Volkswagen Type 181

The Volkswagen Type 181 is a two-wheel drive, four-door convertible that Volkswagen manufactured and marketed from 1968 until 1983, with civilian sales ending after model year 1980. It was originally developed for the West German Army as a successor to the Auto Union two-stroke DKW Munga, and it also entered the civilian market as the Kurierwagen in West Germany, the Trekker in the United Kingdom, the Thing in the United States and the Safari in Mexico. It was manufactured in Wolfsburg from 1968 to 1974, in Hannover, Emden, Puebla in Mexico and Jakarta in Indonesia, and shared its mechanicals with the Beetle and the pre-1968 Microbus. The overall configuration recalls the open beach cars of the 1960s such as the BMC Mini Moke and Meyers Manx. It was meant only as a stopgap until the Europa Jeep was ready, and the Type 183 Iltis effectively replaced it.