Volkswagen Trucks and Buses
Encyclopedia
Volkswagen Trucks and Buses (VTB), (VWC), is a Brazil
ian manufacturer of commercial vehicle
s. It manufactures heavy truck
s and bus
es under the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
marque.
VTB was originally a part of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
division of the Volkswagen Group
, but as of 1 January 2009, it is now under the ownership of MAN SE.
acquired a 67% percent stake in Chrysler Motors do Brasil Ltda. In January 1980, it increased its shareholding to 100%, therefore giving it the right to rename the company to Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda.
Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. released their first truck
s in February/March 1981; the Volkswagen 11.130 and the Volkswagen 13.130, both had a reworked version of Volkswagen's Mk1 LT cabin, and were powered by MWM Motores Diesel Ltda (MWM) diesel engine
s on Chrysler engineered platforms
which were inherited from the takeover.
venture, and were built in Ford's Ipiranga
complex in Brazil.
Once the AutoLatina marriage fell through, Volkswagen Group had no factory for its trucks and their parts, so the Resende
plant was built in 1995.
was the official start for Volkswagen Trucks and Buses, developing their own parts and platforms
. The Modular Consortium was introduced for the first time in Resende.
factory.
Volkswagen Groups involvement is only in supplying the factory and inspection at the end of production; Volkswagen pays only a small amount of wages, as each partner of the Modular Consortium pays the workers.
The Modular Consortium comprises these companies:
' operations were mainly within South America; with the exception of small exportations to China and the Middle East.
Prior to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' new role of managing the Truck and Bus operation; in 1994 Volkswagen imported to Germany a 7 tonne
truck: the Volkswagen L80
. Due to the European Union Gas Emissions EU4 standards; exports discontinued in late 2000.
took over the Brazilian Trucks and Buses operation in 2000 from Volkswagen do Brasil
; Volkswagen's Brazilian subsidiary. This signaled the start of a new era for the Volkswagen Group
in producing its own Heavy Truck and Bus chassis range, which covers the gross combination mass
(GCM) of 5 tonnes to 57 tonnes category.
Since Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles have taken control; the company has been looking at expanding Truck and Bus sales to other markets outside of South America, South Africa and Middle East regions.
All Volkswagen Truck and Buses are built in the Resende, Brazil
factory and sent in semi knocked down (SKD) kits to Uitenhage
in South Africa and Puebla
in Mexico.
Planned future market
s for export are ASEAN and Eastern Europe
countries.
Volkswagen Truck and Bus division released in September 2005 the new Volkswagen Constellation
range with a gross combination mass
from 13 tonnes to 57 tonnes.
BMB Mode Center build:
The BMB division moved in June 2006 to the new location 150 m outside the Resende Plant. The new location has 30,000 square metres of land; it cost Brazilian R$ 7 million to build.
February 1981: Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda releases first truck
s — 11.130, 13.130, and an ethanol
powered truck
March 1981: Changing of name from Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda to Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda (Caminhões is Portugese for trucks)
September 1982: Launching of 6 tonne
truck range
July 1984: Integration of Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. into Volkswagen do Brasil
August 1984: Volkswagen 140, the first methane gas/biogas powered truck in Brazil
July 1985: Volkswagen 11.130 exported to China
July 1987: Truck division integrates with Ford Trucks with the formation of AutoLatina
April 1993: Launching of the first Volkswagen Volksbus
chassis 16.180 CO
April 1994: Volkswagen Truck and Bus celebrate 100,000th VWCV truck produced
June 1995
November 1996: Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda moves to new Resende plant
September 1997: Commemoration of the 5000th vehicle made in the Resende
plant
June 1998
in Hanover
, assumes the responsibility for the Truck and Bus operation
March 2000: Launching of Series 2000
April 2001: For the first time in its 20 years, the Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda becomes leader in the Brazil
ian market for truck
s
August 2002: Volkswagen Truck and Bus has 30% market share of Brazilian market, Brazil is the Number 1 in the world, buyer of Buses and Number 2 for Trucks
December 2002: Production of 100,000th Volkswagen truck in Resende
July 2003: Volkswagen Truck and Bus participates in the International Rally of the Sertões, with three 8.150 trucks
October 2003: Announcement of the creation of Volkswagen Truck and Bus Operation in Mexico, construction of an assembly line starts in the City of Puebla, Mexico
November 2003: In pioneering research in Brazil, Volkswagen tests a Volksbus powered by biodiesel
with the support of the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro and the UFRJ, in the Riobiodiesel project
April 2004: Volkswagen 18.310 successful for the first time in the Super European Truck Championship
