Volkswagen Transporter (T5)
Encyclopedia
The Volkswagen Transporter T5 range is the fifth generation of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles , , is a German manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Originally part of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars company, it is now a separate brand and marque of the Volkswagen Group....

 (VWCV/VWN) medium-sized light commercial vehicle
Light commercial vehicle
Light commercial vehicles is a commercial carrier vehicles with a Gross vehicle weight of up to 3.5 tonnes. The formal term within the European Union is Light commercial vehicles. Vehicles which qualify in this category are pickup trucks, vans and 3 wheelers all commercially based goods or...

 and people mover Caravelle/Multivan range. It was launched 6 October 2002, and went into full production in 25 April 2003, replacing the fourth generation T4 Transporter range.

Key markets for the T5 range are Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, France and Turkey. The U.S. market does not receive the T5 Transporter range due to it being classed as a light truck, which thereby automatically includes a 25% extra tax (known as the chicken tax
Chicken tax
The Chicken tax was a 25% tariff on potato starch, dextrin, brandy, and light trucks imposed in 1963 by the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson as a response to tariffs placed by France and West Germany on importation of U.S. chicken...

) on importation into the US. The passenger vans were the worst selling vans in the North American market in 2003, when VW North America sold the last Eurovans in the United States.

In June 2009, VWCV announced the one-millionth T5 rolled off the production line in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...

.

Transporter

The Transporter is the commercial workhorse in the T5 range, available in over 100 combinations. Variants include short- (SWB), medium- or long-wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...

s (LWB); along with low-, medium-, or high-rooflines; and can be configured as a van, minibus, single-cab, double-cab, drop side or chassis truck.

A brief view of the T5 Transporter range:
  • Panel Van – Delivery van without side windows or rear seats,
  • Highroof Panel Van – Delivery van with raised roof. There is also a third mid-roof height available with the T5, between the two traditional ones,
  • Half-panel – Van with side windows only in the front half of the cargo area and one row of removable rear seats,
  • Pick-up – Flatbed truck, also available with wider load bed,
  • Crew Cab Pick-up, in – Flatbed truck with double cab and two rows of seats,
  • Cab Chassis – (both single and crew cab), for coach builders to build special bodies onto,
  • Kombi, from (combination vehicle) – Van with side windows and removable rear seats, i.e. both a passenger and a cargo vehicle combined. Also available with heightened roof,
  • Shuttle – nine-seater minibus,*Taxi, along with Police, Fire and Ambulance emergency services vehicles are made by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) through Special Vehicle Order (SVO), although this option is not available in all markets.


Apart from these factory variants there are a multitude of third-party conversions available, some of which are offered through the VWCV/VWN dealer organisation. They include refrigerated vans, ambulances, police vans, fire engines, ladder trucks and so on.

The full cargo payload potential of the Transporter is between 800 kilograms (1,764 lb) to 1.4 tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...

s. Load compartment volumes range from 5.8 m³ (204.8 cu ft) to 9.3 m³ (328.4 cu ft).

In Mexico, the T5 Transporter range is marketed under the North American Eurovan nameplate.

People movers — Kombi to Multivan

The T5 is also available in six- to nine-seat
Car seat
A car seat is the chair used in automobiles. Most car seats are made from inexpensive but durable material in order to withstand as much use as possible.-Ergonomy: Lumbar and thigh support:...

 configurations called Shuttle, Kombi, Caravelle, and Multivan.
  • Kombi: This is the entry level people mover in the Transporter range. It is available with every internal combustion engine
    Internal combustion engine
    The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...

     in the T5 range, and in all roof heights and wheelbases. The Kombi can seat four to nine people. It is equipped with basic features such as rubber flooring, heater for driver's compartment, and side panel trim and headlining in the driver's compartment. Optional features include central locking, air conditioning for front and rear compartments, electrically controlled and heated mirrors, sliding windows, Electronic Stability Programme
    Electronic stability control
    Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...

     (ESP), side and curtain airbag
    Airbag
    An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...

    s, cruise control, electric windows, sunroof
    Sunroof
    An automotive sunroof is a fixed or operable opening in an automobile roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs may be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styles...

    , and an electric sliding door.
  • Shuttle: This is the next level up, is only available in SWB and LWB, with the full engine range, but is limited to the standard roof height. The Shuttle seats seven to nine people. Standard features are moulded trim, a second heater, sun blinds for the passenger compartment, and a sliding window on the left hand side only. Optional extras over the Kombi include carpeting and an 'Appearance Package', which includes colour coded bumpers, double folding rear three-seater bench seat, and a luggage compartment light.
  • Caravelle: This includes most of the Kombi and Shuttle features already standard, plus ESP, Anti-lock Braking System
    Anti-lock braking system
    An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...

     (ABS), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR – more commonly known as traction control system
    Traction control system
    A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...

