Automotive world premiere with glamorous history and fantastic guitar-rock concert: at an impressive gala motoring event attended by around 500 guests from 30 countries, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles today unveiled the new generation T series in Amsterdam.

A cross-generational vehicle presentation, which makes history: 20 different models from every T series to date appear on stage. Flying in onto the screens come photos of contemporary witnesses, celebrities and events from the decades. Music from these vehicle eras fills the air. The final vehicle to appear is the pigeon blue ‘Sofie’ panel van (from 1950), the most valuable and oldest ‘Bulli’ in the possession of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Classic Cars. A fascinating story begins, told – ranging from the start of the vehicle’s production up to the present day of the T series – in gripping fashion by Marco Tempest, probably the world’s best ‘storyteller’. He also impressively describes why this Transporter presentation is taking place in Amsterdam: it is a homage to Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon. For it is said that with a notepad sketch of the van in 1947 the car dealer gave a key impetus for the vehicle’s creation.

Shortly after this journey through time, the stage is plunged into darkness. Suddenly headlights come on: three new generation T models (Transporter, Caravelle and Multivan) drive onto the stage. From the Multivan Highline step the Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand, Dr Eckhard Scholz, and Board Member for Technical Development Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler, who then welcome the guests, including Fanja Pon, granddaughter of the man who provided the inspiration for the camper. She has even brought the famous camper sketch with her to the presentation from Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. Now, the two directors introduce the sixth generation of the T series. Scholz: “The market demands extremely reliable, variable and individualised vehicles. This is true for the past as well as today. We supply our models in top quality to meet every requirement exactly – for the craft trades, retail trade, service providers, family and recreation. With this sixth generation of the T series, we have succeeded in doing that once again. We create value. See for yourself!”

WEBSITE www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/news/2015/04/knopfler.html