It seems to me that VW 'people carriers' or 'multi purpose vehicles' were
around long before the term became popular around the mid 1980s.

I had the middle row double seat out for longer than I anticipated and we
ended up going to church like it. But it turned out very useful because it
was pouring with rain and one of our members who is usually pushed home on
her wheelchair was able to get a lift with us, wheelchair and all (plus two
people holding the wheelchair steady during the short journey). Our 4 kids
were quite comfortable across the 3rd row bench.

This is what I call a real MPV. For reasons like this I like to be able to
pop the middle row double seat out in under say 2 minutes. I am adding a
bench seat for the kids in the boot. I'll tell you about it when they have
tested it, which they are really looking forward to. I have done the
seatbelts, I just have to upholster the foam now.

By the way, I wonder how popular the Caravelle (or whatever local name),
and the Camper are in Germany itself compared to foreign markets.

Lionel Tun
1984 Caravelle GL
lionel@ark.prestel.co.uk