July 2004: Volkswagen Truck and Bus add three more vehicles in the RioBiodiesel programme
August 2004: First Volkswagen truck production tests are conducted in the plant of Puebla, Mexico
September 2004: Volkswagen announces construction of plant for Volkswagen Truck and Bus range in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
October 2004
October 2005: Beginning of the Volkswagen Truck and Bus operation in South Africa with the production of three Volksbus models
November 2005: Volkswagen Truck and Bus release Delivery
(5 to 8 tonnes) and Constellation
(13 to 45 tonnes) lines
June 2006
September 2006: The top of the line 18.320 VIP Volksbus
is released
February 2007: Release of the 31.320 6x4 Constellation, and 15.190, 17.230 Volksbus line
8 August 2007: Volkswagen Truck and Bus released the most powerful diesel engine
– the Volkswagen NGD 370 in the Volkswagen Constellation
lineup
22 August 2007: Volkswagen produce the first right hand drive heavy truck in the companies history, with the release of the Volkswagen Constellation
range in South Africa
8 August 2008: Volkswagen releases a new robotised transmission in co-operation with ZF Friedrichshafen AG
for the Volksbus range
15 December 2008: Volkswagen AG
sells Volkswagen Trucks and Buses to MAN SE.
ian Fórmula Truck
championship, with four drivers. The Volkswagen Constellation
18.310 Titan tractor unit
is used; they are driven by Renato Martins, Felipe Giaffone
, Walmir Benavides and Débora Rodrigues. Furthermore, an additional Constellation is used as the official pace truck
, driven by Ana Lúcia Lopes.
unaffiliated sites
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian manufacturer of commercial vehicle
Commercial vehicle
A commercial vehicle is a type of motor vehicle that may be used for transporting goods or passengers. The European Union defines "commercial motor vehicle" as any motorised road vehicle, which by its type of construction and equipment is designed for, and capable of transporting, whether for...
s. It manufactures heavy truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es under the 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....
marque.
VTB was originally a part of the 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....
division of the Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
, but as of 1 January 2009, it is now under the ownership of MAN SE.
Volkswagen Trucks and Buses operation
In 1979, Volkswagenwerk AGVolkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
acquired a 67% percent stake in Chrysler Motors do Brasil Ltda. In January 1980, it increased its shareholding to 100%, therefore giving it the right to rename the company to Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda.
Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. released their first truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s in February/March 1981; the Volkswagen 11.130 and the Volkswagen 13.130, both had a reworked version of Volkswagen's Mk1 LT cabin, and were powered by MWM Motores Diesel Ltda (MWM) diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s on Chrysler engineered platforms
Automobile platform
An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques...
which were inherited from the takeover.
AutoLatina years
From 1990 to 1995, Volkswagen Trucks and Buses were built with Ford components as part of the AutoLatinaAutolatina
AutoLatina was the name of a joint venture between Volkswagen Group subsidiary Volkswagen do Brasil and Ford Motor Company subsidiary Ford do Brasil in South America...
venture, and were built in Ford's Ipiranga
Ipiranga
Ipiranga for "red river") is an historical district located in the subprefecture of the same name of São Paulo, Brazil. The name Ipiranga comes from the river of the same name located in the region, which means "red river" in a Tupí–Guaraní language...
complex in Brazil.
Once the AutoLatina marriage fell through, Volkswagen Group had no factory for its trucks and their parts, so the Resende
Resende, Rio de Janeiro
Resende is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 119,801 and its area is 1,144 km².Resendense refers to people or things from Resende, RJ. Its territory boundaries to the state of São Paulo and Minas Gerais...
plant was built in 1995.
Resende, rebirth of Volkswagen Trucks and Buses
1996, ResendeResende, Rio de Janeiro
Resende is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 119,801 and its area is 1,144 km².Resendense refers to people or things from Resende, RJ. Its territory boundaries to the state of São Paulo and Minas Gerais...
was the official start for Volkswagen Trucks and Buses, developing their own parts and platforms
Automobile platform
An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques...
. The Modular Consortium was introduced for the first time in Resende.
Modular Consortium
The Modular Consortium is the group of main suppliers that make the parts, and assembles them for Volkswagen Truck and Bus on site in the ResendeResende, Rio de Janeiro
Resende is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 119,801 and its area is 1,144 km².Resendense refers to people or things from Resende, RJ. Its territory boundaries to the state of São Paulo and Minas Gerais...
factory.
