Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Volkswagen (VW) Model TYPES: Prototypes and Wartime Production Models.

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 166Type VW-3Type 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 166- the Schwimmwagen; an amphibious 4 wheel drive vehicle
Prototype Schwimmwagen
Kommandeurwagen: WWII variation of the Bug. It has the 4x4 drive                                                                                                      train of the Schwimmwagen, but with a KDF sedan body.   


VW "Käfer" 82 E Military vehicle

 1938 VW Kubelwagen Prototype 

NEXT: b. Production VW Type Designations:



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