Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has released the first pictures of its next-generation Transporter van based on the Ford Transit Custom platform.
The new van will officially be unveiled at the Hannover IAA commercial vehicle show in September but Volkswagen has been teasing the seventh generation van's arrival for months.
Details of the line-up have been pretty obvious since Ford announced the Transit Custom, but Volkswagen has officially confirmed that the new Transporter will have a choice of three TDI engines with nominal ratings of 110hp, 150hp and 170hp.
There will also be a plug-in hybrid model called Transporter eHybrid which gets a 232hp rating.
There will also be a fully electric version of the new Volkswagen Transporter with a choice of three outputs.
The eTransporter will get 100 kW (136 PS), 160 kW (218 PS) and 210 kW (286 PS) outputs with a battery capacity of 64kWh.
The TDI and eHybrid models come with front-wheel drive but there will also be a version adopting VW's famed 4MOTION name with an all-wheel drive system available on the two higher outputs of the TDI engines.
Electric models are rear-wheel drive, while an all-wheel drive version is also planned for later in the model's lifetime.
The most powerful 170hp TDI engine will come with an an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, while the middle of the range 150hp will be able to have the same transmission as an option over the standard six-speed manual. Plug-in hybrid and electric models will both have automatic gearboxes.
The new Transporter has increased in size compared to the Transporter T6.1 which is replaces.
It now measures 5,050mm in length (up by 146mm) and the wheelbase has been extended by 97mm to 3,100mm. A long-wheelbase model with an additional 400mm will be also be in the line-up giving the Transporter a choice of two body lengths and a total length of up to 5,450mm, as well as two roof height options.
The width of the Transporter has also increased to 2,032mm with an additional 128mm compared to the T6.1.
In the rear loadspace this means that the maximum width between the wheelarches has increased by 148mm to 1,392mm.
Overall the total load compartment length for the standard wheelbase Transporter is 2,602mm, while the long-wheelbase model increases its load length to 3,002mm.
With the Volkswagen Transporter dimensions increasing the load volume has also gone up. There's now 5.8m3 total volume for the standard van while the long wheelbase model with a high roof will take up to 9.0m3.
On the inside the latest Transporter gets a large 13-inch infotainment screen and a 12-inch digital instrument cluster.
Keyless start is standard along with a multifunction steering wheel. There's an electronic handbrake, increasing room in the footwell, and a new column drive selector for automatic versions, freeing up space on the dash and at the centre seat.
Device charging options include USB-A, USB-C and 12v sockets, and there's also the option of an inverter for 230v power, where, in the diesel versions, the 230 V socket is in the driver’s seat frame but on electric models there will be the option of two additional sockets in the rear of the van.
In total, the 230v system can power up to 2,300 watts, making it suitable to charge batteries or devices as well as operate machinery for tradespeople.
The new Transporter will be available as a panel van, dropside, Kombi van for passenger transport, and as a double cab with platform body using the long wheelbase.
There will also be a more upmarket Caravelle version designed for executive travel like airport taxis.
The new Transporter will have a maximum payload of up to 1.33 tonnes and a towing capacity of up to 2.8 tonnes, depending on variant. This is an increase from the 2.5-tonne towing capacity of the previous Transporter.
LED headlights, LED tail light clusters, an electronic parking brake with Auto Hold function, 12-inch digital instruments (Digital Cockpit), an infotainment system (including DAB+, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, online services and 13-inch touchscreen) are all standard along with a multifunction steering wheel, Keyless Start system, rain sensor, Lane Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Dynamic Road Sign Display.
The Volkswagen Caravelle will come in four versions with an entry-level model, medium trim Life specification, and top of the range Style. There's also a PanAmericana for the more adventerous - a name that has previously been used with the Bulli van and is also a trim level on the Volkswagen Amarok pick-up truck.
Order books are now open, with first deliveries expected by the end of the year.