Volkswagen crafts new large van

Volkswagen has revealed first details of its new Crafter large van, five years after the first version made its debut at the Commercial Vehicle Show.

The new Crafter will be launched in the summer, and promises larger payloads, better efficiency, lower emissions and lower running costs.

Power will come from Volkswagen’s latest four-cylinder, 2.0-litre, common rail TDI engines, already proven in the Caddy and Trsnporter vans and also fitted to the Amarok pick-up.

While power outputs will be similar to the present line-up, torque and efficiency will both be improved. VW suggests CO2 levels in the new Crafter could fall as low as 195g/km, setting new standards for the sector.

Fuel economy and emissions are expected to fall by up to 33 per cent, and combined with lower servicing costs could cat overall running costs by 25 per cent. This will improve later in the year when stop-start and brake-energy regeneration technology are introduced to the range.

Users will struggle to tell the new Crafter from the old – exterior changes are confined to a reshaped grille, though there will be several interior mods including new upholstery and redesigned instruments.

Prices and specifications will be revealed closer to the launch of the new model.

Words by: Andrew Charman