Volkswagen Transporter

The Volkswagen Transporter, based on the Volkswagen Group's T platform, now in its fifth generation, refers to a series of vans produced over 60 years and marketed worldwide.

The T series is now considered an official Volkswagen Group automotive platform.^[1][2] and generations are sequentially named T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5. Pre-dating the T platform designations, the first three generations were named Type 2, indicating their relative position to the Type 1, or Beetle. As part of the T platform, the first three generations are retroactively named T1, T2 and T3.

The Transporter range of light commercial vehicles comprise a gamut of variants including vans, minivans, minibuses, pick-ups, campervans. Competitors include the Toyota Hiace and Mercedes-Benz Vito.

T1 – Type 2 (1950–1967)

Main article: Volkswagen Type 2 (T1)

Initially derived from the Volkswagen Type 1 (Volkswagen Beetle), the Volkswagen Type 2 (T1) was the first generation of Volkswagen's Transporter family.

T2 – Type 2 (1967–1979)

Main article: Volkswagen Type 2 (T2)

The Volkswagen T2 platform^[2] was marketed from 1967 through 1979 model years, with a Volkswagen Type 4 engine optionally available from 1972 on.

T3 – Type 2 (1979–1992)

The Volkswagen Type 2 (T3), also known as the T25, or Vanagon in the United States, was one of the last new Volkswagen platforms to use an air-cooled engine. The Volkswagen air-cooled engine was succeeded by a water-cooled boxer engine (still rear-mounted) in 1983.

T4 – Transporter (1990–2003)

The first officially designated "T platform" vehicle, the Volkswagen Transporter (T4)^[1] dramatically updated the Volkswagen van line by using a front-mounted, front-wheel drive, water-cooled engine.

T5 – Transporter (2003–present)

The Volkswagen Transporter (T5)^[1][2] is the current variant of the Volkswagen T platform. In North America it is sold in Mexico but not in the United States or Canada. As with other light trucks, the T5 range would be tarifed at 25%, known as the chicken tax, if imported to the US.

The Transporter T5 range received a facelift in late 2009. Updated powertrain options include common rail diesel engines, and a world-first usage in a light commercial vehicle of a dual clutch transmission – namely Volkswagen Group's 7-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG).

See also

• Hormiga
• Volkswagen Caravelle
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

References

External links

• Volkswagen Group corporate website
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles corporate website