Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) announced today that pre-sales for the new Transporter should start in 2023. Customers who actually order the successor to the current T6.1 in 2023 will have to order it “blindly”. Because VWN will not present the new VW bus/transporter until 2024.
As soon as the new Transporter, which replaces the popular T6.1, is available, the VW bus family will then consist of three separate vehicle platforms (The current VW bus family: VW Multivan, T6.1/Transporter, ID Buzz):
The following marketing video from VWN introduces the three different bus platforms:
This is known about the new VW Transporter
Regarding the new VW bus/transporter, it is already clear that VWN will no longer develop it alone, unlike all six generations before it. Instead, the new VW Transporter will be a joint project with Ford and based on its Ford Transit Custom. Ford will produce the new VW Transporter at its factory in Turkey (the current T6.1 comes from Poznan, Poland; T7 Multivan and ID.Buzz are manufactured in Hanover). The new transporter is a Ford transporter adapted by VWN. The current T6.1 is the last VW bus that VWN developed completely itself.
The new transporter will be available as a turbodiesel, plug-in hybrid and as a purely electric car (e-Transporter and e-Caravelle). However, the latter will not be based on the modular electrical kit. Important for traders: VWN promises a payload of over one tonne, the towing capacity is likely to be between 2 tonnes (eHybrid and electric drive) and 2.5 tonnes (diesel engine), similar to the Ford twin. There will still be all-wheel drive (4Motion), but only in combination with the diesel engine.
As with the previous Transporter, VWN will also offer the new Transporter in different versions such as a panel van (in two different lengths and heights), a flatbed van or as a Caravelle.
The future of the VW bus: VW Multivan, T6.1/Transporter, ID Buzz – 1 becomes 3
VW intensively uses the positive and well-known marketing term “Bulli” for all three variants (ID.Buzz, T7 Multivan and Transporter) of the VW bus. Purists and vintage car fans are likely to turn their noses up at this: according to the classic understanding, a real Bulli has a drive and engine in the rear (T1, T2 and T3) and ideally also an air-cooled engine (as was soon omitted with the T3). You can read more about this in VW Bus T1 to T6.1/T7: The history of the cult transporter.
VW ID.Buzz / Microbus: Questions & answers about the electric VW bus (data + prices)
You can read more about the previous T6x here:
