything but. The van's air-cooled flat four-cylinder engine has been replaced with a more modern 1.4-liter inline four, and the "spare tire" is actually an air filter that obscures placement of a front-mounted radiator.
For now, these camper-only vans are only scheduled to be available only in Holland, but they'll be eligible for registration anywhere within the European Union. We think things will stay that way, so don't expect any to make it Stateside.
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/12/volk ... ia-brazil/
Volkswagen buyers in the Netherlands will soon have the opportunity to get their hands on a brand-new 2012 Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus. That's right, the original hippie van will be available brand-new in Holland as a 2012 model.
How is that possible? Well, while the buses went out of production a long time ago in Europe and the states, South Americans have been enjoying unfettered access to the Type 2 (currently sold there as the Kombi) for decades. The Type 2s slated for the streets of Holland will be built in Brazil with their South American-market counterparts and then shipped to the Dutch market.
As you can see, the T2 hasn't been changed much to make it more suitable for modern families.That spare tire on the front end, however, is anything but. The van's air-cooled flat four-cylinder engine has been replaced with a more modern 1.4-liter inline four, and the "spare tire" is actually an air filter that obscures placement of a front-mounted radiator.
For now, these camper-only vans are only scheduled to be available only in Holland, but they'll be eligible for registration anywhere within the European Union. We think things will stay that way, so don't expect any to make it Stateside.