Volkswagen Groups involvement is only in supplying the factory and inspection at the end of production; Volkswagen pays only a small amount of wages, as each partner of the Modular Consortium pays the workers.
The Modular Consortium comprises these companies:
- Maxion Sistemas Automotivos Ltda. manufacture the chassis parts such as Air Reservoir, Fuel Tank and Frame
- ArvinMeritorArvinMeritorMeritor, Inc. is a corporation headquartered in Troy, Michigan which manufactures automobile components for military suppliers, trucks, and trailers. Meritor is a Fortune 500 company.In 1997, Rockwell International spun off its automotive business as Meritor...
manufacture the Suspension and Axle parts such as Springs and Hubs and Drums - Remon S.A. manufacture the Tires and Wheels
- Aethra Karmann-Ghia manages the Body Shop
- Carese manages the Paint Shop
- Continental AGContinental AGContinental AG, internally often called Conti for short, is a worldwide leading German manufacturer of tires, brake systems, vehicle stability control systems, engine injection systems, tachographs and other parts for the automotive and transport industries. The company is based in Hanover, Germany...
manufacture the Cab Trim components such as Seats and Instrument Panel
Sales
Most of the early sales of the Truck and Bus chassisChassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
' operations were mainly within South America; with the exception of small exportations to China and the Middle East.
Prior to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' new role of managing the Truck and Bus operation; in 1994 Volkswagen imported to Germany a 7 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...
truck: the Volkswagen L80
Volkswagen L80
In 1994 Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Europe and Volkswagen of Brazil launched the jointly developed L80 light truck for the European market....
. Due to the European Union Gas Emissions EU4 standards; exports discontinued in late 2000.
The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles era
Volkswagen Commercial VehiclesVolkswagen 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....
took over the Brazilian Trucks and Buses operation in 2000 from Volkswagen do Brasil
Volkswagen do Brasil
Volkswagen do Brasil Ltda. is a subsidiary arm of Volkswagen Group, established in 1953.-Brazilian developed Volkswagens:Many of its models were designed especially for Brazil:*Brasilia*SP1 & SP2*1500/Variant/Variant II*Karmann Ghia TC...
; Volkswagen's Brazilian subsidiary. This signaled the start of a new era for the Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
in producing its own Heavy Truck and Bus chassis range, which covers the gross combination mass
Gross combination mass
A Gross Combination Mass is the maximum allowable total mass of a fully loaded motor vehicle together with all of its trailers...
(GCM) of 5 tonnes to 57 tonnes category.
Since Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles have taken control; the company has been looking at expanding Truck and Bus sales to other markets outside of South America, South Africa and Middle East regions.
All Volkswagen Truck and Buses are built in the Resende, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
factory and sent in semi knocked down (SKD) kits to Uitenhage
Uitenhage
Uitenhage is a South African town with 275,185 inhabitants in the Eastern Cape Province. It is well known for the Volkswagen factory located there, which is the biggest car factory on the African continent. The town's name is pronounced by English speakers and in Afrikaans...
in South Africa and Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
in Mexico.
Planned future market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
s for export are ASEAN and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
countries.
Volkswagen Truck and Bus division released in September 2005 the new Volkswagen Constellation
Volkswagen Constellation
The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass segment...
range with a gross combination mass
Gross combination mass
A Gross Combination Mass is the maximum allowable total mass of a fully loaded motor vehicle together with all of its trailers...
from 13 tonnes to 57 tonnes.
Volkswagen Trucks and Buses company facts
- The ResendeResende, Rio de JaneiroResende is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 119,801 and its area is 1,144 km².Resendense refers to people or things from Resende, RJ. Its territory boundaries to the state of São Paulo and Minas Gerais...
plant was built in 153 days at a cost of US$ 250 million dollars - The Resende plant adheres to International Organization for StandardizationInternational Organization for StandardizationThe International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
ISO TS and ISO 14001 - Resende plant produces 240 vehicles per day in two working shifts and employs 4,500 workers.
- Volkswagen Trucks and Buses are sold in over 35 countries around the world. Some of the countries are ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, UruguayUruguayUruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Dominican RepublicDominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Ivory Coast, NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. - Most of the Volkswagen Truck and Bus growth has been in the last eight years
- All the 2007 Volkswagen Truck range are capable of operating in minus 20°C and plus 45°C; Middle East specified trucks can stand 55 degrees CelsiusCelsiusCelsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
.
