New VW Transporter keen to shake off 'joint venture' stigma

The Volkswagen Transporter holds a sentimental space in South Africa where it was built at the Kariega plant from 1955 to 2002. But yet another production collaboration means that the new Kombi is actually a Ford and not a VW under the skin, writes The Citizen's Charl Bosch.

- Charl Bosch

Like the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok bakkies that are built on the same assembly line in Silverton, Pretoria, the new Transporter forms part of a joint venture between the carmakers.

The Kombi is based on the Transit/Tourneo Custom and made at the Blue Oval's Kocaeli plant in Turkey. Consequently, it doesn't form part of the T-series and isn't called T7 but simply Transporter — this being as a result of the 'real' T7 or Multivan that is being lined-up for introduction into the local market next year.

The new Transporter offers three bodystyles initially. A long wheelbase panel van, the van and passenger combination Crew Bus, and the people-carrying short wheelbase Kombi in Commerce, Life, Edition and Style trim grades. Debuting next year is the dropside double cab; however, a Caravelle won't be offered. Instead, it will be reserved for the T7, leaving the Style as the flagship Transporter derivative.

THREE STATES OF TUNE

Seating eight as standard, the Kombi was the main focus of the media launch drive from Johannesburg to Mpumalanga and Limpopo in Life and Edition guises, powered by the 125kW version of the same single turbo 2,0l diesel engine used in the Transit Custom Sport and upscale Sport and Titanium X versions of the Tourneo Custom.

In total, the engine comes in three states of tune: 81kW/310Nm, 110kW/360Nm, and 125kW that outputs 390Nm. For the moment, the former unit is reserved solely for the panel van connected to a six-speed manual gearbox.