It is the prototype of the Volkswagen EA489 Basistransporter. It was front-wheel-driven by the well-known 1600 cc- VW Boxer engine. It was developped for less developped countries. It was built between 1975 and 1979 with an even simpler designed cab (2,600 units produced in Hanover, Germany as CKDs, and 3,600 units produced in Puebla, Mexico between 1976 and 1977 for the Mexican market. It was built and sold in Turkey as the EA489, in Indonesia as the Mitra, and in Mexico as the Hormiga (meaning Ant in Spanish).