Volkswagen has launched the new Transporter van range in Ireland, and while it's - as you'd expect - a van, there is some passenger car interest here too with the arrival of the new Caravelle MPV.
How much is the new Transporter?
Prices for the new Transporter lineup start at €39,265 - although you won't get a Caravelle that cheaply. As standard, the Transporter is pretty well equipped, with cruise control, keyless start, 6-way adjustable driver seat with lumbar support, LED roof lights, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, 12-inch digital cockpit and 13-inch touchscreen with DAB+, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Power comes from a choice of three 2.0-litre TDI diesel engines in 10hp, 150hp, 1nd 170hp outputs, or there's an all-electric e-Transporter with a 331km range, and priced from €53,695 after grants. It too has a choice of power outputs - 136hp, 218hp and 286hp - and uses a 64kWh battery pack. Plug-in hybrid versions will follow soon.
Any other options?
There are also PanAmericana models, which feature more rugged, 4x4-ish styling, and which are optionally available with 4MOTION four-wheel drive. PanAmericana models start from €42,840.
The Caravelle, which is the one we want to concentrate on here, comes with the option of 150hp or 170hp diesel engines (with an automatic gearbox standard for the 170hp model) or as an e-Caravelle with either 136hp or 218hp electric motors. Caravelle prices start from €62,725.
In basic form, the Caravelle comes with six rear seats on board: three removable individual seats in the second row and a removable three-seat bench in the third row. Up front, you can specify a double seat for the passenger side of the cab, meaning that a Caravelle can seat up to nine people, although that's only available for Shuttle and Life trim levels.
How is a Caravelle different from a Transporter?
Other Caravelle features, over and above the standard Transporter van, include customised seat fabrics, side and curtain airbags in the cab and an audio system with ten loudspeakers. VW also points out that you can get the Caravelle with a huge panoramic glass roof, “Which turns it into a modern Samba bus.”
All new VW Transporter and Caravelle models come with a five-year warranty, five years of roadside assistance, and a five-year service plan, all included in the price.