LAST KOMBIES TO BE MADE ON 31ST DEC 2013

I read today where the Brasillian government have bought in new car legislation from 1st January 2014..

all New vehicles must have ABS Brakes ..
there was another item too.. maybe air bags..

VW do Brasil says Kombis [VW BUS] cannot be fitted with these new items...

I believe the vehicles are Bay Window Kombis as sold in the UK..

LEE

{Sydney Morning Herald]

Old news Lee. We reported this in the December 2012 issue of Club VW magazine Zeitschrift, and updated last issue (Sept 2013). You should join if you haven't already.

Yes the old T2c still made by VW Brazil (since 1995) can't be made to meet modern safety rules that require ABS, modern crumple zones and airbags, so it will be discontinued. VW Germany is attempting to standardize at plants around the world; several old Chinese-made VW models such as the Santana are also being replaced/upgraded; the Mexican Beetle and South African T3 Kombi and Golf 1 have also been killed off in recent years.

It might be the last T2 Kombi, but it's NOT the last 'Kombi'. You can go to your local VW dealer and buy a brand new VW T5 anytime. They are still VW Kombis!

Collectors should download the Brazilian VW bus brochure as it will soon be a collectors item.

http://www.vw.com.br/pt/carros/Kombi.html

I believe these Bay window kombies are the same ones as advertised for sale in the UK.. LHD or RHD.. in a UK VW magazine...

It has always baffled Me how they could sell those New in the UK..??

Not sure what engine they had... If they were made in Brasil since 1995 what were they making before 1995??

I wonder if any will end up over here.. like the last Mexican Beetles
two were at Nambucca Heads a few years ago...

cheers

LEE

And so what do you know about them?

Before 1995, Brazil was making their unique 'T1.5', that is the original T1 split window body, but with the T2 Kombi nose.

The Brazilian VW factory first started making the original T1 Kombi in 1957, three years after it started in the Clayton factory in Melbourne and seven years after Germany. In late 1967, when the new T2 model (it's NOT a 'bay window', it's a 'panoramic window') appeared in Germany (late 1968 in Australia), the Brazilian factory kept making the T1 - in fact right up to 1975!

In 1975 they updated the T1 split window to the unique 'T1.5', with the old body and new nose. This is what they made right up to 1995.

Meanwhile the Mexican factory was making the German-style T2, which they kept on after the Germans went to the T3 in 1979. In 1987 Mexico changed their T2s to a water-cooled 1.8-litre Golf engine, and in 1991 with a new taller roof panel. This was now the T2c. Production in Mexico ended in 1994, and the tooling was moved to Brazil. In 1995 Brazil ended their ancient T1.5 and started making the ex-Mexican T2c bodies but again with air-cooled engines. In 2005 Brazil killed off the old air-cooled engine - the last air-cooled VW in the world - and used a 1.4-litre Polo engine with 'TotalFuel' alcohol engine management system. And this is the model that is soon ending.

Obviously Britain does not have the same stringent safety and registration laws that we do. Yes the Danbury company has been importing the Brazilian T2c and converting them to RHD campers, but the sliding door is still on the right. That, plus failure to meet quite a number of our own Australian Design Rules, mean they could never be imported or registered in Australia. Yes you could bring one in, but only as a museum exhibit.

When I travelled South America on two occasions in the early 2000's, I saw thousands of the T1.5 and T2c. over many months.