1965 Volkswagen Type 2 ’21-Window’ Deluxe Microbus (more photos 👇)
Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon’s late-1940s sketches for a commercial vehicle based on Beetle components led to the Type 2, which debuted in 1950 and quickly expanded into numerous variants. The most luxurious iteration carried the Samba designation, featuring 21 windows including eight panoramic skylights across the roof.
Marketed specifically for Alpine sightseeing excursions, the Samba came standard with a large fabric sunroof and outward-hinged cargo doors rather than the sliding door found on later commercial models.
Two-tone paint schemes typically placed white upper bodywork over contrasting lower colors, separated by decorative trim. Chrome window surrounds and upgraded dashboard appointments further distinguished the Samba from utilitarian Type 2 variants.
By 1965, the rear-mounted air-cooled four-cylinder engine displaced 91 cubic inches (1.5 liters), producing 44 horsepower sent through a four-speed manual transaxle. Torsion bar suspension was used at all four corners, while drum brakes handled stopping duties. Three rows of seating accommodated up to nine passengers.
The 21-window configuration represented Volkswagen’s flagship Type 2 offering during the split-windscreen era, which concluded in 1967 with the introduction of the single-piece wraparound windshield.
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