If the VW Beetle (factory designation Type 1) is one of the most significant cars of the 20th century, then its equally iconic Type 2 sibling is one of the most significant - and influential - commercial/recreational vehicles of the same period.

The first-generation Type 2, which shared many components with the Beetle to keep costs down, was introduced in 1950 and remained in German production until 1967. Its second-generation successor ran until 1979 before German manufacture ceased, after almost three decades of combined production.

Although the Type 2 lives on, albeit greatly changed after several decades of evolution, the now ‘classic’ first and second-generation models maintain the strongest mechanical and spiritual links with the iconic Beetle. As a result, they are the most desirable models amongst enthusiasts and collectors today and naturally the focus of this review.