This is a 1967 Volkswagen Type 2 "Samba" Bus. Designed by Ben Pon, the Type 2 is a member of a lineage of vehicles which would ultimately evolve to become the Volkswagen Transporter, it being the first in a long line of commercial vehicles sold by Volkswagen.
The first generation of the Type 2, later retrospectively known as the T1, was introduced in early 1950 following development stretching back to about 1947. The first Type 2 was produced on 8 March 1950 at Volkswagen's Wolfsburg Plant alongside the Type 1 Beetle; production was later moved to Hanover. Featuring a distinctive split windshield, the Type 2s were colloquially known as the Microbus, Splitscreen and Splittie. It had a carrying capacity of 750 kg (1,653 lb) and was powered by the same 1.1L flat-4 as the Beetle; this engine produced 24 horsepower.
The Type 2 was produced in numerous variants, such as panel vans, delivery vans and pickup trucks among others; one of the more famous configurations was the Samba Bus, officially known as the Sondermodell (initially the Kleinbus Sonderausführung) in Germany and marketed as the Microbus Deluxe or Sunroof Deluxe in the United States. Samba Buses feature either 21 or 23 windows, 8 skylight windows, large bi-parting doors on the side and the option of a fabric sunroof.
Advertised for making tourist trips through the Alps, Samba Buses began production in 1961; they typically feature two-tone paintjobs with usually the upper body in white and the lower in a contrasting color separated by a decorative strip; their roofs also extended forward of the windshield creating a visor-like appearance, while its windows had chrome trim. German Type 2 production ended in 1967 although Brazilian production ended in 1975.
Now this casting was designed by Rob Matthes and introduced in 2024 in the Boulevard line. This is currently its only release.
