By Phil Matthews
1941
Together with the British 8th Army, Australian soldiers of the Australian
9th Division, 2nd AIF are fighting Rommel’s Afrika Corps in North Africa.
The Aussies and the Brits take Tobruk, win the battle of El Alamein and eventually
push the Germans out of Africa. The soldiers become the first Australians
to come into contact with the German Volkswagen, as Rommel’s forces
used the Kübelwagen in the African desert campaign. A number of Kübels
are captured by Australian soldiers, with some of them used for transport
by Australian field officers. Unfortunately all of them have to be left behind
in the desert when the Australian forces pull out in 1942.
Australian soldiers fought in North Africa, but did not serve in Western Europe or the Russian Front during WW2 (except for Australians serving in the RAF). After the victorious African campaign, the experienced Australian 9th Division is sent to fight the Japanese in New Guinea. Australian forces spend the rest of the war in the Pacific, and have no further contact with the Germans.
1945
The Australian Army ships three Volkswagen vehicles to Australia: one wartime
Kübelwagen, and two immediate post-war Beetles. After being tested locally,
the Kübel is stored for many years but eventually ends up in the Australian
War Memorial in Canberra, where it can be seen today. The Beetles are extensively
examined, road-tested, taken apart and reassembled by the Army, who make the
proposal that military versions of the Volkswagen should be assembled in Australia.
Nothing comes of this.
1946
The Commonwealth Disposals Commission in Victoria auctions off the two Army
Beetles, plus numerous parts and other surplus equipment. One VW is lost,
but the other survives abandoned in Tasmania until eventually rescued by VW
enthusiasts, in derelict condition, in 1990.
1948
The British are preparing to hand the VW factory back to the Germans. On instructions
from the Australian Government, automotive engineer Laurence Hartnett visits
Wolfsburg to determine if any equipment can be secured for Australian use,
as war reparations. Hartnett inspects the still war-damaged factory and rejects
the VW itself, but requests that the VW press shop equipment be shipped to
Australia. Nothing comes of this.
1951
The first privately-imported Volkswagen arrives in Australia, a 1946 model
brought in by arriving German immigrant Therese Haenel. She had purchased
the car from a British Officer of the Occupational Forces in Germany. She
arrived with her son (and the VW) and joined her husband Ted, who had been
interned in Australia during the war. The family settles in Horsham, Victoria,
and would use the 1946 VW for their daily transport for many years.
1952
The boss of VW’s South African organization, the German-born Baron Klaus
von Oertzen, invites his Melbourne-based friend and car distributor, Lionel
W. Spencer, to visit Wolfsburg. Von Oertzen and Spencer had worked together
selling DKWs in Australia before the war. Spencer tours Wolfsburg with von
Oertzen, and is very impressed with the huge, thriving Volkswagenwerk.
1953
Lionel Spencer’s Melbourne distribution company, Regent Motors (Holdings),
is appointed the sole Australian distribution rights for Volkswagen. He displays
his first imported VWs in his Melbourne showroom in October, and by the year’s
end 31 have arrived for evaluation.
The Victorian government of the time offered tax concessions for locally-made cars, which would make any Australian-assembled VWs cheaper than full imports. Spencer therefore also imports the first CKD packs, in order to investigate the possibility of locally assembling the Volkswagen.
1954
The fully imported Volkswagen sedans and Transporters go on sale to the general
public. The first NSW VWs are displayed at the Royal Easter Show. In June
the first CKD packs are assembled by Martin & King of Clayton, Victoria,
a former railway carriage manufacturer, under contract to Regent Motors. Martin
& King are owned by Clyde Industries Ltd, a major builder of railway equipment
in NSW.
Spencer awards the VW distribution rights for NSW to LNC Industries, who set up a subsidiary called Lanock Motors to handle VWs. The first VWs arrive by ship at Woolloomooloo in May. Other state distributors established are Annand and Thompson in QLD, Light Motors in SA, Western Motors in WA and Greg Cusack in ACT. Lanock Motors would later take ownership of all of these.
Australian VWs are oval window with the original 30-bhp 1131cc engine, with single tailpipe. Early models have push-button starter.
Four VWs are entered in the 15,450 km Redex Trial, with two of them finishing the event, in 13th and 95th place outright.
2,080 Volkswagens are sold - 1,746 VW 1200s and 334 Transporters.
1955
Regent Motors form a new company, Volkswagen Australia Pty Ltd, to oversee
all Australian operations. The first Transporter CKD kits are imported and
assembled by Martin & King, in addition to the Beetle CKD kits already
being built.
Lanock Motors sets up the first VW Mechanics Training School at their Five Dock premises in Sydney.
