Volkswagen 181 - wikipedia Volkswagen 181 Volkswagen Type 181 / 182 Overview Manufacturer Volkswagen Also called Volkswagen Type 181 ( LHD ) Volkswagen Type 182 ( RHD ) Sold as : Volkswagen Thing ( United States ) Volkswagen Camat ( Indonesia ) Volkswagen Safari ( Mexico ) Volkswagen Trekker ( UK ) Production 1968 -- 83 ( 1980 for civilian use ) 90,883 built ( 70,519 in West Germany, 20,364 in Mexico ) Assembly Wolfsburg, West Germany ( 1968 -- 74 ) Hannover, West Germany ( 1974 -- 83 ) Puebla, Mexico ( 1970 -- 80 ) Jakarta, Indonesia ( 1973 -- 80 ) Body and chassis Class Military vehicle Body style 4 - door Cabriolet Layout Rear engined Powertrain Engine 1.5 or 1.6 l H4 Transmission 4 - speed manual Wheelbase 2,400 mm ( 94.5 in ) Length 3,780 mm ( 148.8 in ) Width 1,640 mm ( 64.6 in ) Height 1,620 mm ( 63.8 in ) Curb weight 910 kg ( 2,006 lb ) Chronology Predecessor Volkswagen Kübelwagen Successor Volkswagen Iltis A 1974 `` Acapulco '' Thing The Volkswagen Type 181 is a two - wheel drive, four - door, convertible, manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen from 1968 to 1983. Originally developed for the West German Army, the Type 181 was also sold to the public, as the Kurierwagen in West Germany, the Trekker ( RHD Type 182 ) in the United Kingdom, the Thing in the United States ( 1973 -- 74 ), the Safari in Mexico and South America, and Pescaccia in Italy. Civilian sales ended after model year 1980. Manufactured in Wolfsburg, West Germany ( 1968 -- 74 ), Hannover, West Germany ( 1974 -- 83 ), Puebla, Mexico ( 1970 -- 80 ), and Jakarta, Indonesia ( 1973 -- 80 ), the Type 181 shared its mechanicals with Volkswagen 's Type 1 ( Beetle ) and the pre-1968 Volkswagen Microbus, its floor pan with the Type 1 Karmann Ghia, and its concept with the company 's Kübelwagen, which had been used by the German military during World War II. Contents 1 History 2 Technology and performance 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External links History This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( April 2017 ) This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. ( April 2017 ) During the 1960s, several European governments began cooperating on development of a vehicle known as the Europa Jeep, a lightweight, amphibious four - wheel drive vehicle that could be mass - produced for use by various national military and government groups. Development of the vehicle proved time - consuming, however, and the West German government was in need of a limited number of light, inexpensive, durable transport vehicles that could fulfill their basic needs while the Europa Jeep was being developed and put into production. Although Volkswagen had been approached during the 1950s about building such a vehicle, and had subsequently passed on the proposition, the then - current management of the company saw the project as having some amount of potential as a consumer vehicle ; Mexican customers were asking for something that could handle rural roads better than the Type 1, which was a large seller in Mexico at the time, and the popularity of VW - based dune buggies within the U.S. made executives think that a durable, fun, off - road - capable vehicle would become attractive to many buyers. VW could keep cost to a minimum and thus maximize profitability by using existing parts. Like the World War II era Type 82 Kübelwagen, the Type 181 used mechanical parts and a rear - engine platform, manual transmission and a flat - 4 engine derived from that of the Type 1. The floorpans came from the Type 1 Karmann Ghia, which had a wider floorpan than the Beetle. Rear swing axle suspension with reduction gearing from the discontinued split - screen Volkswagen Transporter was used until 1973, when it was replaced with double - jointed axles used by Porsche and IRS semi-trailing arm setup as used on the 1303 and US - spec Beetles. Civilian sales began in mainland Europe and Mexico during 1971 ; in the U.S. in 1972 ; and briefly in Britain in 1975, where it failed to sell well and was dropped fairly quickly. The model was dropped from the American lineup for 1975 as it failed to meet new, stricter US safety standards. The Type 181 was reclassified as a passenger vehicle, and thus subject to stricter safety standards. The Windshield Intrusion Rule of the 1975 DOT standard called for a greater distance between the front seat occupants and the front window glass. The Europa Jeep was the result of a NATO plan to have a vehicle whereby each European NATO makers all combined to build a light - duty patrol vehicle. The Volkswagen 181 was only supposed to fill in, until the time that the Europa Jeep was ready. From 1968 until 1979, over 50,000 Type 181s were delivered to the NATO forces. By 1979 the Europa Jeep project had fallen apart completely and was abandoned, and the West German government began supplementing their consumption of 181s with the new front - engined Type 183 Iltis. Despite the West German government 's switch to the Type 183, European and Mexican sales of the civilian 181 continued through 1980, and several organizations, including NATO, continued to purchase military - spec Type 181 units through 1983, finding their reliability and low purchase and maintenance costs attractive. Technology and performance This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( April 2017 ) Type 181 's rear axle, featuring the VW portal axle design In orange Military 181s attain a higher ride height and lower effective gearing by using reduction boxes, a form of portal axles. 