AIMS: VW to launch limited Caddy Edition 30

VOLKSWAGEN will release a limited-run Edition 30 version of its Caddy van at next month’s Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, to celebrate three decades of its compact commercial vehicle.

The Edition 30 is priced at $37,990 drive-away and based on the five-seat, short-wheelbase Caddy Life people-mover but with a more powerful engine plus unique exterior and interior trim.

Marking it out as something a bit different are a gloss black roof panel, 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, front front fog-lights, roof rails and Edition 30 motifs on the rear doors, tailgate and sill plates.

Inside is two-tone Alcantara upholstery, a leather steering wheel, climate-control and a fully trimmed interior that takes the Edition 30 a step away from its commercial vehicle origins.

Uniquely for a short-wheelbase Caddy the Edition 30 comes with the powerful 103kW/320Nm 2.0-litre TDI320 engine and six-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission of the top-spec, long-wheelbase Caddy Maxi Comfortline.

Official combined fuel consumption is 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres and standard safety equipment includes front head and side airbags plus electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist.



The Edition 30 comes shortly after VW announced the cut-price Runner special edition of its Caddy and Transporter that featured harder-wearing utilitarian interior trim and priced from $19,990 drive-away for the Caddy or $29,990 drive-away for the larger Transporter.

Volkswagen’s current Caddy range was launched here in December 2010 and year-to-date sales of the van are up 7.4 per cent, with 1274 examples leaving showrooms.

However, sales of the Maxi people-mover are not faring so well, with 207 units YTD representing a 17.5 per cent drop against overall VW growth of 27.1 per cent, with 35,274 vehicles shifted.