carsthatnevermadeit: What a difference 65 years…

carsthatnevermadeit:

What a difference 65 years makes Production of the first Volkswagen Transporter began 65 years ago this week. The first models were built in Wolfsburg before production moved to Hanover in 1956. It all began in 1947 with a pencil sketch: the Dutch car importer Ben Pon saw a simple flat-bed vehicle at the Volkswagen plant and, taking it as a basic idea, he sketched the outlines of a Transporter with Beetle DNA, in his notebook. Two years later, Volkswagen Plant Manager, Heinrich Nordhoff, presented four prototypes: two panel vans, a kombi and a small bus. Designers used the 1.1-litre engine engine and axles of the Beetle. Production began on 8 March 1950, in Hall 1 of the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, and ten vehicles were manufactured per day. The Volkswagen E-co-motion previews the next generation transporter, due to begin production later this year.

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