A newbie on the aircooled Volkswagen (VW) scene would easily be confused by all the frequent references to the VW “TYPES” further complicated by a variety of abbreviations like Type 166, Type VW-3, Type VW 38, T4, Type 4, etc. A general understanding of these VW "Type" systems would be of great help for us to understand and be understood by fellow enthusiast,s but more importantly, also as a technical guide in sourcing out VW parts/numbers and to learn more about the history of the VW itself.
| Ferdinand Porsche |
It all began at the end of the summer of 1933 when Ferdinand Porsche was summoned to the Hotel Kaiserhof in Berlin for a meeting with the German dictator Adolf Hitler. Porsche was an outstanding engineer and chief designer for Daimler-Benz, Auto-Union, and now with his own engineering consultation firm. In a private conference, Hitler told the engineer his plans for a car...and the rest is VW history.
| Hitlers original design sketch bears little resemblance to the final car |
Porsche used numbers to describe and differentiate his vehicle prototypes and production models.
a. Early Volkswagen prototype and wartime production models:
- Type VW-3 - 3 built by Daimer-Benz; 2 were wooden frame; 3rd built was the first all metal VW version)
| 1935 Volkswagen Beetle Type VW 3 Daimler-Benz |
| The VW3 (1935) - in Wolfsburg museum |
- Type VW 38- around 60 prototypes by Reutter & Company in 1938 for road testing purposes
1938VWvw-38
- Type 166- the Schwimmwagen; an amphibious 4 wheel drive vehicle
| 1938VWvw-38 |
| Prototype Schwimmwagen |
- Type 87- Kommandeurswagen; 4 wheel drive
| Kommandeurwagen: WWII variation of the Bug. It has the 4x4 drive train of the Schwimmwagen, but with a KDF sedan body. |
- Type 82E- 2 wheel drive version of Kommandeurwagen; used as German army staff car
| VW "Käfer" 82 E Military vehicle |
- Type 82- the Kublewagen; the forerunner of the Thing
| 1938 VW Kubelwagen Prototype |
NEXT: b. Production VW Type Designations:
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