VW has announced that it is bringing two new vans to South Africa this year – the Crafter and the Transporter.
The Crafter will arrive in the first half of 2025, while the Transporter will appear in the second half of the year.
What to expect
Starting with the Crafter commercial van, it will be available in different sizes with a length of either 5,900mm, 6.840mm, or 7.390mm to better suit the carrying needs of various customers.
Furthermore, the panel van models will offer one of three different roof heights, from 2,350m to 2,590mm and 2,790mm.
Provided you go for the largest dimensions possible, the VW will be able to take up to 17.5 m3 of cargo.
This time around, the Crafter will be sold with a front-wheel, rear-wheel, or 4Motion all-wheel-drive configuration, with the option of either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Power is sourced from a selection of 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel (TDI) engines, with an output of 103kW, 120kW, or 130kW.
The new models have also been upgraded with a variety of equipment, including keyless start, a multifunction steering wheel, an electromechanical parking brake with hill-hold, an inductive charger, front and rear park distance control, manual air conditioning, a digital instrument cluster, and a 10.3-inch infotainment screen.
Shifting focus to the Transporter, the next-gen van is getting three 2.0-litre TDI engines and two gearboxes.
The drivetrains produce 81kW, 110kW, and 125kW, and can be paired with either a six-speed manual shifter or an eight-speed auto.
It will also be sold as both a front-wheel and a 4Motion all-wheel-drive vehicle, depending on the derivative.
The short-wheelbase models are 5,050mm long, which is 146mm more than the previous version, and the wheelbase has grown 97mm to 3,100mm to compensate.
Alternatively, there is a long-wheelbase version that 5,350mm in length (400mm more than before).
The width of the vehicle has been increased, too, with the distance between the wheel housing going up by 148mm to a new total of 1,392mm.
The result of all of these changes is that the Transporter’s storage capabilities have been improved across the board, with a new capacity of 1.3 tonnes.
Additionally, the roof load capacity has gone from 150kg to 170kg, and the VW can tow a trailer weighing up to 2.8 tonnes.
Standard equipment on the van now comprises LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, an electronic parking brake with Auto Hold function, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a 13-inch infotainment screen with smartphone pairing, a multifunction steering wheel, keyless start, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and dynamic road sign display.
The Transporter will be available as a panel van, crew bus, kombi, with pricing to be revealed closer to its release window.
VW Crafter
VW Transporter
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