BMB Mode Center
Established in 2002 10 km from Resende the assembly plant, the BMB Mode Center is responsible for modifications to the truck and bus range that cannot be done on the production line.BMB Mode Center build:
- For bus range: low entry buses and articulated buses.
- For truck range: 4x4, 8x4 & 8x2 conversions as well as an armored truck & finally exterior design modifications.
The BMB division moved in June 2006 to the new location 150 m outside the Resende Plant. The new location has 30,000 square metres of land; it cost Brazilian R$ 7 million to build.
1980s
January 1981: Volkswagenwerk AG acquires 100% of the Chrysler Motors of Brazil LtdaFebruary 1981: Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda releases first truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s — 11.130, 13.130, and an ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
powered truck
March 1981: Changing of name from Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda to Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda (Caminhões is Portugese for trucks)
September 1982: Launching of 6 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...
truck range
July 1984: Integration of Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. into Volkswagen do Brasil
Volkswagen do Brasil
Volkswagen do Brasil Ltda. is a subsidiary arm of Volkswagen Group, established in 1953.-Brazilian developed Volkswagens:Many of its models were designed especially for Brazil:*Brasilia*SP1 & SP2*1500/Variant/Variant II*Karmann Ghia TC...
August 1984: Volkswagen 140, the first methane gas/biogas powered truck in Brazil
July 1985: Volkswagen 11.130 exported to China
July 1987: Truck division integrates with Ford Trucks with the formation of AutoLatina
Autolatina
AutoLatina was the name of a joint venture between Volkswagen Group subsidiary Volkswagen do Brasil and Ford Motor Company subsidiary Ford do Brasil in South America...
1990s
July 1990: Volkswagen Truck plant moves to Industrial Complex of the IpirangaIpiranga
Ipiranga for "red river") is an historical district located in the subprefecture of the same name of São Paulo, Brazil. The name Ipiranga comes from the river of the same name located in the region, which means "red river" in a Tupí–Guaraní language...
April 1993: Launching of the first Volkswagen Volksbus
Volkswagen Volksbus
The Volkswagen Volksbus is a range of bus chassis built by Volkswagen Trucks and Buses since April 1993.Today Volkswagen Trucks and Buses produce bus chassis in the 5 to 18 tonne category, the majority of them are powered by MWM engines.-Variants:...
chassis 16.180 CO
April 1994: Volkswagen Truck and Bus celebrate 100,000th VWCV truck produced
June 1995
- Beginning of the Volkswagen L80Volkswagen L80In 1994 Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Europe and Volkswagen of Brazil launched the jointly developed L80 light truck for the European market....
exports to Germany - Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. announces ResendeResende, Rio de JaneiroResende is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 119,801 and its area is 1,144 km².Resendense refers to people or things from Resende, RJ. Its territory boundaries to the state of São Paulo and Minas Gerais...
, Brazil as site for the construction of the future Truck and Bus plant
November 1996: Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda moves to new Resende plant
September 1997: Commemoration of the 5000th vehicle made in the Resende
Resende, Rio de Janeiro
Resende is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 119,801 and its area is 1,144 km².Resendense refers to people or things from Resende, RJ. Its territory boundaries to the state of São Paulo and Minas Gerais...
plant
June 1998
- Launching of the Volkswagen Trucks for the ArgentineArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
market - Export of complete knock down (CKD) kits of Volksbus microbus chassis to ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
2000s
January 2000: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) of Germany, with headquartersHeadquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
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...
, assumes the responsibility for the Truck and Bus operation
March 2000: Launching of Series 2000
April 2001: For the first time in its 20 years, the Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda becomes leader in the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian market for truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s
August 2002: Volkswagen Truck and Bus has 30% market share of Brazilian market, Brazil is the Number 1 in the world, buyer of Buses and Number 2 for Trucks
December 2002: Production of 100,000th Volkswagen truck in Resende
Resende, Rio de Janeiro
Resende is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 119,801 and its area is 1,144 km².Resendense refers to people or things from Resende, RJ. Its territory boundaries to the state of São Paulo and Minas Gerais...
July 2003: Volkswagen Truck and Bus participates in the International Rally of the Sertões, with three 8.150 trucks
October 2003: Announcement of the creation of Volkswagen Truck and Bus Operation in Mexico, construction of an assembly line starts in the City of Puebla, Mexico
November 2003: In pioneering research in Brazil, Volkswagen tests a Volksbus powered by biodiesel
Biodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
with the support of the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro and the UFRJ, in the Riobiodiesel project
April 2004: Volkswagen 18.310 successful for the first time in the Super European Truck Championship
FIA European Truck Racing Championship
The FIA European Truck Racing Championship is a truck racing series organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.- 1985–1993 :- 1994–2005 :-2006–2011 :-External links:...
