Last Updated: 31 October 2024
Originally Posted: 12 November 2020
The VW-Based Pulmonia Taxi
Unique to the resort of Mazatlan, Mexico, the Pulmonia is a VW Beetle based vehicle with a clear purpose - it was designed to be a taxi!
This basic open fibreglass body with reliable VW mechanics, came about as a practical solution to replace the rickety, three-wheeled 'Tuk Tuk' style vehicles that had been shuttling tourists around the bustling holiday resort, boasting over 20 miles of glorious beaches.
The trike taxis had been operating in Mazatlan since the mid-1960s, originally modelled after the Vespa Ape style machine known as the Truckster, which was produced by the American company Cushman, based in the State of Nebraska.
A local man thought of a unique ride for tourists, blending the style of a taxi and a horse and carriage. He started with just three Cushmans, yet within ten years, the fleet had expanded to over 100 trikes serving the Mazatlan area.
The simple vehicles were dubbed "Pulmonia" by the traditional taxi drivers, who weren't thrilled about these new vehicles cutting into their business. The belittling name arose from the vehicles' open design; drivers joked that anyone choosing to ride in one instead of a regular taxi might catch "Pulmonia" - which translates to Pneumonia.
Dodgy Decision
Whilst it's unlikely that anyone actually caught a chest infection from riding in one of the original three-wheeled Pulmonias, choosing to hop in one was a dodgy decision, as they were precarious and borderline unsafe. Not that the models that came later would excel in an N-Cap test either...
The four-wheeled VW based replacements rolled in at the start of the 1980s and proved more suitable for the role. With its trusty VW drivetrain and Type 1 air-cooled engine, the Pulmonia was perfect for plodding along in the summer heat. In terms of the design, the Pulmonia's appearance isn't too far off the VW Type 181, known as the Safari, which was produced by VW in Mexico from 1973 to 1980.
The Mexican VW Safari model had a unique version called the Safari Acapulco, designed specifically as a shuttle for hotels. This version featured a candy-striped canvas Surrey top mounted on a tubular frame, with matching seats to complete the look. Ingeniously, the back section of the Surrey top doubled as a backrest for an extra row of seats that three children could sit on. This turned the 181 into an eight-seater and made the Acapulco even more appealing to hotel resorts.
VW's plant in Puebla was just stopping production of the VW Type 181 around the same time that the concept for the VW based Pulmonia emerged. If VW had continued making the 181, the only reason Pulmonias might have existed is that they had to be far cheaper to produce. The basic fibreglass body tub (with built-in bench seats, wings, and a dashboard) was simple to manufacture, requiring only the essentials like lights, a windscreen, and a single wiper before it could be fitted onto a VW Type 1 chassis.
It wasn't long before over 350 VW-based Pulmonias had been made and the sound of Type 1 engines became a familiar part of the Mazatlan streets.
It may have been a nod to the idea of the VW Pulmonia being founded with VW Safari or Type 181 or down to the fact some drivers used 181s in the area, but a version with doors was later introduced and named the Safari. The new body had hints of the 181 and Beetle to it, but still looked like something you’d expect a clown to drive around in.
With or without doors, Pulmonia or Safari, they were far from the safest vehicle on the road. They had no seat belts and we’d hazard a guess and say they were, uh, perhaps not maintained as per VW’s suggested schedules. Accidents involving Pulmonias were common and often serious.
Despite this, the VW based Pulmonia has been such an important machine to the Mazatlan area that a full-size bronze sculpture of one was commissioned and put in place in 2001 on the seafront road. This pays homage to the man who came up with the original idea for the Pulmonia – Miguel Ramirez Urioui
The future is now…
The VW based Pulmonia has been wheezing through the decades since its introduction in the 1980s, but the end is here as the local authorities have both tourist safety and the environment to consider. The antiquated local celebrity my not have scored highly on either point, but both were important elements of the brief for the replacement machine. And, before you start thinking that’s the end of the Pulmonia and the unique experience it offers tourists, worry not… as the concept has been successful for half a century and viewed as a tradition that must continue.
The suggested new Pulmonia was debuted last year and follows the Safari idea as it has doors. The car is based on a Mexican built Nissan Tiida costing 287,000 Pesos (£11,150) and a further 85,000 (£3,327) to convert.
The proposal wasn’t given a warm welcome by the drivers of the VW based Pulmonia taxis, as this would mean a huge investment would need to be made. However, rulings for vehicles being no older than five years, along with requirements for airbags, seat belts and crumple zones will consign the VW Pulmonia to being a memory.
But at least it’ll be one that’s marked with a memorial.
