70 Years in, Volkswagen Vans Still Captivate Van Lifers

Volkswagen debuted its Transporter T4 in the United States in 1992 under the moniker Eurovan. The Eurovan, which would celebrate its 30^th anniversary this year, was the first Volkswagen camper van with a front-engine model, and its pop-up elements created a unique Americanized RV that three decades later is still loved by enthusiasts and regarded as one of Volkswagen's most versatile vehicles.

While Eurovan is hardly VW’s first recreational bus made for the American public—and definitely not its last—the cult following around this classic encapsulates America’s longstanding fascination with wanderlust, and a cultural tradition that can be traced back to the 1950s and Volkswagen’s U.S. debut: Van Life. 

Today, the retired Eurovan—along with Volkswagen’s roster of other bus models—continues to capture the imagination of VW enthusiasts around the globe, while inspiring a new generation of van lifers. Thanks to newfound flexibility enabled by remote work, greater connectivity and the emergence of new social formats, the 2020s are ushering in a new chapter of van life history as many young professionals, particularly young millennials and Gen Z, take advantage of the freedom they have to quite literally work and create community from anywhere.