New looks, mechanicals for Caddy

The 'GP' upgrade of the Volkswagen Caddy is almost as far reaching as the migration from Golf 5 to Golf 6. Along with the revised sheet metal the Caddy gets a selection of new engines and transmissions from Golf and the smaller Polo.

"Everything forward of the windscreen... is brand new," says Phil Clark, Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

But for the commercial vehicle upgrade the engineers haven't gone to quite the same lengths as they did developing the latest Golf. One of the key points of the change from Golf 5 to Golf 6 was the reduction in production time, through simplifying the processes involved in building the newer car. That doesn't carry over to the Caddy.

"The Caddy is a very different vehicle to a Golf, in terms of its construction," said Karl Gehling, Volkswagen Australia General Manager for Press and PR. "It's not anywhere near as complex."

That's why the Polish-built Caddy (at the company's plant in Posnan) is more an upgraded model by definition. When it arrives in Australia, December this year, it will mark a major improvement in refinement and sophistication, nonetheless.

There's a new 1.2-litre TSI petrol engine that comes from the Polo range, and that will be offered in the Caddy coupled to a five-speed manual transmission. Delivering 77kW of power, the spark-ignition powerplant, which VW expects will account for just 10 per cent of sales, produces 175Nm of torque between 1550 and 4100rpm. It consumes fuel at a rate ranging from 6.6 to 6.8L/100km, according to vehicle specification. In combined-cycle testing the engine emits between 154 and 158g/km of CO2.

The next engine up is the 75kW TDi (common-rail) turbodiesel. Displacing 1.6 litres, it develops 250Nm of torque between 1500 and 2500rpm. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, depending on the vehicle configuration respectively run from 5.6 to 5.8L/100km and from 147 to 152g/km. This engine is available with either the standard five-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG transmission. The DSG option is the same box offered in the Golf and features dry-plate clutches.

Since it develops more torque and calls for a more robust transmission, the 103kW 2.0-litre TDI engine is offered with a six-speed DSG option, that transmission featuring wet-plate clutches. The engine itself generates 320Nm of torque between 1500 and 2500rpm, also using between 6.1 and 6.3L/100km of fuel and emitting between CO2 emissions of 161 to 166g/km, in the combined-cycle test.

In other markets, Volkswagen will offer CNG 'EcoFuel' variants, an 81kW diesel 4Motion (all-wheel drive model) and a 1.6-litre BlueMotion diesel variant with auto-stop/start, but these won't be sold in Australia.

The new Caddy adopts electro-mechanical power steering for improved fuel efficiency and the safety of electronic stability control is now standard across the range.

According to the manufacturer, the new Caddy is a significant step forward in interior design, with features such as the steering wheel and infotainment audio system head unit shared with higher-grade passenger-carrying models. The new model also introduces full interior lining for the peoplemover variants and the ability to remove the second-row seat. Previous models (in seven-seat configuration of course) would allow users to remove the third-row seat for additional luggage space, but owners of the new Caddy can now expand luggage space further by removing the second-row seat as well.

When the new Caddy range arrives in Australia, it will be offered in two streams, the peoplemover variants and the strictly commercial van variants. It will also be offered in two wheelbase lengths, as for the current model. The long-wheelbase van variants will continue to be called Caddy Maxi.

Volkswagen will trim the SWB Caddy (five-seat only) in base Startline trim, but the Caddy Maxi (seven-seat) peoplemover variants are equipped to the higher-grade Comfortline level. There's a mid-range level of trim (Trendline), but this specification won't make it into the Australian range. The van models all come with the same standard equipment, but Volkswagen has no name for this level of trim. Locally, Volkswagen is expected to retain the 'Life' appellation for the peoplemover variants.

It's understood that the 77kW 1.2 TSI will power the Caddy Startline, with a possibility that the 75kW 1.6-litre diesel may be offered in this level of trim also. The longer Caddy Maxi Comfortline models are expected to be powered by the 75kW or 103kW diesels.

VW is yet to finalise vehicle specs and pricing, but that information will be revealed closer to the new model's local launch. We would expect all vehicles to come equipped as standard with remote central locking, reach/rake-adjustable steering column, four-speaker CD audio system, front electric windows and electrically-adjustable mirrors.

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