About the Magazine
VW Bus T4&T5+ is the UK’s largest selling VW magazine. It is dedicated to T4s, T5s and T6s with a few Crafters and Caddys added into the mix. With air-cooled buses becoming increasingly expensive and not entirely suited to today’s traffic conditions, the mantle has been passed to the water-cooled successors of the brand. But don’t for one moment think the baby has been thrown out with the bath water. The newer models still imbue their owners with the same sense of freedom and adventure that their predecessors did. These newer Transporters now take their rightful place in the family of VW models and carry on the tradition of quality and innovation that has always been at the core of the iconic VW brand.
The ownership and fan base of the T4, T5 and T6 has grown in recent years, from a handful of these models turning up and hiding in the day visitors’ car park at VW shows, to now dominating the Show n Shine line ups throughout the season.
Transporters make the ideal ‘blank canvas’ for all sorts of creative modifications with some owners being happy to fit a shiny new set of wheels whilst others go the whole way and customise their buses far beyond what VW perceived at the design stage. The key factor in all this is what else a modern VW bus enables the owners to do. For many the bus plays the role of partner to their owners’ main hobby or pastime – this is where they really come into their own. Whether they are carrying mud caked mountain bikes, sand covered surfboards or just a load of camping gear, these vans are at their best when earning their keep.
In short: when it comes to the ultimate modern camper, bus or van, the most versatile member of the VW Bus family wins, hands down. So, what will you find in the magazine?
The Buses:
Each issue will run a series of feature articles on a range of T4s, T5s and T6s with a few Caddys and Crafters thrown in for good measure. These buses will range from untouched original and now rare models, through creative home builds and one-offs, to jaw dropping show vans. They’re all inside the covers. Many conversion companies have also grown up with VW, some have been here since the air-cooled days and many more have joined the party since the appearance of the T4 on the scene. Their buses will appear too, to give the reader a full view of what’s out there, from stock to custom and bespoke builds, from home-built conversions to conversion company spec builds. We will showcase the trends that are appearing on the scene, as well as more practical modifications. From the lowest static, hydro or air ride bus all the way up to the lifted off-road styled Swampers, from old-skool retro buses to cutting edge new thinking, we bring it all to you. This is where you will find detailed articles on, and plenty of photos of, our featured buses.
Readers Rides:
Every month we will showcase a few readers rides, whether it’s a show winner or daily driver, we invite you to share with us your bus and why you love it. This is where your bus could be.
Bus Brief:
All the latest bus related news and information on the latest products available in the UK and across the world will appear on these pages. This is where we scan the horizon and tell you about all the things your Transporter will love, anything significant or just the weird and wonderful that is happening in the modern bus arena.
Travel:
There’s very little better than loading up your Transporter with all the toys, the camping equipment, along with friends and family, then hitting the road. It doesn’t matter if you’re heading just down the road or for a distant destination. We have covered trips of all kinds in the section. We had a T4 in Iceland, a T5 taking six months to tour and explore Europe, we even sent a T6 to Mongolia! This is where you read all about the expeditions and tours that Transporternauts have undertaken.
Lifestyle:
Some bus owners live in their vehicles full time, others use them in their business and have them adapted to suit the purpose, like the Mountain Bike Coach who uses T5 to haul bikes and a converted T5 coach as a mobile classroom, pupil hauler and occasionally a dormitory. Or the drone company that has had a T5 converted specifically to carry their expensive equipment. This is where you will find the wide variety of things people do with their buses.
How To:
We ask the professionals to give you the low down on a wide variety of jobs. This is where you find everything from How To guides on simple things like fitting a swivelling seat base, to a How To guide on fitting an elevating roof and all points in between.
Shop Tours:
We regularly look behind the scenes at a variety of Transporter related businesses. This is where you get to find out about everybody from the largest convertors to the smallest festival trader and all points in between.
Insight:
We sometimes like to take a look at specific products or services, or maybe the latest project trends like electric motivation for example. This is where we examine the finer details of the Transporter world.
Show Scene:
Most years, every weekend from early spring to late autumn is bursting with VW shows and festivals. This is where we guide you through that maze, with previews and reviews on a variety of shows, from the massive ones, through to the little local ones.