July 2004: Volkswagen Truck and Bus add three more vehicles in the RioBiodiesel programme
August 2004: First Volkswagen truck production tests are conducted in the plant of Puebla, Mexico
September 2004: Volkswagen announces construction of plant for Volkswagen Truck and Bus range in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
October 2004
- The Puebla, Mexican Volkswagen plant officially opens
- Volkswagen Titan 18.310 is champion in the Super European Truck Championships in the first year it competes
October 2005: Beginning of the Volkswagen Truck and Bus operation in South Africa with the production of three Volksbus models
November 2005: Volkswagen Truck and Bus release Delivery
Volkswagen Delivery
The 5 to 8 tonne Volkswagen Delivery truck built by Volkswagen Truck and Bus is the vehicle that bridges the gap between the Volkswagen Light Commercial Vehicle Range, Caddy, T5 Range , and Crafter, and the Heavy Truck & Bus Range.The Delivery trucks gets its name from its vocation of urban and...
(5 to 8 tonnes) and Constellation
Volkswagen Constellation
The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass segment...
(13 to 45 tonnes) lines
June 2006
- The BMB Mode Centre is opened for specialised modification of Volkswagen Truck and Bus range
- The Constellation Daycab is released
September 2006: The top of the line 18.320 VIP Volksbus
Volkswagen Volksbus
The Volkswagen Volksbus is a range of bus chassis built by Volkswagen Trucks and Buses since April 1993.Today Volkswagen Trucks and Buses produce bus chassis in the 5 to 18 tonne category, the majority of them are powered by MWM engines.-Variants:...
is released
February 2007: Release of the 31.320 6x4 Constellation, and 15.190, 17.230 Volksbus line
8 August 2007: Volkswagen Truck and Bus released the most powerful diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
– the Volkswagen NGD 370 in the Volkswagen Constellation
Volkswagen Constellation
The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass segment...
lineup
22 August 2007: Volkswagen produce the first right hand drive heavy truck in the companies history, with the release of the Volkswagen Constellation
Volkswagen Constellation
The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass segment...
range in South Africa
8 August 2008: Volkswagen releases a new robotised transmission in co-operation with ZF Friedrichshafen AG
ZF Friedrichshafen
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a German public company headquartered in Friedrichshafen, in the south-west German region of Baden-Württemberg....
for the Volksbus range
15 December 2008: Volkswagen AG
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
sells Volkswagen Trucks and Buses to MAN SE.
VWTB in motorsports
Volkswagen Trucks and Buses competes in the BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Fórmula Truck
Fórmula Truck
Fórmula Truck is a Brazilian motorsport series, competed by truck tractor units.-History:Origin of the category came from the contact between the truck Aurélio Batista Félix Santos and Portuguese journalist Francisco Santos. On September 6, 1987 was the first race on the circuit Autodromo...
championship, with four drivers. The Volkswagen Constellation
Volkswagen Constellation
The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass segment...
18.310 Titan tractor unit
Tractor unit
A tractor unit, prime mover , road tractor, or traction unit is a heavy-duty commercial vehicle within the large goods vehicle category, usually with a large displacement diesel engine, and several axles. The tractor unit serves as a method of moving trailers...
is used; they are driven by Renato Martins, Felipe Giaffone
Felipe Giaffone
Felipe Giaffone is a race car driver from Brazil. He competed in the Indy Racing League between 2001 and 2006. His father, "Zeca" Giaffone is the 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and Mil Milhas Brasil five times winner in the 1980s.-Racing career:...
, Walmir Benavides and Débora Rodrigues. Furthermore, an additional Constellation is used as the official pace truck
Safety car
In motorsport, a safety car or pace car is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track. During a caution period the safety car enters the track ahead of the leader...
, driven by Ana Lúcia Lopes.
External links
official sites- Volkswagen Trucks and Buses - international portal
- Volkswagen Trucks and Buses Nigeria official website
- Volkswagen Brazil Truck and Bus official website
- MAN Volkswagen Truck and Bus Brazil press site
- Resende (Brazil) Plant Sustainability site
- BMB Mode Center (VW Trucks and Buses modification branch)
- Volkswagen Heavy Trucks in Mexico
unaffiliated sites