Volkswagen Commercial is launching a range of ‘turnkey’ specialized vehicles such as the wheelchair-ready Caddy and Crafter-based dump truck, cold storage truck, and luxury motorhomes.
Instead of needing to buy basic vehicles and take them to a dedicated adapter, ads for this purpose are already (or will be) available from VW dealers – with warranty.
The conversion work is being done by third parties (OEM level) approved by Volkswagen in Europe and the UK with VW long-term deals or by partner organizations in Australia such as Jayco, Walkinshaw and ARB.
Seven ‘conversion’ variants – either confirmed for Australia or being evaluated and tested – were launched at Volkswagen Group Australia’s new offices and training center at Essendon Fields last week, to boost push the division and capture market interest.
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Craftsman Kampervan -
Walkinshaw’s Amarok W580X
Already a major focus for the company at home, Volkswagen’s Commercial Vehicles division says it sees it as an important part of its future in Australia and a key differentiator.
“We know from the success of Australian made Walkinshaw Amarok and Craftsman Kampervan that there are excellent opportunities for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to provide even more tailored solutions for a wide variety of recreational and professional needs,” stated director Ryan Davies.
“From ambulance fleets to wheelchair vehicles, from refrigerated transport vehicles to sturdy cargo vehicles, Caddy and Crafter in particular provide the perfect base to deliver integrated solutions. Versatile and flexible – backed by factory warranties, ready-to-go turnkey solutions.
“These seven vehicles demonstrate the clear purpose of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to expand beyond the mass-produced vehicles currently available in showrooms.”
Vehicle
Caddy Maxi Life with wheelchair conversion
This is the first appearance in Australia of a vehicle from the “coming soon” Disability Wheelchair Convertible Caddy, based on the Caddy Maxi.
This vehicle was transformed by a company with 400 employees called AMF-Bruns GmbH based in Lower Saxony, considered a European leader in building vehicles for people with impaired mobility. mobility.
The Disabled Wheelchair Caddy Adapter is currently homologated for the Australian market with a target release date of late 2023. It has received Full European Type Approval and over 350 units sold in New Zealand.
VW claims that in the six-seat spec shown, it will cost about $25,000 more than the Caddy Maxi it’s based on, suggesting a price tag of around $80,000. Five and seven-seat layouts are available.
Features include an ‘Easyflex’ ramp with a split-cut floor that fits under the vehicle, folding headrests and backrests for wheelchair occupants with crash-tested seat belts up to 20g (force) and extra-long straps for wheelchairs.
Vehicles can be serviced at any VW dealer and conversion maintenance (e.g. for hydraulic lifts) will be directed to dealers with assistance from AMF-Bruns.
While the main advantage is the turnkey nature of this machine, VW says it will be able to bill vehicles and conversions separately – for organizations that require it, such as NDIS’s government.
Craftsman with polycarbonate Smartbar SpartanBar
This Crafter modification was developed from a direct request from the Emergency Services for use on their ambulances, as Volkswagen attempted to focus on the traditional turf held by the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
Local company Smartbar (an ARB 4×4 Accessories brand) received a so-called ‘letter of no objection’ from Volkswagen AG in Germany, meaning they are considered the genuine supplier.
Smartbar is known locally for developing forward protection systems for fleets, emergency services and mining, and is designed and manufactured in Australia.
The hollow, polyethylene design provides frontal protection as well as the ability to flex and absorb on impact, then return to its original shape. It weighs 53kg.
It is compatible with all popular Australian Emergency vehicle driver assistance systems and accessories
Crafter 35 MWB with Smartbar ARB switch is currently on sale from $3658 which is higher than the price of Crafter 35 MWB.
Crafter Dual Cab with Tipper Body
This is a domestic toe, with VW saying there is “potential market demand”.
It was created by a company called Ingimex, which claims to be the UK’s largest manufacturer of light commercial vehicle bodies.
Features include full-height embossed steel plate construction, high-tensile steel base electronically embedded in a six-stage process, double-layer aluminum sidewalls, rear wall with side-mount locks, load lanyards three levels and 400kg gantry capacity.
Crafter single cab with box body
Another Ingimex creation, the Crafter box body is designed to fit the dominant cabover Isuzu N-Series truck.
It can be driven with an automotive license with a 4.5-ton sub-GVM and has a claimed payload of about 1.75 tonnes at best.
According to VW, payload is maximized as the bodywork itself is almost half a ton lighter than any comparable bodywork, and it’s all complete, except for the optional tail lift.
The body of the box is prepared for mounting of column or cantilever lifts with an adaptive rear crossbar and a pre-installed second battery. The shutter system is integrated on the roof.
The Crafter box body is on sale now, with 22 vehicles coming to the dealer network by Christmas – and more in 2023 – priced from $79,990 plus on-road shipping.
It seats three including an ErgoComfort driver’s seat with massage function, an eight-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive with dual rear tires, and a four-speed load-limiting system.
Crafter single cab with eutectic cold cargo body
A product of Carlsen Baltic UAB Lithuania, the market leader in refrigerated truck conversions in Europe and a recognized preferred partner of VW.
The body on display is being used to provide real-world experimental data on Australia’s climate. It is being sent to a refrigerated cargo distributor, then further north to provide feedback via a GPS tracking system with temperature sensors.
It uses a eutectic cooling system that requires no motor power to keep the body cool while running – just a three-phase plug at the base and a six-hour “pull down” time. As long as you don’t leave the door open for too long, it’s designed to maintain the temperature for up to 13 hours.
It is billed as having an operating temperature of –33 °C to –20 °C and for the engineers among us K ≤ 0.27 W/m²K.
The estimated price, “if a decision is made before the Australian sale date”, will be around $130,000 plus on-road costs, VW said.
There are no exhaust emissions from the eutectic cooling system, no operating noise and “continuous cooling” even when the vehicle’s engine is turned off. It has full European and Australian Type Approval.
Jayco’s Kampervan Craft
This 6.8m luxury mobile home made by Jayco in Dandenong, Melbourne, has 3 beds, dining and living area, bathroom inside, kitchen with gas stove, sink, indoor lithium battery with solar power, outside awning, etc
It also has standard 4Motion all-wheel drive and costs $150,440 plus on-road costs with alloy wheels and a two-tone paint job. Instead of breaking it all down here, read our separate detailed story here.
THAN: Volkswagen unveils Jayco’s Crafter Kampervan
THAN: Volkswagen and Walkinshaw in talks about new flagship Amarok
