T3 – 1979 to 1992: In the late 1970s, new bands like Dire Straits and The Alan Parsons 70s, Project and old cult rock bands in the style of Pink Floyd and Yes shaped the unique sound of the time. Unprecedented clarity and precision were shown in particular by Dire Straits with songs such as ‘Sultans of Swing’. The T3 from Volkswagen, presented in 1979, had similarly clear contours. Because it was now the most angular VW Bus of all time. But the T3 was also technically the best Transporter to date. In addition, icons such as the first California and the first Multivan were created on its basis. Conceptually, the T3 followed the previous models, but it transferred the technical DNA to the present thanks to new and modern technologies. Volkswagen made great strides in the area of passive safety. The wider body also offered significantly more passenger and load space with moderate increases in length and height; the standard flat engines also contributed to this. At market launch, the air-cooled T3 flat engines produced between 37 kW (50 PS) and 51 kW (70 PS). From 1981, a water-cooled diesel engine was installed at the rear of the Transporter for the first time. Output: also 37 kW (50 PS). Just a year later, the water-cooled flat engines specially developed for the bus followed. They produced 44 kW (60 PS) and 57 kW (78 PS). Their output later increased to up to 82 kW (112 PS). In 1985, Volkswagen added many other innovations. The petrol engines were equipped with catalytic converters, and the first diesel engines were given a turbocharger. Above all, however, the all-wheel drive models with a viscous coupling enhanced the range; they were given the additional designation ‘syncro’. From 1988, there was the first camper van built in-house: the California. The new T3 California immediately became a best seller: 5,000 units were sold in the first twelve months. When the last T3 rolled off the production line at the Hanover plant, further new versions such as the Caravelle and the Multivan had long since established themselves as bestsellers. Special editions such as the Multivan White Star and Blue Start became icons at the same time. The syncro versions of the T3 and 2,500 units of the Multivan Limited Last Edition, which is now a much sought-after classic, were still produced at the Steyr-Daimler Puch plant in Graz until 1992. In South Africa, the T3 was still produced until 2002.
Volkswagen Transporter T3
The T3 was manufactured in Hannover, Germany from 1979 until 1991
