T1 (1950–1967): rear-mounted air-cooled boxer engine, split windscreen, built as panel van, minibus and pickup; the deluxe 'Samba' version with its extra roof windows is the most sought-after today. T2 (1967–1979): single curved 'bay window' windscreen, higher payload, standardised sliding door. T3 (1979–1992): wider body, modern suspension, and from 1982 water-cooled engines; also sold as the Vanagon in North America.
T4 (1990–2003): the engine moves to the front, the first fundamental redesign of the concept. T5 (2003–2015) and T6 (2015, facelifted as T6.1 from 2019): incremental evolution with growing electronics and safety systems. T7 Multivan (from 2021): the passenger line moves to the MQB car platform with a plug-in hybrid option, while the commercial Transporter continues on its own track — the first time the two branches fully separate.