VW Transporter T6 lauded

The brand may still be embroiled in the on-going 'Dieselgate' emissions affair, but that hasn't stood in the way of Volkswagen's latest Transporter T6 scooping the title of International Van of the Year 2016.

The sixth-generation Transporter was announced as winner of the coveted award at a ceremony in Lyon, France, as a part of the Solutrans trade fair, the title giving Volkswagen a welcome distraction from the protracted Dieselgate scandal.

The latest Transporter T6 was released in Europe last July with new power, refreshed styling and new driver-assist technology, while the chassis underpinning the model essentially remains unchanged from that of the 11-year-old T5.

The T6 is powered by a new range of Euro 6 engines that are unaffected by the Dieselgate issue. It impressed journalists from 24 European nations sufficiently to defeat Fiat's Doblo Cargo and Volkswagen's smaller Caddy, and now takes over from 2015's International Van of the Year, Iveco's Daily.

It's the third time the Transporter has received the award.

The CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Dr Eckhard Scholz, said the title pointed to a brighter year ahead for the brand.

"The prestigious International Van of the Year 2016 award for our T-series is a great mark of recognition for the achievements of our team, which by implementing the correct measures has made our icon from Hannover the best Transporter ever," he said.

"We are especially pleased to receive this great honour in these difficult times for us and we see it as a signal and an incentive for a successful start into what is set to be an eventful year in 2016."

The Transporter T6 is expected to reach Australian dealerships from next month.