1955 VW 23-window Samba Microbus Deluxe. Photos courtesy Auctionata.
Volkswagen’s Type 2 microbus enjoys a worldwide following, and among the most revered models is the 23-window Samba bus. In June of 2011, a 1963 23-window Samba sold at auction for a record-setting hammer price of $198,000 ($217,800, including buyer’s fees), but now a German auction firm believes it will shatter this benchmark with a 1955 Volkswagen 23-window Samba Microbus Deluxe, set to cross the stage in Berlin on November 28.
The Samba to be offered was built in February of 1955 and sold new through Autohaus Retter in Innsbruck, Austria. As a Deluxe model, it came equipped with chrome hubcaps, a polished VW emblem, two-tone paint (split by chrome trim) and an upgraded interior. In addition to its plentiful side and roof windows, the bus featured a folding cloth sunroof, which further improved ventilation for its nine passengers. As the most luxurious offering from Volkswagen in period, the Samba Microbus Deluxe was even used by European airlines to shuttle passengers to and from the airport, at a time when flying was generally reserved for the most affluent travelers.
The “barndoor” nickname comes from the oversize engine hatch door.
The Sealing Wax Red and Chestnut Brown bus remained in Austria until 1990, when it was sold to a new owner in England who opted for a repaint in the original colors. Aside from this bit of upkeep, Auctionata describes the Samba as “mostly original,” including the lighting, glass, reflectors, wheel trim and even the wraparound Plexiglas rear windows. Over the course of its 59-year life, the Samba has reportedly accumulated just 10,305 kilometers (just over 6,400 miles), and is being sold with complete documentation dating to the original owner. There’s also a certificate of authenticity from the Volkswagen Foundation Auto Museum, and the auction firm is claiming that this is one of 11 “Barndoor” Sambas (named for the oversize engine compartment door) remaining from the 1955 model year.
That population claim may be difficult to prove or disprove, but there’s no doubt that 23-window Samba buses are both rare and desirable. Since the record-setting Samba sold in 2011, prices for pristine examples in the United States have dropped, but remain firmly in the six-figure range. In January of 2012, a 1963 23-window Samba, complete with a 1971 Eriba Puck camper, sold for $128,000 in Scottsdale, and in April of 2013, another 1963 example sold for $126,500 in Palm Beach. Last August, a slightly less desirable 21-window microbus from 1966 sold for $110,000 in Monterey, so it appears the market for these Type 2 buses has leveled off in the United States.
That may not be the case in Europe, and the example to be offered at the end of the month in Berlin appears to offer a unique combination of low mileage, extensive documentation and a large percentage of original parts. Auctionata’s opening bid will be €120,000 ($149,725), and its published pre-auction estimate has the bus selling for a record-setting €240,000 ($299,450). Should the bus reach this figure, it may well spark an increase in Type 2 pricing on these shores, too, and it will certainly increase the number of VW buses crossing the stage in Scottsdale next January.
The Auctionata Classic Cars sale takes place in Berlin, Germany, on Friday, November 28. For additional information, visit Auctionata.com.
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