Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, perhaps the most prestigious concours event on the East Coast, just happened while you were distracted with life. With classes like Pre-war European Coachwork, American Limited Production, and Fiberglass Dreams, The Amelia brings together unusual vehicles and the usual suspects — automotive enthusiasts. However, one judged class was a portent for something for the future: VW Transporters.
If you pay attention to the hobby and auctions like Barrett-Jackson, you know there is a breed of Volkswagen Type 2 that defies logic in the bids they receive. The rule of thumb is like this: the higher the window count, the higher the bids. If you’re not in-the-know, the lowly Microbus can command six-figure prices in the collector market.
“Few vehicles have been embraced by such a diverse group of admirers and enthusiasts as the beloved Volkswagen Type 2. This year’s display tells the story of VW’s transporter: from the classic passenger bus and transport truck to the ambulance and fire truck,” says Matt Orendac, Vice Chairman of Hagerty’s Concours Group. “The eclectic appeal of the Type 2 makes it the perfect choice for a featured class at The Amelia Concours d’Elegance.”
The Best in Class winner among the VW Transporters at Amelia was a 1951 Deluxe 15-window Transporter owned by Joe Mond of Iowa. Nineteen fifty was the first year of this model in America after an auspicious debut of the Type 1 the year before (only two Beetles were sold in the U.S. in 1949). Horsepower was only 25, which didn’t compare favorably with the 92 horsepower on tap with Chevrolet’s “Stovebolt” six, but clearly the German company had an vision for basic transportation for American consumers.
In addition to the Type 2 show cars, Volkswagen brought several transporters from its Commercial Vehicles’ collection including bus from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, a replica of The Light Bus that appeared at Woodstock, and Jerry Garcia’s personal bus.
With the Type 2’s heir apparent, the ID. Buzz, also making an appearance at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Volkswagen is poised to make another impact on American roads as the automaker has just announced that the North American iteration of the ID. Buzz will be debuting in California in the summer of 2023.
