Since 1950, Volkswagen Transporter panel vans can be found on every street corner in my country. It’s quite unthinkable that these will not be around anymore. Typically all of them are referred to as a Volkswagen bus, regardless the generation and the number of seats. The Transporter has always been a bestseller here.
This fine example is a 2012 Transporter T5 single cab panel van, LWB model (as in 340 cm, SWB is 300 cm).
The T5, originally introduced in 2003, got some updates and a facelift in 2009. The T5 was the first generation that was not exported to the US.
Front-engine, front wheel drive, just like the previous Transporter T4.
It’s powered by a 2.0 TDI engine; maximum power output 140 DIN-hp @ 3,500 rpm, maximum torque output 340 Nm (251 lbf-ft) @ 1,750 – 2,500 rpm. With this power unit, a 6-speed manual transmission was standard, while a 7-speed DSG transmission was optional.
The van’s payload capacity is 926 kg (2,041 lbs). Need more? Its towing capacity is 2,500 kg (5,512 lbs).
Panel vans can be great rolling billboards. For once, there’s no need to translate anything that’s on the van…
Volkswagen is still dominant as ever in my country’s light commercial vehicle market, just to be complete I looked up the 2018 sales numbers and marketshares:
- Volkswagen – 16,296 units – 20.6%
- Mercedes-Benz – 11,752 units – 14.9%
- Ford – 10,517 units – 13.3%
- Renault – 9,646 units – 12.2%
- Peugeot – 8,050 units – 10.2%
The 2018 model Top 5:
- Volkswagen Transporter – 6,535 units – 8.3%
- Volkswagen Caddy – 6,520 units – 8.3%
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter – 5,494 units – 7.0%
- Ford Transit Custom – 4,693 units – 5.9%
- Renault Trafic – 4,255 units – 5.4%
Your (Country’s) Mileage May Vary.
Your (Country’s) Mileage May Vary.
Or have no mileage at all. No VW Transporters sold here since…a very long time ago.
But there’s this electrician in my neighborhood who’s been driving this lwb TDi Transporter for years. He must have brought it in from Canada.
It’s very hard to tell apart the late T5 and T6 at a glance (indeed, according to Wikipedia, it seems the T6 is really an extensive update anyway. Is this correct?)
The UK is still obsessed with the Ford Transit. In 2018 54,806 of the Transit Custom were sold, followed by 32,694 of the full size Transit. The Transporter came next with 21,763, followed by the Mercedes Sprinter 21,278 and Vauxhall Vivaro 19,232 (the only UK built van in the top 5).
At a guess, over 100,000 are probably white….
Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT).
For German vehicles, I usually also consult the German Wikipedia site. And indeed, the T6 is regarded as the second, 2015 update/facelift of the T5.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/VW_T5/T6
Has Volkswagen stopped producing the Transporter? You said something about them not being around anymore.
On the contrary. I meant to say that they have been all over the place for so long now that you just can’t imagine streets and roads without Transporters in the future.
Ahhh, I see Johannes Dutch, thank you.
Indeed, but how will the upcoming Ford/VW partnership affect these? Will the next Transit and Transporter T7 share a platform and drivetrain, with VW electric options?
A Ford Transit with a Volkswagen Transponder.
You said something about them not being around anymore.
That’s for the US and Canadian markets…the last Transporter T4 sold there was in, ready, drum roll, 2002.
my t4 is doing fine. sold new in the usa in 1993. was daily driven until i bought it in december 2017. 275k miles (engine rebuild at 180k).
Ive never seen a long wheelbase before, it’s pretty big! Very interesting espalliered trees behind the VW, are they fruit trees?
The generic term for such trees is “leibomen”. The branches are forced to grow that way, initially with the help of a rack when the trees are young. Plant them next to each other and the end result is a nice, flat, green hedge (sort of…).
No fruit in the ones you see behind the VW.
Surely you can’t consider sales numbers for the Renault Trafic without including the Nissan/Opel/Vauxhall clones ?
Obviously the original van outsells the Nissan, Opel, Vauxhall and Fiat (the Talento) clones…
Now the Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro has moved over to the PSA EMP2 platform it will be interesting to find what Renault/Nissan/Fiat (I didn’t know about that last one!) will do next.
Peugeot, Citroën, Toyota, Opel and Vauxhall…same mid-size van.
Yes, but what about Renault, Nissan and Fiat? Unless they join the same party.