The honest answer to this i dont know. From my point of view been working in the motor trade and supplying parts for these they are a VW Transporter T25. The Volkswagen part numbering system for the year 1980-1990 transporter all start 251- (left hand drive) or 252- (right hand drive) Hence why i believe amongst the trade and VW Transporter Enthusiasts they are known as T25s.

But on the Continent they seem to be refered to as T3s im not sure where this stems from but if your in Germany, Belgium, Holland etc they are refered to as Volkswagen T3s. In the United states thay dont have this problem as they are known as Vanagons.

So to Put things simply if your own a Volkswagen Transporter 1980-1990 Model you can call it:

T25
TYPE 25
T3
(NOT TYPE 3)
VANAGON
WEDGE VAN
CHEESE VAN
BRICK VAN
BREAD VAN

They all equate to the same well loved VW Van

Please feel free to add your comments below together with nicknames etc.

The Tailgate on the T25 Transporter is often prone to rusting out especially on earlier versions of the van. The Tailgate Struts / Damper which hold the Tailgate up when open are also prone to failing after a few years they are a very simple and inexpesive item to replace.

VW Camper, The Inside Story- A Guide to the Various Camping Conversions and Interior Layouts Used for VW Campers 1951-2005.

Detailed in depth coverage of VW Camper interiors from Early Splitscreens, Baywindows, T25 Transporters, T4 Transporters to 2005 T5 Transporters. Loads of Photos included make this Book an extremely enjoyable read aswell as a great reference guide.

As Volkswagen themselves never made a 'Factory Coversion' the variations between the many conversion companies such as Westfalia, Devon, Dormobile, Danbury and Sundial are very different. With 40+ various independant companies also having done / made conversions its amazing the differences. The Book offers great reviews of most.

A Must have book for VW Camper Nuts.