Glossary of VW Terminology

A variety of unique names and descriptions are used when aircooled Volkswagen enthuiasts get together, some of which make no sense to the the uninitiated. This glossary explains what those terms mean, along with some general automotive terms.

Special research thanks to Thom's Vintage VW Bus Site.

If you are interested in the Beetle's lineage, please visit Wikipedia: Volkswagen Beetle, probably the most complete VW history page on the Internet.

• Barndoor: Specific version of Type II T1 bus/van (1949-1955); refers to over-sized engine access panel.
• Baywindow (aka: Breadloaf): Type II T2 bus/van (1968-1979); refers to single-piece windscreen.
• Beetle: Generic term - Type I sedans.
• Breadloaf (aka: Baywindow): Type II T2 bus/van (1968-1979); refers to resemblance of vehicle shape to a loaf of bread.
• Bug: Generic term - Type I sedan.
• Bulli: Type II T1 panel bus (1950-1967).
• Bus: Generic term - Type II Transporters.
  It is acceptable among serious VW aficianados to call any aircooled Type II a 'bus,' but uncool to call one a 'van.'
• Cabriolet, Cabrio: Vehicle style; open design, usually with collapsible canvas roof.
  When used by itself at the VW•F•V website, refers to standard Type I cabriolet - Karmann Kabriolett 4-seater (1949-1979).
• Campmobile: Type II recreational vehicle conversion.
• Convertible: Cabriolet.
• Coupe: A 2-door automobile often seating only two persons; also, one with a tight-spaced rear seat.
  (Definition courtesy Merriam-Webster Online.)
• Deluxe (aka: Samba): Type II T1 passenger bus (1951-1967). Distinguishing features - small windows above roofline. Varieties - 21-window has solid rear corner pillars, 23-window has glass all the way around. In later years, refers to upscale Type II window bus. (i.e.: Kombi has fibreboard headliner, Deluxe has fabric headliner.)
• Dormobile: Type II recreational vehicle conversion.
• Double Cab: Type II pickup 'crew-cab' variety.
• Double Door: Type II T1 (1949-1967); refers to cargo doors on both sides of vehicle.
  Another innovation erroneously claimed by Chrysler.
• Droptop: Slang - cabriolet.
• Fastback: Descriptive name - Type III/IV sedan body style; Variant (1962-1973), 411 (1971-1972), 412 (1973-1974).
• Fat Chick or Fat Girl: Descriptive name - Type I SuperBeetle sedans and cabrios (1972-1979); refers to 'overweight' appearance of the trunk lid.
• 411: Type IV sedan (1971-1972); squareback and fastback. Distinguishing feature - headlamps in oval housings.
• 412: Type IV sedan (1973-1974); squareback and fastback. Distinguishing feature - headlamps in squared recessed housings.
• Fridolin: Panel delivery conversion built by Westfalia (1964-1974). Based on the wider Karmann Ghia chassis; 6,123 were built for use by the German and Swiss postal services with a few going to Lufthansa Airlines.
  For more on this unique variety, visit http://www.geocities.com/vwfridolin/.
• Fweem: Describes unique sound of a four-cylinder VW engine equipped with stock 'pea-shooter' exhaust pipes.
• Ghia: Short for Karmann Ghia.
• Hardtop: Generally, a sedan without center roof pillars.
  VW did not produce a 'hardtop' aircooled model, but this term may refer to an after-market accessory for the 181.
• Hebmüller: Type I sedan-to-two-seat-cabriolet conversion by Hebmüller CoachWerks, (1948-1953).
  Only 60 of 696 units converted are known to survive.
• Käfer: German word - Beetle.
• Karmann Ghia, KG: Sports-car derivative of the Beetle (1956-1974). Most KGs are Type I vehicles, owing to use of the same parts used on the Beetle. However, about 42,500 Type III KGs were produced (1962-1969).
• Kombi: Type II basic window bus, all model years.
• Kübel, Kübelwagen: Cabriolet, Typ 166, produced for use by German World War II troops.
  Sometimes used inaccurately to reference the Typ 181 'Thing'.
• LHD: Left-hand drive, steering wheel on left side of vehicle.
• Micro, Microbus: Type II T1 bus (1951-1967). Distinguishing feature - sliding canvas roof. Also used as slang for any Type II from any model year.
• NOS: Acronym - New Old Stock. Original, unused parts. Some reproduction parts are of inferior quality, so serious restorers try to use NOS parts.
• Notchback: Descriptive name - Type III sedan body style; Variant (1962-1973).
• 181: VW body type - 'Thing' ('Safari', 'Trekker' in Europe) Typ 181 sport utility (1973-1974).
• Oval: Type I (1953-1957); refers to rear-window design.
• Ragtop: Slang - cloth roof found on cabriolet models. However, when used in reference to a VeeDub, a 'ragtop' is a sedan with a sliding canvas sunroof.
• RHD: Right-hand drive, steering wheel on right side of vehicle.
• Rometsch: Type I sedan-to-cabriolet and sedan-to-coupe conversions, both with a single, sideways rear seat, by Rometsch CoachWerks (1950-1961).
  Reportedly around 500 were constructed before 1956, when Rometsch restyled the design along the lines of an American car, with a wraparound windshield and an outlandish two-tone treatment. As the vehicle would have been in direct competition with VW's new Karmann Ghia, the supply of chassis for the Rometsch ceased. Rometsch, however, continued to produce a limited number of cars until 1961. Comment paraphrased from the 'VW Buyer's Guide' (1993)
