T6 Transporter

VOLKSWAGEN reskinned its long-lived Transporter range in time for 2016, bringing lower prices, an improved and more car-like cabin, available advanced driver safety tech, and additional variants into the fold.

Essentially a heavily modified version of the T5 series launched a dozen years ago (but revamped in 2010), it remained an all diesel-proposition.

As far as facelifts go, the T6’s was subtle indeed, but the headlights, grille, and bumpers are different, as were the tailgate sheetmetal and tail-lights.

With a 14 two-seater Vans in regular, medium, and high-roof configurations, four Cab Chassis models (one Single three-seater, three Double six-seaters), two Crewvan five-seater wagons, six seven-seater Multivan (six-seater Executive flagship excepted), and a single nine-seater Caravelle bus, Volkswagen said it has the largest number of body styles and variants in the Transporter’s class.

Some of the more powerful models also offered a Haldex Gen-V 4MOTION all-wheel drive system in lieu of the regular front-wheel drive.

The T6’s wheelbases were identical to the preceding version (3000mm/SWB and 3400mm/LWB), with their corresponding lengths being 4890mm and 5304mm respectively. Customisation is key, with the various shapes and sizes meaning there was between 5.8 and 9.3 square metres of cargo space in the Transporter High Roof LWB.

As with the preceding model, all models bound for Australia employed variations of the 1968cc 2.0-litre twin-cam 16-valve common-rail direct-injection four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit. Start-stop was standard across the range, resulting in consumption cuts of up to half a litre per 100km.

The TDI340 produced 103kW of power at 3500rpm and 340Nm of torque from 1750-2500rpm the TDI400 upped that to 132kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm from 1500-2000rpm, while the Multivan’s headline TDI450 BiTurbo with low-and-high pressure turbos delivered a 150kW at 4000rpm and 450Nm from just 1400-2400rpm. Transmission choices were as before – six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch DSG with sport mode and Tiptronic function.

Like before, the front end featured MacPherson struts and coil springs while the rear used semi-trailing arms with coils and an anti-roll bar.

The big news inside was the redesigned dashboard, bringing with it Volkswagen’s latest multimedia touchscreen (in two sizes) with apps connectivity, allowing a reverse camera to be offered. Furthermore, there was improved layout and better storage solutions. In the people mover versions, a more car-like presentation and finish was offered in right-hand-drive for the first time, greatly boosting the appeal of the Comfortline and Executive.