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Upon close inspection, it was evident that the photos had been retouched. These first photos created more questions than they answered. VW released photos to the press - along with the name "VW1500" - but little else. In early 1961, VW officially announced that a new model line was on the way. The August 1959 edition of "Sports Cars Illustrated" revealed: "Volkswagen is, according to well founded sources, going to build a car somewhat along the lines of the new A-40 in addition to the regular line of beetles and transporters." At the 1960 Geneva Auto Show, VW's official position was that there were no new designs in the works! Despite the secrecy, word of a "new" VW had been spreading. By the time 1960 drew to a close, prototypes had been extensively tested and VW began gearing up for production. It was there in hiding that the Type III was born in 1959.
Volkswagen type 3 windows#
When one of the major buildings at the Wolfsburg factory was damaged due to fire in the late 1950s, the order came from VW's head honchos to keep the windows boarded up after repairs were made. Volkswagen's answer? The VW 1500, also known as the Type III. Especially in its home market, VW was beginning to feel competition from larger, more luxurious American imports. As the 1950s were coming to a close and Volkswagen was establishing itself as a world-class automaker, it became clear that it would need to introduce a new, larger car to supplement the Beetle, Transporter and Type I Karmann Ghia.