End of an era as the iconic VW Campervan production comes to an end.

The last few weeks have brought the iconic VW Campervan to forefront of news headlines in the UK which again highlighted the fact that the Kombi production in Brazil was coming to an end.

We all knew it was coming a year ago when the head of Volkswagen do Brasil Thomas Schmall confirmed at the International Suppliers Fair in Wolfsburg in October 2012 that the last ‘Kombis’ as they are branded in Brazil would roll off the production line at the end of December 2013.  However we can now see what the Kombi will look like as the limited edition 1200 units bring production to a close.

 

 

This end to production marks the end of 56 years of production of various VW campervans dating back to 1957 with the Type 1 Splitscreen where up until December 2005 they continued to produce air cooled campers with the Type 2 Kombis.  So in December 2013 Volkswagen do Brasil brings down the curtain on the final 8 years of production that has seen the water cooled incarnation of the VW Kombi using the VW 1.4 polo engine to get around environmental restrictions.

Sadly it was always inevitable that the Kombi which sells for just under £15,000 in Brasil would come to an end as it became uneconomical to bring the camper up the demands of safety law improvements in Brazil. The Type 2’s  shape and structure just wont meet the new Brazilian safety laws being introduced in 2014.

With the culmination of over 50 years of production of the Kombi in Brazil this makes it one of the longest production vehicle histories in the world at one plant where over 1.5m units have been produced.  The final 1200 units will have their fame etched on the van with their unique number plaque on the dashboard and will sport a two tone white and blue  paint job with special features such as white wall tyres harking back to the 1950 tyre style.

At www.vwcamperhire.com we maintain and hire out all the various incarnations from a 1979 original type 2 to 2004 and 2005 air-cooled Kombis and finally the latest editon which is a 2007 water cooled Kombi. They all have very unique characters and driving experiences and are testament to the enduring attraction of this iconic campervan.