VOLKSWAGEN LT35
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Price as tested: El 8,396 (ex-VAT). Includes 21,048 for dropside body, 2398 for tachograph. Engine: 2.5 litres, 100hp (75kW). GVW: 3,500kg. Payload: 1,515k9. Fuel consumption (laden): 26.2mpg (10.81it/100km).
you have every excuse for feeling a bit confused these days. with the proliferation of light commercial vehicles that look rather similar—because they are basically the same model sold under different brand names. Arch rivalry is often forgotten in the name of shared development costs.
One of the most surprising examples is the collaboration between Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz. You'd expect these two to be at each other's throats, but they have pooled resources in developing the Mercedes Sprinter and Volkswagen LT, to replace models that have been around for two decades.
And the old Volkswagen LT needed to be replaced: by '90s standards it was noisy, thirsty and unsophisticated, with an oldfashioned forward-control design offering little front impact protection and making access to the engine atrociously difficult. The arrival of the Sprinter a year before the VW equivalent made the old LT look even older.
Now Volkswagen has launched the new model—was it worth the wait? CM has driven a 3.5-tonne chassis-cab, equipped with a factory-fitted dropside body, to find out.
• PRODUCT PROFILE The VW and the Mercedes are similar, but not identical. The LT has an altered window line and more upright headlights, but it shares the floorpan, most of the panels and much of the running gear, and is available at the same weight ratings: 2.8, 3.5 and 4.6 tonnes (NW. The biggest difference as far as the buyer is concerned is in the choice of engines: the two models share a (Mercedes) petrol option, but each manufacturer sticks with its own diesel engines. For Volkswagen this means its 2.5litre five-cylinder unit, in 75hp naturally-aspirated form or as a 100hp turbo-diesel, the only options available with chassis cab versions.
The engine differs from its predecessors in being a direct injection (DI) unit, with the potential for rather better fuel efficiency— it's a logical development of the four-cylinder DI engine also fitted to the Transporter and Caddy vans.
The turbo-diesel is still more sophisticated, with electronic engine management, charge-cooling, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and an oxidation catalyst.
At its launch VW was understandably keen to differentiate the LT from the Sprinter: one of the points emphasised was that the exhaust was made of stainless steel, and the manufacturer claimed that it would last around three times as long as the Sprinter's system. What do you reckon, Mercedes?
• PRODUCTIVITY The LT35 chassis cab is available in a range of three vvheelbases from 3.00m to 4.03m, and medium or long-wheelbase versions can be ordered with either a conventional cab or a double cab with five seats. Prices range from £15,375 (for the SWB chassis-cab with the 75hp engine) to 118,850 for the LWB/100hp double cab. Generally, the turbo-diesel TU1 models cost £1,170 inure than the naturally aspirated SDI equivalents, and a double cab costs £1,500 more than a chassis cab—and there's always the problem of VAT payments on such vehicles.
This example has the medium wheelbase of 3.55m, and a kerb weight (with a full 80-litre tank and a 75kg driver) of around 1,715kg, for a body/payload allowance of 1,785kg. After the body is fitted, the nominal payload comes down to 1,515kg—slightly less than that of the 1VIWB high-roof van.
Fuel consumption fig ures for pickup-bodied vehicles are rarely impressive, but the laden LT's return of 26.2mpg round our Kent route (at an average of 66.41un/h) is as good as any 3.5-tonner apart from more streamlined integral vans. The unladen figure was 28.6mpg, so the result was no fluke.
The aluminium dropside body is a straightforward factory option, costing between £903 and £1.450 depending on wheelbase and cab configuration—this middle choice comes in at £1,048.
The body is made from Ingimex components, like many sold through manufacturers (Ford and LDV fit Ingimex) so we were a bit disappointed to see that it wasn't terribly well finished— there were a couple of (literally) rough edges, and some of the design details were poorly thought-out.
A year or two back we looked at VW's own steel dropside body for the Transporter chassis; this had a substantial flip-down step, useful for climbing into the load area. But the frame-mounted side steps on this one are covered up (and so useless) when the sides are dropped down! And the rear tailgate is held horizontal by a couple of steel wires (with karabiners) that simply don't look up to the job of taking a driver's weight, and which get caught when you're closing the tailgate.
Still, at least the hinges and latches are beefy, and the floor is a hefty piece of polymer-covered wood composite, but load-lashing points are not standard: they come in at an extra £73.
The cab itself is more impressive, sharing most of its features with the Sprinter which has already endeared itself to CM. It's comfortable, big enough for anyone shorter than an NBA basketball player, and offers a substantial amount of stowage space, ranging from the "secret" compartments in the door to the neat underfloor niche for the tool kit.
The most startling feature is the monstrous gearstick—but, for all that, the shift is surprisingly sweet. • ON THE ROAD We were surprised to find that the LT's throttle response seemed excessively sharp—previous examples of the same engine (fitted to the Transporter) have been smooth and very pleasant. In fact, it's surprisingly similar to the previous turbo-diesel LT, which we likened to a two-stroke motorbike.
Perhaps its a peculiarity of the pedal geometry, but it meant that the unladen LT, with very little weight on the back, could become a hit of a bucking bronco. Still, it was tamed by a load, and positively docile at 115 tonnes.
Performance was still good, and the LT managed a very creditable 0-80km/h time of 18.1 seconds—six seconds faster than a Ford Transit parcel van at a similar power rating. That's the value of 250Nm of torque.
Mind you, the Volkswagen was unwilling to do a standing start up the 1-in-4 hill at Chobham, whereas the monstrously powerful Sprinter 312D could even tackle the 1-in-3. The brakes (discs all round) are sharp and fade-free, hut VW earns a black mark for charging 4751 for ABS—it's standard on all but the cheapest Sprinters, and its traction control system might help to tame the skittish chassis-cab.
Our test vehicle came with the unusual option of a tachograph—in fact, one of the latest units from Kienzle. Once one got used to the unfamiliar slot-loading system, the unit seemed to work very well. Mind you, it was rather noisy, giving new meaning to the expression "at 60 miles an hour all you can hear is the ticking of the clock".
Overall noise levels were pretty good (going up to around 77.7dB(A) at 70mph) but a couple of decibels higher than for the Sprinter 312D van with the 2.9litre turbo-diesel—which is what we'd expect from a relatively unaerodynamic chassis-cab.
A useful feature is the step built into the front bumper, essential for keeping the deep windscreen clean. • SUMMARY The Volkswagen LT seems to be what we expected and hoped for—a massive advance on the old model.
It competes well against any of the more recent 3.5-tonners, including the Sprinter, and the 100hp turbo-diesel is a sensible choice (though its throttle response could be smoother). Even Mercedes has recognised this, and produced a detuned 100hp version of its fire-breathing 2.9-litre engine.
It's nice to see that Volkswagen has produced a wide range of chassis-cab and double-cab variants, albeit at a fairly high price; too often this area of the market is neglected.
But VW has given customers and bodybuilders plenty to get their teeth into.
Clearly there needn't be any dilution of effort when two manufacturers get together, and the product doesn't have to lose any character. The LT is a true People's Van.
El by Toby Clark