Volkswagen history

Volkswagen’s four-wheel drives have worked for armies since 1941 — the Schwimmwagen and Kommandeurswagen with the Wehrmacht, the Iltis with the Bundeswehr, Canada and Belgium — and for mountain and rural operators since 1984 in Syncro form. Three Dakar wins in a row for the Race Touareg, and one before that, in 1980, for an Iltis.

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4 VEHICLES · 2 CHAPTERS1941–1999

Military

The wartime Schwimmwagen and Kommandeurswagen, and then the Iltis: with the Bundeswehr from 1978 and, built by Bombardier, with the Canadian Forces and the Belgian Land Component.

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2 VEHICLES · 2 CHAPTERS1980–2011

Motorsport

Four outright Dakar wins: an Audi-prepared Iltis in 1980, and the Race Touareg in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

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8 VEHICLES · 2 CHAPTERS1984–TODAY

Working vehicles

The Transporter Syncro with utilities, mountain rescue and forestry across the Alps, the Taro as a one-tonne pick-up, and the Amarok in farm and mine fleets from Argentina to Australia.

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