• Samba: Alternate name - Deluxe; Type II T1 passenger bus (1950-1967).
• SB: Abbreviation - SuperBeetle.
• Schwimmwagen: Amphibious VW cabriolet, Typ 82, produced for use by German World War II troops.
• Sedan: A 2- or 4-door automobile seating 4 or more persons and usually having a permanent top.
  When used by itself at the VW•F•V website, refers to the standard Type I.
  (Definition courtesy Merriam-Webster Online.)
• Single Cab: Type II pickup.
• Split Oval: Type I (1946-1952); refers to small dual, flat-pane rear-window design.
• Splittie: Type II T1 (1950-1967); refers to split-pane front windscreen design.
• Squareback: Descriptive name - Type III/IV sedan body style; Variant (1962-1973), 411 (1971-1972), 412 (1973-1974).
• SuperBeetle or Super: Type I (1971-1979; featured larger trunk, horizontal spare tire well and MacPherson strut front suspension. Curved windscreen marks 1973-1979 models.
• T1: First generation of Type II Transporters (1949-1967).
  Some writers confuse T (transporter) designation with Type designations (body style) and Typ designations (specific models).
• T2: Second generation of Type II Transporters (1968-1979).
• T3: Vanagon - third generation of Type II Transporters (1980-1991); some airccooled, some watercooled.
  It is very difficult to distinguish an aircooled Vanagon from a wasserboxer without popping the hood. Therefore, VW•F•V classifies Vanagons as watercooled VWs.
• T4: EuroVan - fourth generation of Type II Transporters (1992-present); all watercooled.
• Thing: Typ 181 sport utility (1973-1974).
  VWoA could not market the 181 under its European 'Safari' marque because that nameplate had been in use by Pontiac on its line of station wagons since 1955. Approximately 23,000 units were imported to the US.
• Trekker Alternate name - Typ 181 sport utility (1973-1974).
• Triple white: Special edition Karmann cabriolet (1977-1979); featured white exterior, white interior and white roof.
• 21-window, 23-window: See Deluxe.
• Typ 82: VW body type - 'Schwimmwagen' World War II military amphibious vehicle.
• Typ 147: VW body type - 'Fridolin' panel delivery conversion (1964-1974).
• Typ 166: VW body type - 'Kübelwagen' World War II military general purpose vehicle.
• Typ 181: VW body type - 'Thing' ('Safari', 'Trekker' in Europe) sport utility (1973-1974).
• Typ 411: VW body type - '411' squareback and fastback sedans (1971-1972).
• Typ 412: VW body type - '412' squareback and fastback sedans (1973-1974).
• Type I: VW body type - standard sedan and cabrio (1946-1977), 'SuperBeetle' sedan and cabrio (1972-1979), 'Karmann Ghia' coupe and cabrio (1956-1974).
• Type II: VW body type - T1 split-window bus (1950-1967), T2 baywindow/'breadloaf' bus (1968-1979), T3 Vanagon (1980-1991) and T4 EuroVan (1992-present). T1/T2 styles include station wagon [the original minivan, Chrysler advertising notwithstanding], 'Deluxe'/'Microbus'/'Samba' bus, 'Kombi'/'Bulli' bus, 'Transporter'/'Double Cab' pickup, 'Campmobile'/'Dormobile'/'Westfalia' recreational vehicles.
• Type III: VW body type - 'Variant' squareback, notchback and fastback sedans (1962-1973), 'Karmann Ghia' coupe and cabrio (1962-1969).
• Type IV: VW body type - '411' squareback and fastback sedans (1971-1972), '412' squareback and fastback sedans (1973-1974).
• Van: A multipurpose enclosed motor vehicle having a boxlike shape, rear or side doors, and side panels often with windows.
  It is acceptable among serious VW aficianados to call any aircooled Type II a 'bus,' but uncool to call one a 'van.'
  (Definition courtesy Merriam-Webster Online.)
• Vanagon: Model name - Type II T3 buses (1980-1991). Most feature watercooled engines (wasserboxers).
  It is very difficult to distinguish an aircooled Vanagon from a wasserboxer without popping the hood. Therefore, VW•F•V classifies Vanagons as watercooled VWs.
• Variant: Model name - squareback station wagon, notchback sedan and fastback sedan body style (1962-1973).
• VeeDub: Phonetic slang - VW (first two syllables).
• 'vert: Short for convertible.
• VWoA: Acronym - Volkswagen of America.
• Wasserboxer: Watercooled 'boxer' style engine used in Vanagons.
• Walk-thru Bus: Type II (1949-1967); refers to ability to 'walk-thru' between front and rear seat areas.
• Westfalia, 'Westy': Type II recreational vehicle conversions featuring pop-up roofs, named after the company which developed the vehicle. Includes T1 split-window models from 1964-1967 (roof pops straight up), T2 baywindow models from 1968-1973 (roof pops up at an angle, hinged at the front of the vehicle) and from 1974-1979 (pops up at an angle, hinged from the rear of the vehicle) and T3 Vanagon models (1980-1991). Westfalia also built Fridolin panel delivery conversions (1964-1974).

Unfamiliar with a word on this page? Check our glossary!