A key factor in Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles's success has been the renewal of its van range, which will be completed in September with arrival of the Crafter. Replacing the LT, the Volkswagen Crafter is making its World public debut at this year's CV Show and will be taking centre stage on the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles's stand.

Alongside the Crafter will be the Caddy and Transporter. Both vans have been a commercial success with sales increases of 26 per cent and ten per cent respectively in 2005. Last year also saw Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles launch the Caddy with a DSG automatic gearbox, the first time this revolutionary transmission has been used in the van sector. The Transporter Sportline will also be on display at the CV show, demonstrating that vans can be distinctively styled and fun to drive.

Crafter

Following two generations of LT – the first of which came into being 31 years ago – the Crafter will go on sale in the UK in September 2006.

The largest van in the range, the Crafter is designed and built to meet the ever-increasing demands of a modern load carrier. It comes with a choice of four five-cylinder engines, delivering 88, 109, 136 or 163 PS. Each offers the twin benefits of fuel efficiency and low emissions. A six-speed manual gearbox is fitted as standard, although an automated manual transmission will be optional.

Transporter

The award-winning Transporter continues to be Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' biggest selling van with over 12,700 registrations in 2005. Combining Volkswagen's legendary qualities of reliability, economy and efficiency with all-round versatility, the Transporter is proving the ideal vehicle for an increasing number of businesses.

Available as a panel van, window van, a passenger-carrying shuttle, chassis cab and double cab van, the Transporter is more than capable of meeting the challenges of modern businesses. Furthermore, there is a choice of two wheelbases, three roof heights and four gross vehicle weights ranging from 2.6 to 3.2 tonnes.

Caddy

The latest Volkswagen Caddy van went on sale in the UK in 2004. This vehicle built on the many virtues of the model it replaced, yet is a significantly different concept. Rather than being a car-based hi-cube van, the Caddy is a distinctive design in its own right with a 'monobox' appearance.

Compared with the model it replaced, the Caddy is bigger, offers more loadspace and higher payloads, has greater versatility, is equipped with more powerful and more fuel-efficient engines and features as standard many safety and luxury items which are far from commonplace in its market segment.

The Caddy is available with the choice of two sophisticated diesel engines, and since October 2005, with the option of Volkswagen's revolutionary DSG automatic gearbox. This is the first time this technology has been seen in the commercial sector and demonstrates Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles's commitment to developing vans for the future.