VW Microbus Coloring Page: Free Printable PDF Sheet

VW Microbus: History & Fun Facts

A 1950 Debut Built on a Sketch

Volkswagen put its Type 2 van, nicknamed the Microbus, into production in 1950 after a Dutch importer sketched the idea of a flat-nosed delivery van built on Beetle mechanical parts, turning a simple napkin drawing into one of the most recognizable vehicle shapes of the century. Volkswagen's own engineers reportedly needed convincing that a van built on passenger-car parts could handle real delivery work, but early sales to bakeries, mail services, and small businesses across Germany quickly proved the idea sound.

A Split Windshield on the First Generation

The earliest Microbuses, now called the Splitscreen or T1 generation and built from 1950 to 1967, used a two-piece V-creased windshield exactly like the one traced across this outline, a design later replaced by a single curved pane on the Bay Window T2 that followed from 1967 to 1979. Collectors today often refer to original Splitscreen vans simply as splitties, and well-kept original examples from that first generation are among the most sought-after classic Volkswagens anywhere.

A Flat Face for Maximum Cargo Room

Volkswagen mounted the engine at the rear and the driver almost directly above the front axle, letting the van's tall flat nose sit far forward with no hood in the way, a layout that packed unusually generous passenger and cargo space into a fairly compact overall length. That same cab-forward layout also gave the driver an unusually commanding view of the road ahead, since there was no long hood blocking the view the way there would be in a typical delivery truck of the same era.

A Sliding Door Built for Easy Access

The wide sliding side door shown open along the body in this outline let families and workers load passengers or cargo without swinging a door into a tight parking spot, a practical feature that later became standard on nearly every modern minivan. Volkswagen offered the van in passenger, panel-van, and pickup configurations from the very first generation, letting one basic body shape serve families, delivery businesses, and campers all at once.

An Emblem of 1960s Road Trip Culture

Surfers, musicians, and road-tripping families adopted the Microbus through the 1960s and 1970s, often painting its boxy flat panels with bright colors and patterns, and that same era of hand-painted vans is why the shape still reads instantly as a symbol of open-road freedom today. Volkswagen also sold a dedicated camper conversion built by an outside coachbuilder, complete with a pop-up roof and a small fold-out kitchen, turning the humble delivery van into a genuine home on wheels for weekend trips.

A Modern Electric Successor

Volkswagen revived the Microbus concept decades later with an all-electric van that borrows the same round headlights and two-tone flat face styling cues traced in this outline, proving the boxy silhouette from 1950 still resonates with new generations of drivers. The modern successor keeps the flat nose and short front overhang of the original for the same reason Volkswagen used them the first time: without a traditional engine up front, there is simply no need for a long hood at all.