181s without reduction boxes feature a transmission similar to the Beetle but with a slower gearing by use of different ring and pinion gears and have stronger, more flexible CV axles. Most mechanical parts are interchangeable with those of other VW models. Optional dual oil bath air cleaners increased filtering ability in dusty environments, and low noise ignition systems were fitted to military cars to be used for radio communication. The engine is a 4 - cylinder rear mounted petrol engine. See also Porsche 597 References Jump up ^ Oswald, Werner ( 2003 ). Deutsche Autos 1945 -- 1990 ( German autos, 1945 -- 90 ) ( in German ). 3. Stuttgart : Motorbuch. p. 46. ISBN 3 - 613 - 02116 - 1. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2010. TV show Rizzoli & Isles, Season 5, Episode 14 `` Foot Loose '' Further reading Schreier, Konrad F. Jr., ed. VW Kubelwagen Military Portfolio 1940 -- 1990. ISBN 1 - 85520 - 218 - 2 External links Media related to Volkswagen Type 181 at Wikimedia Commons Type 181 toys from 1972 until 2009 181 facts and figures VW Thing Sales Brochures Retrieved from www.dastank.com on 23 June 2009 Volkswagen passenger cars A marque of the Volkswagen Group Current Cars Ameo Arteon / CC Beetle Bora Fox Gol Golf Jetta Lamando Lavida Santana Passat B8 / Magotan Passat NMS Phideon Polo Up Vento Voyage SUVs / Crossovers Atlas / Teramont CrossFox CrossPolo CrossGolf / Golf AllTrack CrossTouran Passat AllTrack T - Roc Tiguan Touareg Vans Caddy Sharan Suran Touran Pick - up trucks / Utilities Amarok Saveiro Discontinued vehicles Aircooled 181 411 / 412 ( Type 4 ) 1500 / 1600 ( Type 3 ) Beetle ( Type 1 ) Brasília Country Buggy ( Sakbayan ) Hebmüller Cabriolet Karmann Ghia Kommandeurswagen Kübelwagen Schwimmwagen SP2 Voyage Type 18A Type 147 ( Fridolin ) VW - Porsche 914 Watercooled Apollo Citi Golf Corrado Gol Eos Iltis K70 Lupo New Beetle Parati Phaeton Pointer / Logus Routan Saveiro Scirocco Voyage Concept vehicles 1 - Litre / L1 / XL1 Concept Alltrack Concept ARVW Bio Runner BUDD - e Bulli Concept C Coupe GTE Chico Concept A Concept BlueSport Concept D Concept R CrossBlue Concept Cross Coupe concept EcoRacer EDAG Biwak ( New Beetle estate ) GTI Roadster / Supersport Vision Gran Turismo GX3 I.D. 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Crozz Iroc Microbus Concept Milano Taxi New Beetle Ragster New Compact Coupé Stanley Taigun Concept Touran HyMotion W12 Coupe / Roadster ( Nardò ) XL Sport Concept VW - based kit - cars / racing cars Polo R WRC Formula Vee Baja Bug Meyers Manx EMPI Imp Engines Petrol engines Discontinued petrol engines G40 / G60 Diesel engines Discontinued diesel engines North American engines Air - cooled engine Wasserboxer Factories Bratislava Chattanooga Transparent Factory Other Emissions scandal 4Motion Advertising Fahrvergnügen AutoMuseum Volkswagen BlueMotion Deutsche Arbeitsfront G - Lader Herbie Platforms Westfalia Camper Volkswagen Passenger Cars, a marque of the Volkswagen Group, car timeline, European market, 1950 -- 1979 -- next '' Type 1950s 1960s 1970s 0 5 6 7 8 9 0 5 6 7 8 9 0 5 6 7 8 9 Economy car Beetle ( Type 1 ) Supermini Polo I Derby I Small family car Type 3 Golf I Large family car Type 4 K70 ( NSU ) Passat I Coupé Karmann Ghia Scirocco I Type 34 Karmann Ghia VW - Porsche 914 Utility vehicle Type 181 Kurierwagen / Trekker Deutsche Arbeitsfront ( Founder ) Volkswagen corporate website A marque of the Volkswagen Group Volkswagen Passenger Cars, a marque of the Volkswagen Group, car timeline, North American market, 1950 -- 1979 -- next '' Type 1950s 1960s 1970s 0 5 6 7 8 9 0 5 6 7 8 9 0 5 6 7 8 9 Economy Beetle ( Type 1 ) Compact Fastback / Squareback ( Type 3 ) Rabbit I Dasher Mid-size Type 4 K70 ( NSU ) Coupé Karmann Ghia Scirocco I Convertible Beetle Convertible Karmann Ghia Convertible 181 Thing / Safari Van Microbus ( Type 2 - T1 ) Microbus ( Type 2 - T2 ) Deutsche Arbeitsfront ( founder ) Volkswagen corporate website A marque of the Volkswagen Group Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. Volkswagen Group of America corporate website North American Volkswagen engines Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Volkswagen_181&oldid=828184318 '' Categories : Volkswagen vehicles Rear - engined vehicles Automobiles powered by boxer engines Cold War military vehicles of Germany Hidden categories : CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Use dmy dates from January 2016 Articles needing additional references from April 2017 All articles needing additional references Articles that may contain original research from April 2017 All articles that may contain original research Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español فارسی Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 پنجابی Português Русский Svenska Українська 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 1 March 2018, at 01 : 24 ( UTC ). About Wikipedia

Question: what years did they make the volkswagen thing
Answer: 1973–74