Volkswagen PH confirms Q3 arrival of new Kombi

Volkswagen Philippines  announced that the Kombi nameplate is about to make a comeback in the country. 

According to a statement issued by the Ayala-backed distributor, it will be bringing the iconic van — known to its fans as the Microbus, Transporter, or just simply the “hippie van”— by the third quarter this year.

A well-loved vehicle in the country in the last half of the 20th century, Volkswagen Philippines shared that the Kombi sold a total of 6,100 units here  in 1970—the year it peaked in popularity and the German automaker snatched the top spot in the Philippine automobile market. The nameplate began roaming Philippine roads since the late 1950s.

“Today’s generation of youngsters and new drivers may have only seen the legendary Volkswagen Multivan Kombi — Volkswagen’s first, most famous, and most beloved van — in pictures or videos. But for those who were old enough to have driven or gone on road trips in the second half of the 20^th century, the Kombi van has carried with it loads of personal memories and culture-defining history,” Volkswagen Philippines noted in its statement.

The Kombi is part of the one-two punch for the brand alongside the Beetle. This people carrier “celebrated shared experiences—and wherever groups of friends or families wanted to take their next road trips to, the Kombi truly seemed more than wide-eyed happy to take them there.”

Further, Volkswagen Philippines shared that the Kombi — which made its debut in 1949 — has become the world’s all-time best-selling multivan, hitting the 13 millions unit in sales in May last year. This vehicle was also a fixture in pop culture, becoming the known car in the “flower power” era. Its low, flat floor and a spacious interior that is enough to fit eight or more won the public over — allowing every owner to utilize the aforementioned vehicle for any purpose and passion.

“Now, amidst the multitude of van designs other automakers have offered to the Filipino public, the Volkswagen Multivan Kombi is about to stage a comeback and reclaim its old place in local road lore. This updated icon may yet prove to be some happy local motoring history ready to repeat and reveal itself sooner than one might think,” Volkswagen Philippines concluded.

Late last month, Volkswagen Philippines launched the global model T-Cross, a Euro 6-rated 1.5-liter engine mated to a six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission. This pairing — shared by the two variants MPI AT S and MPI AT SE— is capable of providing a maximum 113hp and 145Nm torque.

Photos from Volkswagen Philippines

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