    ), passenger's seat with adjustable lumber support, air conditioning, electrically adjustable and heated mirrors, and armrests for front-seat passenger and driver. Optional features include Automatic Tailgate Power Closing system, and multi-disc CD changer. The Caravelle is only available in SWB or LWB, with a maximum of nine seats.
  • Multivan: This is the range-topping people mover based on the T5 platform. Available with six or seven seats, it has a unique rail feature in which seats can slide forward and backward into any configuration. A wide range of accessories are available, like tables and refrigerators which fit into the rails to be secured or movable if necessary. The Multivan has all safety features as standard such as ABS, ESP, ASR, and front, side, and curtain airbags. The Multivan is sold under the Caravelle nameplate in the UK.

Sportline

The Transporter Sportline is the range-topping trim level of the Transporter panel and Kombi van. It comes as standard with a 174 PS Turbocharged Direct Injection
Turbocharged Direct Injection
TDI or Turbocharged Direct Injection is a design of turbodiesel engines, which feature turbocharging and cylinder-direct fuel injection, developed and produced by Volkswagen Group. These TDI engines are widely used in all mainstream Volkswagen Group marques of passenger cars and light commercial...

 (TDI) diesel engine, generating torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....

 of 400 newton metres (295 ft·lbf) at 2,000 rpm, and is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...

.

Other standard features on the Sportline include 18-inch weight-rated alloy wheel
Alloy wheel
Alloy wheels are automobile wheels which are made from an alloy of aluminium or magnesium. They are typically lighter for the same strength...

s, body-coloured bumpers, door mirrors and handles. It features suspension which is lowered by 30 millimetres (1.2 in) over standard variants, and has chrome side bars and grille, a roof spoiler, as well as a special Volkswagen badge.

The Sportline featured in an episode of Top Gear TV series; where Clarkson, Hammond and May had to choose three vans to compete in a series of challenges, including transporting equipment for The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...

. Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...

 claimed the Sportline to be "the fastest van in Britain".

This claim was put to the test by competitor TV programme Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...

where the Sportline has been put head to head with The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...

 van, as well as the Mercedes-Benz Vito
Mercedes-Benz Vito
The Mercedes-Benz Vito is a light van produced by Mercedes-Benz in the Basque town of Vitoria, Spain. From the name of the city Vitoria came the name Vito. The name was also derived from an exemplary, long-standing employee, Vito Rosenstein...

 Sport-X. The Sportline comfortably won a race against the A-Team GMC van
Chevrolet Express
The Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana are full-size vans from General Motors. They replaced the Chevrolet Van and GMC Vandura in 1996. The Express and Savana currently hold 44.8% of the full-size van market in the United States, just behind rival Ford's E-Series...

, even with Tiff Needell
Tiff Needell
Timothy "Tiff" Needell isa British racing driver and television presenter. He is best known as a former co-presenter of Top Gear and current co-presenter of Fifth Gear.-Biography:...

 cutting corners and using short cuts in the vein of the television series. Against the Sport-X, even though the Mercedes had a more powerful engine, it was found that the traction control was too sensitive and overtly intrusive to be able to make quick progress around a track.

California

The California (Kombi) Beach
Volkswagen California
The Volkswagen California is based on the T5 Multivan by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles . It is the first campervan designed and built in-house by VWCV Special Business Unit, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.-California history:...

and California
Volkswagen California
The Volkswagen California is based on the T5 Multivan by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles . It is the first campervan designed and built in-house by VWCV Special Business Unit, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.-California history:...

are Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles , , is a German manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Originally part of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars company, it is now a separate brand and marque of the Volkswagen Group....

 T5-based in-house designed and built motorhome
Motorhome
A motorhome is a type of self-propelled recreational vehicle or RV which offers living accommodation combined with a vehicle engine. The term motorhome is most commonly used in the UK, US, and Canada.-Features:...

 range.

The range compiling of the entry California Beach comes with just a fold-up bed, whereas the California is a fully equipped camper with beds, sink, and fold-up seat and tables.

T5 facelift — since 2009

In September 2009, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles , , is a German manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Originally part of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars company, it is now a separate brand and marque of the Volkswagen Group....

 launched a revamped and facelifted
Facelift (automobile)
The automotive facelift comprises changes to a car's styling during its production run — often including new sheetmetal and/or interior design) with minimal changes to its underlying mechanicals — allowing a carmaker to freshen a model without complete redesign.A facelift retains the...

 T5 range, which is sold under four main labels the Transporter, Caravelle, Multivan and California.

The revised range showcases new technology to the medium van segment, which includes a world-first with the dual clutch transmission
Dual clutch transmission
A dual clutch transmission, commonly abbreviated to DCT , is a differing type of semi-automatic or automated manual automotive transmission. It utilises two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets...

 named Direct-Shift Gearbox
Direct-Shift Gearbox
The Direct-Shift Gearbox , commonly abbreviated to DSG, is an electronically controlled dual clutch multiple-shaft manual gearbox, in a transaxle design - without a conventional clutch pedal, and with full automatic, or semi-manual control...

 (DSG) – which is also available with 4motion
4motion
4motion is a registered trademark of Volkswagen AG, used exclusively on Volkswagen-branded automobiles which utilise four-wheel drive systems. Volkswagen has previously used the term "Syncro" for its 4WD models....

 four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...

