What's this foreign mini-van?

Factual Questions
1

Watching a video on Youtube, I noticed an unfamiliar vehicle during the “B-Roll” during the narration of a story.

Tim index 11:47


European People Mover?
2

I hate that you posted this. I’m stuck on a quest now.

If it helps anyone, here’s the stock footage roll. Maddeningly, they photoshopped out the logo on the grill.

3

Might have been Nissan’s first attempt at a minivan (sold in the U.S. as the “Nissan Van”) or Toyota’s similar Toyota Van/VanWagon, both of which were imported in the U.S. in the 1980s, and both of which made Chrysler’s original minivans look like a Corvette in comparison.

4

It rings a faint bell. Maybe cold war eastern block, either USSR, GDR or CSSR. But that’s just a hunch.

5

Yes, it’s got a very eastern European/Soviet vibe. The seats in that particular van (from the link I posted) are modern-ish, 90s or so, so one of those 1950s designs that they built for 40 years…

6

I’m pretty sure that’s a Toyota HiAce, but I can’t find a picture of that exact model.

7

It think it’s a Skoda 1203 (sorry, for now only German link).

ETA: wiki link: Skoda 1203

8

I can confirm EinsteinsHund’s post: it’s a Skoda 1203.

Google image page.

Nice work, EinsteinsHund!

9

Yes, thank you!!! Based on that specific grill it’s probably a TAZ 1500, built all the way up through the late 90s (!)

Here’s an exact match.

10

wtf duplicate post

11

The overhang is on the 1203 too, but not the TAZ 1500. Not even an hour since the OP, too. We still got it!

12

nm (double post)

13

I’m a Skoda driver myself, maybe that gave me an edge :slight_smile: (not really, I’ve got a 2009 Fabia that looks like every other modern European compact car). It might be that I’ve seen such a car on the road here somewhere somewhen, I faintly knew the type and thinking of Skoda, a little bell rung. Google did the rest.

14

this reminds me of when I saw one of Volvos first minivans… remember the metal rectangle box that Nabisco used to sell the saltine crackers in occasionally? pot a dashboard and wheels on it anf you’ve got one … it was totally white except the loading door had “Volvo” in green letters on it …

looked like you could roll it down a hill and just scratch off some paint …

it was an early 80s model is all i ever found out about it

We joked not much has changed in 40 years…

15

Hey, there’s just something about Soviet/Eastern Bloc design, ain’t there?

Simple, spartan…just straight-forward, no-nonsense utility.

16

yeah, but they had no concern for gas mileage on their stuff usually … you were lucky to get 8 miles to a gallon …