Ben Pon may not not a familiar name, but he earns credit for the introduction of the Volkswagen Type 2, first offered for sale this day in 1950. Pon visited Wolfsburg in 1946 intending to import the Beetle to the Netherlands after production restarted following WWII. Realizing a need for a larger vehicle, Pon sketched a small bus that used the same pan as the Beetle. He brought his idea to leadership at Volkswagen, sparking intrigue. VW engineers further developed the idea and the Type 2 was born.
The Type 2 ended up on its own pan, but it would host numerous body styles, including panel vans and trucks. The Type 2, also known as the Transporter, affectionately became known as the VW Bus, Camper and a myriad of other names. The final Type 2 left a Brazil production facility on December 13, 2013. Watch a video of the last VW Bus, one of 300 labeled as a 2014 final edition, going down the assembly line. The history of the VW Bus isn’t totally over, as Volkswagen has plans to release a retro electric van that pays homage to the Type 2.
VW Van and Counter Culture
By the late 1960s, the Volkswagen Transporter had become far more than simple transportation. The inexpensive, easy-to-repair van, as well as its older sibling fondly known as the Beetle. was embraced by young people who rejected the growing consumerism and conformity of postwar America. Unlike the massive chrome-covered American station wagons of the era, the Volkswagen Bus felt approachable, practical, and unconventional. Its spacious interior made it ideal for road trips, camping, communal travel, and life on the move, helping transform it into a rolling symbol of freedom and independence during the height of the counterculture movement.
The VW Bus soon became deeply tied to the imagery of the hippie era, appearing at music festivals, anti-war protests, surf communities, and communes across the United States. Brightly painted Microbuses became common sights at events like Woodstock, while travelers and musicians used them to crisscross the country cheaply. The van’s association with peace, artistic expression, and alternative lifestyles became so strong that it evolved into one of the defining cultural icons of the 1960s and 1970s. Even decades later, the silhouette of the classic Volkswagen Bus still immediately evokes ideas of freedom, rebellion, and the open road. And now, you can get a brand new electric VW bus with retro styling.
