Volkswagen Crafter Panel Van
The Volkswagen Crafter, introduced in 2006, is the largest 3 to 5 tonne van sold by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Based on the high-end Mercedes Sprinter, the Crafter officially replaced the 31 year old LT nameplate, although it is known as the LT3 as its production plant code.
Its major European competitors include the Opel Movano, Ford Transit, Fiat Ducato and Iveco Daily.
Production plants
The Crafter is built in the Mercedes-Benz Ludwigsfelde and Düsseldorf plants, the same German factories where the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is built.
Daimler as a partner
In the 1990's, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz Commercial Unit produced the first generation Sprinter and the second generation Volkswagen LT in a joint development project.
The superseded second generation Volkswagen LT, and the current Crafter share their automobile platform and bodyshells with their Mercedes-Benz Sprinter counterparts, but the front grille styling, internal combustion engines and transmissions remain Volkswagen Group sourced.
Design
French car designer Laurent Boulay is responsible for the frontal design of the Crafter, which takes cues from the Volkswagen Constellation.
Engines
All internal combustion engines are based upon Volkswagen Group's re-engineered 2.5 litre R5 TDI. This turbodiesel is an inline-five cylinder (R5) Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine. It displaces 2,459 cubic centimetres (150.1 cu in), and uses the latest common rail fuel system, with piezoelectric actuated injectors for the cylinder-direct fuel injection. It also utilises a diesel particulate filter (DPF), allowing all engine variants to comply with the latest Euro IV European emission standards.
Features
The Crafter is available in three wheelbase options; 3,250 millimetres (128.0 in), 3,665 millimetres (144.3 in) and 4,325 millimetres (170.3 in). It is equipped with front airbags as standard, and side and curtain airbags as options, along with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Load Adapting Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Anti Slip Regulation (traction control) (ASR), and Electronic Differential Lock (EDL).
The electronic differential lock (EDL) employed by Volkswagen is not - as the name suggests - a differential lock at all. Sensors monitor both roadwheel speeds across a driven axle, and if one is rotating substantially faster than the other (i.e. slipping) the EDL system momentarily brakes it. This effectively transfers the torque to the other driven wheel which is deemed to still have grip.
Payloads & GVW's
The Crafter Chassis and Double Cabs have payloads ranging from 1,472 to 3,026 kilograms (3,245 to 6,671 lb), and come in Gross Vehicle Weights (GVW) of either 3.5 or 5.0 tonnes.
A Volkswagen Crafter
Awards
The Crafter has won a number of motor industry awards, including:
2006 What Van? - Overall Van of the Year (UK)
2006 What Van? - Large Van of the Year (UK)
2007 Professional Van and Light Truck Magazine - Large Van of the Year (UK)
2007 Van Fleet World - Best Large Panel Van (UK)
2007 Delivery Magazine - Large Van of the Year (Australia)
2008 Professional Van and Light Truck Magazine - Best Van derived Chassis Cab of the Year (UK)
Source: Wikipedia