, Side Lane Assist for monitoring blind spots when changing lanes, Tyre Monitor Display for monitoring tyre pressures (TMPS),, Bi-Xenon Head Lights wit LED DRL's and RNS series touchscreen and navigation systems and a reversing camera.

Engines are now all inline-four-cylinder designs; and all are 2.0 L in capacity which includes one petrol option, and four newly developed high-efficiency Turbocharged Direct Injection
Turbocharged Direct Injection
TDI or Turbocharged Direct Injection is a design of turbodiesel engines, which feature turbocharging and cylinder-direct fuel injection, developed and produced by Volkswagen Group. These TDI engines are widely used in all mainstream Volkswagen Group marques of passenger cars and light commercial...

 (TDI) diesel options, all with common rail
Common rail
Common rail direct fuel injection is a modern variant of direct fuel injection system for petrol and diesel engines.On diesel engines, it features a high-pressure fuel rail feeding individual solenoid valves, as opposed to low-pressure fuel pump feeding unit injectors...

, replacing the former Pumpe Düse (PD) Unit Injector
Unit Injector
Unit Injector is an integrated direct fuel injection system for diesel engines, combining the injector nozzle and the injection pump in a single component...

 fuel system. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles claim that this new diesel engine range is twenty percent more efficient than the outgoing TDI range.

2003 to 2009

TDI
  • 1.9 L 4-cylinder
    Straight-4
    The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....

     TDI
    Turbocharged Direct Injection
    TDI or Turbocharged Direct Injection is a design of turbodiesel engines, which feature turbocharging and cylinder-direct fuel injection, developed and produced by Volkswagen Group. These TDI engines are widely used in all mainstream Volkswagen Group marques of passenger cars and light commercial...

     producing 62 kW & 200 newton metre of torque.
  • 1.9 L four-cylinder TDI producing 75 kW & 250 newton metre of torque.
  • 2.5 L five-cylinder TDI producing 96 kW & 340 newton metre of torque.
  • 2.5 L five-cylinder TDI producing 128 kW & 400 newton metre of torque.


Petrol
  • 2.0 L 4-cylinder producing 85 kW & 170 newton metre of torque.
  • 3.2 L six-cylinder
    VR6 engine
    The VR6 engine is an internal combustion engine configuration, consisting of six cylinders. It was developed by the Volkswagen Group in the late 1980s, and evolutions of the original variant are still produced by them....

     producing 173 kW & 315 newton metre of torque.

2010 onwards

TDI
  • 2.0 L four-cylinder TDI producing 62 kW & 220 newton metre of torque.
  • 2.0 L four-cylinder TDI producing 75 kW & 250 newton metre of torque.
  • 2.0 L four-cylinder TDI producing 84 kW & 250 newton metre of torque. (BlueMotion
    BlueMotion
    BlueMotion is a tradename for certain car models from the Volkswagen Group with an emphasis on higher fuel efficiency.Volkswagen introduced the name in 2006 on the Mk4 Polo BlueMotion, and in 2007 a version based on the current Passat was released...

     versions)
  • 2.0 L four-cylinder TDI producing 103 kW & 340 newton metre of torque.
  • 2.0 L (bi-turbo) four-cylinder TDI producing 132 kW & 400 newton metre of torque.


Petrol
  • 2.0 L four-cylinder producing 85 kW & 170 newton metre of torque.
  • 2.0 L TSI
    Twincharger
    Twincharger refers to a compound forced induction system used on some piston-type internal combustion engines. It is a combination of an exhaust-driven turbocharger and an engine-driven supercharger, each mitigating the weaknesses of the other...

     four-cylinder producing 150 kW & 350 newton metre of torque.

Awards

  • The T5 in 2008 was awarded a 4-star crash safety rating from the European New Car Assessment Programme.
  • In the United Kingdom, the popular commercial vehicle publication What Van? awarded the T5 range the 2003 What Van? Van of the Year award.
  • Fleet Van Awards 2008 – Best Medium Van.
  • Automotive TOTAL Excellium MPG Marathon 2008 – Best in Class.
  • In 2004, the T5 range won the prestigious International Van of the Year which is voted by the top Editors and Journalists from fleet, van and truck publications.
  • In Australia, the T5 has been awarded three awards from the Delivery Magazine publication:
    • Delivery Magazine's Medium Van of the Year for 2005.
    • Delivery Magazine's Medium Van of the Year for 2006.
    • Delivery Magazine's Cab Chassis of the Year for 2006.
    • Delivery Magazine's People Mover of the Year for 2009.
    • In 2009 Carsales.com.au Peoples Choice Light Commercial Van category was won by the T5 range.

  • In its home market of Germany, the T5 Series has won numerous awards by respected publications and votes by the public.
  • Lastauto Omnibus Van of the Year 2003
  • transaktuell Van of the Year 2003
  • Auto Motor und Sport – Multivan Best in Class 2005
  • Auto Motor und Sport – Multivan Best in Class 2007
  • Auto Motor und Sport – Multivan Best in Class 2008
  • Auto Zeitung – Auto Trophy for the Multivan in the 'Vans' Class 2006

External links

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