Volkswagen Transporter van

If Youre Put Off By The Blandness Of Bog-Standard5-litre TDI diesel engine which endows them with
Panel Vans, Volkswagen Have The Answer In Thestrong performance characteristics. The engine
Shape Of Their Extrovert Transporter Sportline. Stevedevelops its peak torque of 400Nm from just
Walker Reports2,000rpm making the Transporter quick off the line and
When images of Volkswagens Transporter Sportlinesurprisingly unfazed by hefty payloads. The 0-62mph
first appeared in our office, they attracted an unusualsprint takes 12.2s and theres a 117mph top speed but
amount of interest. If the Sportline was an Italianfuel economy remains at a manageable level where
supercar or the latest Japanese rally replica, a certainowners can expect in excess of 40mpg on the open
amount of fuss would have been par for the courseroad.
but it isnt, its a panel van. The reason why thisGiven what youre actually getting in the Transporter
comparatively unassuming vehicle caught theSportline package, you wouldnt expect it to be cheap
imagination quite so readily will be immediately clear toand it isnt. Youll pay just over £21,000 for the
anyone who lived out their misspent youth during theshort wheelbase model and £500 more for the
mid to late 1980s. Decked out in Diamond Black paintextra capacity of the long wheelbase. Its a hefty sum
with 18-inch alloys, roof spoiler and chrome side rails,for a businesses to find when you consider the prices
the Transporter Sportline is a dead-ringer for theof more ordinary panel vans but Volkswagen are
A-Team van.confident that the vehicles road presence and car-like
All thats missing is a red stripe down the Transporterspecification will secure its popularity. The target
Sportlines flanks and it truly would be the modern daycustomers are user choosers who want something
equivalent of the 1983 GMC G-Series van thatmore distinctive than your typical panel van or else
Hannibal, BA, Face and Howling Mad Murdoch madesurfers, skiers and trailbikers who want to move their
famous in the A-Team TV series. The youngstersequipment from place to place in a bit of style.
who watched The A-Team on its first airing all thoseWeve touched on the standard Transporters less than
years ago (regular re-runs can still be found on satelliteinspiring outward appearance which the Sportline
TV channels) will now have grown-up and may wellsuccessfully addresses but inside theres a real touch
be in one of the numerous professions where aof class about the place that the Sportline inherits.
practical panel van like the Transporter would be justDrivers will be pleased to find a raft of storage options
the ticket. Its reasonable to assume that a good fewfor odds or ends, including a lockable glovebox, and the
of them will warm to the idea of heading out to workwhole ambience has that distinct air of Volkswagen
each morning in a vehicle similar to that in which thequality. The gearstick sprouts from the centre console,
A-Team survived as soldiers of fortune in the Losas is the fashion at the moment and it falls nicely to
Angeles underground, avoiding the unwanted attentionshand. As do the controls on the gently sloping facia
of Colonel Deckers military police. Even if you have nowhich are simple to pick out and manipulate without
recollection or interest in the A-Team, theres a gooddiverting attention from the road ahead.
case for taking a closer look at the TransporterYou could easily be in a people carrier from the top of
Sportline.the Volkswagen passenger car range, such is the
A companys commercial vehicles act as an extensionrefinement and simplicity of the cabin. Good though the
of its public image and those wanting to project aVolkswagen Transporters interior is, the crowning glory
youthful, dynamic persona to the world at large mayin this vans make-up has to be its performance on the
have found their ideal van. The standard Transporterroad. Even without a load onboard to appease the
exterior is jazzed-up considerably by the Sportlineheavy-duty suspension, the ride is exemplary and the
special edition features. At the front, theres a chunkysteering is perfectly weighted. The squeaks, creaks,
spoiler and two (count-em) chrome grilles with therattles or hums that seem to creep into commercial
bumper and spoiler ensemble fully body-coloured. Thevehicles have been successfully banished and the
mirrors and door handles are also body-coloured whileengine noise is noticeably well suppressed.
the back end benefits from a roof spoiler andTheres a solidity about the T5 Transporter suggesting
impressive-looking Sportline badging.that, like its predecessor, this model will run and run.
Chrome side rails span the lower edge of the vanVolkswagen have thrown the options list at the
between wheelarches which are filled admirably by 18"Transporter Sportline and the result is one of the most
Borbet five spoke alloy wheels shod with low profiledistinctive panel vans officially available in the UK. The
all-weather tyres. The whole package is then given astandard Transporter base vehicle is a highly
more aggressive stance by the inclusion of Eibachcompetent van but it certainly isnt one of the more
suspension springs which drop the ride height byexciting offerings to look at in the sector. What this
30mm.Sportline derivative does quite successfully is inject a
"Volkswagen have thrown the options list at thelittle visual dynamism that should help the Transporter
Transporter Sportline"glean sales from more attractively-styled models like
Looking at a well-stocked equipment list like this, youthe Vauxhall Vivaro and Mercedes Vito.
may have to stop every so often and remind yourselfThe A-Team famously loved it when a plan came
that this is a panel van were talking about. Inside,together and Volkswagen will be hoping that Sportline
theres more of the same with electric heated doorgets a similarly positive result in the marketplace.
mirrors, electric windows, air-conditioning, a CD stereo,Facts At A Glance VAN: Volkswagen Transporter
remote central locking, leather trim, a Sportline gearshiftSportline ENGINES: 2.5-litre TDI PD 172bhp PAY
cap and a drivers arm rest. The Transporter SportlineLOAD CAPACITY: 795kg 1,245kg LOAD LENGTH:
is available in short or long wheelbase form, creating2,543mm - 2,943mm
load lengths of 2,543mm and 2,943mm respectively.STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, traction
Both versions are powered by Volkswagens 172bhpcontrol, drivers airbag.
2.