VW Microbus Fans, Your Wait Is Over

by Edward Niedermeyer

Published: February 28th, 2011

It’s been ten long years since Volkswagen stunned a generation with its Microbus concept, a modern interpretation of the ’60s icon. That vehicle was supposed to go into production on the T5 platform by 2003, as a way to introduce a new Volkswagen van to America. Instead, in one of the crueler bait-and-switch moves in recent memory, VW rebadged a Dodge Caravan for the US and kept the T5 in Europe.

In the meantime, the Microbus concept remains in the minds of VW’s American fans as a sign of what might have been, and a marker for when things started to wrong for VW of America. But now, the wait is over. American Microbus fans rejoice, for Volkswagen has heard your decade of muttered prayers and has brought back the Microbus. As a (tiny) concept. Yeah, it’s electrically-driven, and yeah, it’s got iPad integration, but it’s just a concept and VW isn’t even hinting at production plans. Tease me once, shame on me… tease me twice, and you’d better build the damn thing!

#Design #Heritage

Edward Niedermeyer

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4 of 28 comments

Zackman on Mar 01, 2011

Introducing the new VW Scion XD! I like it, though, for looks alone. Anyone remember Chrysler's micro-minivans by Mitsubishi of 20-some years ago? Eagle Summit? Came in two sizes, short and shorter. If this trend continues, we'll have real MINIvans again!

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- INeon on Mar 01, 2011
  
  Chrysler's still got some PT Cruisers left for sale. The mini minivan didn't go away-- it just got hinged doors.
  
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- Zackman on Mar 01, 2011
  
  You're kidding! PT's still on the lot? Didn't they stop building them in June or July? I'm very surprised, as they were pretty good cars. I always fancied the "Dream Cruiser" woodgrain sides, as it was done right. Come to think of it, the back of the roof lines of the Summit wagons sort of resembled the PT!
  
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Janeq on May 16, 2012

Why can't TTAC find out what is going on with this car? The truth is that this news is years old! Dead? Alive? Or what?

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