Since they were first produced in 1950, the Volkswagen “Type 2” has been a worldwide hit. Known as the Camper in the UK, or the Bus in the USA, this true icon of the road has been popular from the beginning and is still being produced today. At Autoshippers we ship many of these amazing machines all over the world, so if you find your dream VW Camper in the UK and need it shipped to you, we are the people to call!
The History of The VW Camper
The idea for the VW Camper originally came to Dutch national Ben Pon in 1947 when he saw the motorised trolleys that were being used in a VW factory in Wolfsburg, Germany. This idea was built upon by the then CEO of VW, Heinz Nordhoff and was unveiled in the 1949 Geneva motor show. The VW Camper was known as the “Type 2” at the time, with the classic VW Beetle being the “Type 1”.
Production of the “Type 2” began in Wolfsburg in 1950, officially known as the T1 but more commonly known as the ‘split screen’ or ‘splitty’ as it had a split windshield. This model was produced until 1967 until it was replaced by the T2 ‘Bay Window’ model.
The ‘Bay’ had a larger engine than its previous incarnation, and also had major changes in the suspension of the vehicle. The split screen was now replaced with a one-piece windshield, and later produced T2s had the square style front bumper and different options of engine sizes (1600cc, 1700cc, 1800cc and 2000cc)
1979 saw the beginning of the production run of the T3 / T25. This model was larger than the previous models, and was squarer shaped. It came with some modern changes as well, such as power steering, air conditioning and heated mirrors. Luxury!
The T4, produced between 1990-2003 is the first with the modern shape recognisable today. With this model came options such as sliding doors and a standard or high-top roof, and was the first to feature a water-cooled engine. The following T5 model, first produced in 2003, continued the trend of optional variants. It was available in short wheelbase and long wheelbase, with low, medium or high roofline options as well.
The T6 model was first manufactured in 2015, and came with a new dashboard layout and options for LED headlights and rear lights. Again, with short wheelbase and long wheelbase options are available, along with a variety of body styles. The T7 brings us completely up to date, unveiled in June 2021 and marketed as the “T7 Multivan”. This updated model comes with a plug-in hybrid version
Can I Ship My VW Camper Overseas?
At Autoshippers we have shipped our fair share of VW Campers overseas, to destinations such as the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It is the same process as shipping a car, and as such you need to be aware of local Customs and vehicle registration regulations for the country you are shipping to.
For example, if you are planning on taking your VW Camper to the USA, and you are planning on staying permanently, you will need to be aware of the 25-year rule. There are procedures in place if you are importing on a temporary basis, for up to one year, and details can be found on the U.S. Customs and Border Protections website.
For other destinations, such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa or Cyprus, we have import guides available on our website with information and links to help you find out about the process of shipping your VW Camper overseas.
You are able to ship your VW Camper overseas on a Ro/Ro (Roll-on, Roll-off) service, in the same way you can ship a car or SUV. Ro/Ro services utilise specialist shipping vessels that enable vehicles to be driven on and driven off. This is the preferred method of vehicle shipping used by lots of car manufacturers to move new cars overseas.
Shipping a VW Camper with Autoshippers
Shipping a VW Camper with Autoshippers is exactly the same process as shipping a car or SUV. Just complete our quotation form, or call us on +44 117 982 8123 / 0800 389 0784 and we can give you the cost based on your own specific requirements. All quotations are free and are given without obligation.
We even have “Motorhome” as a vehicle type on our quotation form to enable us to quickly identify and quote for the shipment of your VW Camper.
Should you ship your VW Camper with Autoshippers? The picture above is of the VW Camper that we recently shipped for our customer, Howard, who used our Ro/Ro service to Canada. When sending us this photograph he told us;
“Just wanted to let you know the Van is now on my driveway here in Canada. Registering it here was easy. A big thank you for sorting this out”
So, if like Howard, you are looking to ship your VW Camper overseas, get in contact with Autoshippers and we can make it happen for you!
