Volkswagen Transporter T3 gallery (1979–1992)
The third-generation Transporter T3 was the final rear-engined generation, offering water-cooled engines and Syncro 4WD.
All photos
16
T1
0
1950–1967
T2
0
1967–1979
T3
0
1979–1992
T4
0
1990–2003
T5
16
2003–2015
T6
0
2015–2024
T7
0
2021
The Volkswagen Transporter T3 (T25 / Typ 2) debuted in May 1979. Larger, wider, and featuring a boxy industrial design, it was engineered with crumple zones. The T3 marked the final iteration featuring a rear-engine arrangement. Body formats encompassed panel vans, Caravelle passenger vans, luxury Multivan camper configurations, and single/double-cab pickup trucks.
Initial air-cooled flat-fours were superseded in 1982 by water-cooled 'Wasserboxer' engines (1.9L and 2.1L), accompanied by inline-four diesels. In 1985, Volkswagen introduced the legendary all-wheel-drive T3 Syncro co-developed with Steyr-Daimler-Puch.
