4×4S.ORGTHE REGISTRY NAMED MODEL · 1987–92
NAMED MODELGermanyAustria

T3 Syncro 16-inch (1987–92)

The heavy-duty Syncro: from 1987, 16-inch wheels with reworked chassis and body, larger brakes and a rear differential lock as standard, 246 mm of ground clearance and a tonne of off-road payload. 2,138 were built by 1992.

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Sources & evidence
BASE VEHICLETransporter Syncro (T3, 1984–92)BUILT BYMagna Steyr (Steyr-Daimler-Puch), GrazIN SERVICE1987–92PRODUCTION2,138LAYOUT4 wheels · 97″

The record

The 16-inch Syncro is the version expedition builders wanted and the reason the T3 has the reputation it does. Everything was raised, strengthened and geared down; the rest of the Syncro run used the 14-inch wheels of the rear-drive van.

Specification

MANUFACTURED1987–92
ENGINE1.9 and 2.1-litre Wasserboxer petrol flat-foursVolkswagen Wasserboxer
PRODUCTION RUN2,138
COUNTRY OF ORIGINGermany
STATUSout of production
RECORD KINDNamed model
MODEL LINETransporter Syncro
FAMILYTransporter Syncro
WHEELS4
NOMINAL WHEELBASE97″
BODY STYLEvan

Catalogue fields describe the vehicle's structure and body as this registry records it. They are not certified factory measurements, and no performance figures are published here.

Variants & colours

Base model variants

Factory colours

  • Alpine White

Codes on hover. Hex values are representative approximations of period paint unless a source states a measured value.

AI rendering impression

An AI rendering impression starts from a 3D model of this vehicle, which an image model then paints into a scene. It is an artist's impression of the type, made to give a feel for the vehicle in its element — not a photograph, and not a record of any particular vehicle.

Proportions, fittings, markings, colours and the setting can all drift from the original in the process. For the vehicle's actual details, rely on the specification, the photographs and the cited sources on this page.

Sources

  1. 1Syncro: VW Commercial Vehicles celebrates 40 years of all-wheel drive ↗Motor1 · accessed 2026-09-23SOURCE
  2. 2Volkswagen Type 2 (T3) ↗Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-23SOURCE

Registry record updated 2026-09-23 · status: researched