70 YEARS OF THE “SAMBA”

EXOTIC NICKNAME FOR THE CULT BULLI FROM HANNOVER

For many it epitomises hippy culture, yet it was a popular minibus long before the ‘Flower Power’ generation: exactly 70 years ago, a classy 8-seater minibus was unveiled simply as a ‘Special Version’ at the first post-war IAA in Frankfurt. Today, this VW minibus is known globally by the name ‘Samba’ and is especially coveted. The ‘Samba’ is regarded by many as the pinnacle of the Bulli cult.

Frankfurt am Main 19.04.1951 – The IAA opens its doors again for the first time after the war. Volkswagen takes advantage of this opportunity and presents its new vehicles on a breath-taking stand covering 1.350 square metres. On it Volkswagen builds a partial copy of the Beetle assembly line, and an unprecedented, almost surreal lighting installation has visitors spell-bound. In the media the trade show stand is even acclaimed as the ‘Volkswagen Temple’ and the concept becomes trendsetting for future exhibitions.

One of the highlights of that show was without doubt also the world premiere of the new people carrier, which at its launch Volkswagen called rather plainly the VW ‘Special Version’ minibus. Yet the differences between it and the standard version were anything other than plain: for what was at first an extra cost of nearly 3.000 DM the customer got an exclusive array of additional features. On the outside the classy minibus was resplendent in harmonious two-tone paintwork with attractive aluminium trim and front bumper. Previously found only in the omnibus sector, all-round windows, including ‘skylights’, made the Bulli with 23 windows a ‘Glazed Sightseeing Bus’. In keeping with that, it also had a large concertina-style sliding sunroof, which gave the passengers in the back the feeling of riding in a cabriolet. It was scarcely possible to be closer to nature on your travels.

The passenger compartment featured swish interior fittings with covered side panels and chrome trim, creating a luxurious ambience. Appropriate musical entertainment for the small travel group came, if desired, from a valve radio (model ‘Auto Super’) in the dashboard.

It was a veritable luxury coach in small format that Volkswagen had launched here. In keeping with that, it was also marketed in the USA as a Microbus ‘Deluxe’. In Germany, however, the company modestly stuck with ‘Special Version’ and from 1952 on the equally non-emotive term ‘Special Model’.

The customers themselves, however, quickly took care of giving it a cool name, even if the precise derivation can unfortunately no longer be accurately traced today. Samba could have been derived from the German ‘Sonnendach-Ausführung mit besonderem Armaturenbrett’ (sunroof version with special dashboard) or perhaps ‘Sonder Ausführung mit besonderer Ausstattung’ (special version with special features). Given the times, it is also not far-fetched to think it may have drawn on the name of the then so exotic sounding, vivacious dance. But it was not only colloquially that the luxury Bulli was given this name. In the 1954 Dutch price list it was then officially called the ‘Samba’.

Series production of the VW ‘Special Version’ minibus began on 27 June 1951 and ended in July 1967, after almost 100.000 had been made.

The oldest known ‘Samba’ is privately owned by a collector in the Rhineland. Practically its entire history is documented. The owner even has the original invoice. Compared to today’s market prices, it seems at 9.025 DM to have almost been ‘given away’. Back then, however, annual average income was also only 3.579 DM1.

The ‘Samba’ Bullis are more sought-after than ever, which is often also reflected in the prices. In recent years, models in top condition have repeatedly achieved dizzyingly high prices at auction. For example, the highest price achieved to date for a ‘Samba’ is 302.500 USD (sold in 2017 by auctioneers Barrett-Jackson).

For the sale of such a ‘Special Version’ ‘Samba’ a traceable history is generally of inestimable value, as not everything that looks like a ‘Samba’ was also produced as such.

A few ‘Samba’ facts:

• The paintwork was almost always two-tone;

• It was available only with decorative trim;

• The total length of the trim strips is 1.112 cm;

• It always had a clock in the dashboard;

• With option M 130, it came ex-works with no skylights or sunroof;

• A Samba from the period June 1951 to the start of August 1963 is a so-called 23 window – the sliding window in the driver’s cab doors is counted as one window;

• A Samba from the period August 1963 to July 1967 is a so-called 21 window – corner windows gone due to the new wider rear hatch;

• The first Samba had only 18 kW/25 PS;

• In 1953 the Samba became the first Type 2 Volkswagen to have a proper rear bumper;

• It was only in February 1955 that the Plexiglas corner windows were replaced by safety glass windows – In Switzerland it was therefore sometimes also called the Plexibus.