After 63 years as one of the most iconic vehicles ever built, the trusty Volkswagen Kombi has finally ceased production at its Brazilian plant.

In memory of the huge part Kombis have played in people's lives, VW has created a special advertisement called 'Last Wishes'. The five minute film is narrated by 'Old Lady Kombi' who talks about her long life and the many extraordinary people who have driven her.

She drives across the globe to give special Kombi lovers farewell gifts, but foremost among these are designer Bob Hieronimous who is visited by Old Lady Kombi at his Baltimore home, as well as Ben Pon Jr., the son of the Ben Pon who designed the original Kombi in the 1940s.

It also tracks ordinary Kombi users, such as the man who drove his Kombi to no less than three World Cup tournaments.

Brazil was the last nation on Earth where the Kombi was embraced as a real day-to-day van, right up until December 2013, when production in VW's São Bernardo do Campo factory stopped. It was the Brazilians who came up with the 'Kombi' name - understandable when you discover the original name was Kombinationsfahrzeug!

Of the 3.5 million Kombis built, 1.56m were built in Brazil, meaning the van has a special place in the heart of people there. However, stricter safety regulations in Brazil mean the Kombi's design is no longer acceptable. The extreme forward driving position is one of the main issues, offering as it does little protection to the driver – unlike newer competition, which is also provided largely by VW. Such is its simplicity however, the Kombi is considered very reliable a van: one for which your annual breakdown cover is less likely to be needed.

Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXynxODC4eY