Volkswagen Ending Production of Its Cult-Classic Microbus
The days of Volkswagen’s T2 Microbus—still sold under the Kombi moniker by subsidiary Volkswagen do Brasil—have officially been numbered. The last units of the much-loved people- and cargo mover will roll off the production line in Sao Bernardo del Campo, Brazil, at the end of 2013, we are told by the head of Volkswagen do Brasil, Thomas Schmall. We spoke with Schmall at the International Suppliers Fair in Wolfsburg this week.
Production coming to a halt ends an era that began in Germany in 1950. The Kombi has been offered in Brazil since 1957, and the current model is based on the phase two of the T2, which was built in Germany from 1967 to 1979. A little more than five years ago, its traditional air-cooled rear engine was replaced by a water-cooled 1.4-liter unit, which produces 80 hp and propels the bus up to a relatively impressive top speed of 81 mph. From the outside, the water-cooled model is distinguished from earlier versions by its massive and slightly unbecoming grille. The interior has been modified over the years, but it’s by no means a modern cockpit.
The end of the Kombi is the direct result of stricter safety regulations, but even without them, the end would have been inevitable. VW is aware of the cult status of the Microbus, but a high-ranking executive told us that, “At some point, you are the brand with the old cars.” And this thinking prevails elsewhere, too. Three years ago, VW stopped making the Golf MkI—also known as the CitiGolf in South Africa—and in China, the brand is readying replacement models for two classics still offered there today: the Santana, once sold in the U.S. as the Quantum, and the second-generation Jetta.
While the Kombi soon will be history, Volkswagen has no intention of leaving the lucrative segment. Schmall hints at a new model tailored to the needs of cost-conscious business owners—and it won’t be the Bulli. That vehicle is more of a designer statement—and it has just moved down a few notches on the brand’s list of priorities, according to VW R&D board member Ulrich Hackenberg.
Fonte: Car and Driver
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