In March the Australian-assembled VW is upgraded to the new 36-bhp 1192cc engine. Twin tailpipes.
Thirteen VWs are entered in the 16,900 km Redex Trial. The Beetle of Laurie Whitehead wins the event, with another VW driven by Eddie Perkins in second. VWs also finish 15th, 30th, 31st and 32nd. This was to be the last Redex Trial.
7,313 Volkswagens are sold – 5,800 VW 1200s and 1,513 Transporters.
1956
The first Australian-made components are added to the CKD assembly of Beetles
and Transporters, in a program to replace German-made parts wherever possible.
Bosch, VDO and Hella set up facilities in Melbourne to supply components.
Bosch’s Australian headquarters is right across the road from the VW
assembly shop.
Raised taillights. Front luggage space is increased by changing the design of the fuel tank. Seat adjusters added. Heater knob moved forward. New Australian paint colour choices and new interior trim.
22 VWs are entered in the 13,600 km Mobilgas Trial. Eddie Perkins’ VW finishes first and Bob Foreman’s VW is third, with other VWs in 4th, 6th, 9th and 10th. Nine VWs are entered in the 10,400 km Ampol trial, with six finishing the event. VWs finish 2nd, 4th and 9th.
12,239 Volkswagens are sold – 9,207 VW 1200s and 3,032 Transporters.
1957
Australian-made content of CKD-assembled Beetles reaches 51%. The head of
the Volkswagenwerk, Heinz Nordhoff, visits Australia and inspects the Martin
& King assembly workshop in Clayton. The decision is made to commence
full Australian manufacturing. A new company, Volkswagen Australasia Pty Ltd,
is formed, 51% owned by the VW Germany and the remaining 49% shared by Regent
Motors, LNC Industries and Clyde Industries. Martin & King (formerly owned
by Clyde Industries), and their Clayton factory, is purchased outright.
Early models only had minor changes. In late 1957 the new larger rear window is introduced, together with smaller rear intake grill, and a larger windscreen with narrow pillars. New dashboard with much bigger glove box, flat accelerator pedal.
Jack Whitter’s VW won the 11,200 km Ampol Trial, with George Reynolds’ VW 2nd and another VW in 7th. Twenty of the 52 surviving cars in the 14,500 km Mobilgas Trial were Volkswagens, with VWs finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th in a devastating and demoralising display of reliability.
13,456 Volkswagens are sold – 10,379 VW 1200s and 3,077 Transporters.
1958
Volkswagen takes third place on the Australian car market, behind only Holden
and Ford.
Work begins on a major expansion of the now VW-owned Clayton factory, with a new press hall, paint shop and assembly hall beginning construction.
Lanock Motors opens their new large dealership at St Leonards, joining their existing branches at William St City, Camperdown and Five Dock. St Leonards later becomes the NSW headquarters for Volkswagen Spare Parts. Lanock Motors receives its first shipments of VW Industrial Engines.
Only detail changes were made to the Beetle and Kombi.
13 of the 27 VWs finished the 12,000 km Ampol Trial, with Jack Whitter’s VW equal second and other VWs in 7th and 10th. The Mobilgas Trial was 16,000 km, the longest yet, but was a disappointing anti-climax. Eddie Perkins’ VW was first, Greg Cusack’s VW was second, and other VWs were 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th and 15th. Due to VW’s dominance, this was to be the last Round-Australia trial for six years.
16,654 Volkswagens are sold – 13,755 VW 1200s and 2,899
Transporters.
1959
The first Australian-made body panels are stamped in the giant new Clayton
press shop, flat panels for the Transporter. Tooling for the presses was made
by Chrysler in Adelaide. Importing of CKD kits ends, with only the required
non-Australian parts now imported. Full-scale manufacturing begins, with VW
Australasia aiming towards 75% local content.
An adjoining property at Clayton, on the other side of Centre Road, is purchased for the new VW administration headquarters, central parts warehouse and engine assembly shop. This complex becomes known as ‘Plant No. 2’.
Lanock Motors converts its Five Dock branch from an agency delivery unit to a Volkswagen sales and service centre. A new 16,500 square metre yard is established at Lidcombe for vehicle distribution and delivery throughout NSW.
The first Australian VW exports are made, when locally made Beetles are shipped to New Zealand.
Detail changes early. In June Vynex head trim is introduced, floor-strengthening ribs are changed and the dished steering wheel with chrome horn ring and self-cancelling indicators are introduced.
The Karmann Ghia is introduced to Australia as an exclusive, fully imported model.
21,002 Volkswagens are sold – 17,734 VW 1200s, 13 Karmann
Ghias and 3,255 Transporters.