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Volkswagen 181
Brand Country
Germany
Class
J
Years of production
1968 - 1983
Generations
1
Body type
Off-road vehicle, Cabriolet
More 2 photo
The Volkswagen Type 181 is a convertible car with four doors and two-wheel drive. It was made by Volkswagen from 1968 to 1983. The car was originally created for the West German Army, but it was also sold to civilians under different names, such as Kurierwagen in West Germany, Trekker in the United Kingdom, Thing in the United States (1973-74), Safari in South America and Mexico, and Pescaccia in Italy. The car was no longer sold to civilians after the model year of 1980.
The car had four doors that could be taken off and switched around, and the windshield could be flattened. The roof could also be removed for open-air driving. Inside, the seats were covered in vinyl and there were drain holes and rubber mats. You could choose to add a fiberglass hardtop or a heater that goes in the trunk.
The Volkswagen 181 was originally intended to be a temporary solution until the Europa Jeep was completed. However, over 50,000 Type 181s were eventually delivered to NATO forces between 1968 and 1979. The Europa Jeep project was ultimately unsuccessful and abandoned in 1979. The West German government then added the new front-engined Type 183 Iltis to its supply of 181s. Read more