NEW MODELS | Ford-based VW Transporter marked for SA arrival in 2025

You might have forgotten that Volkswagen and Ford are bedfellows where certain commercial vehicle ranges are concerned.

The most famous tie-up involves the Ranger and Amarok, with the latter using the ingredients of the former model, both built alongside each other at the blue oval brand's Silverton production plant in Tshwane.

It was a controversial synergy by most accounts. But the German-badged twin of the Ford seems to have achieved fair market acceptance.

We should probably expect to see the same reactions of controversy surrounding the new Volkswagen Transporter (T7); which is based entirely on the Ford equivalent, sold in Transit and Tourneo iterations.

The latest Transporter made is world premiere over the weekend at the IAA Transportation show in Hanover, Germany. Coincidentally, Ford launched the passenger version of its bus, the Tourneo, in Mzansi last week.

In case you forgot, the Volkswagen Transporter series traces its lineage all the way back to 1949, with the T1.

In Mzansi we need no introduction to the product line. From a jaunty David Kramer and his veldskoen, to the distinctive timbre of K.O rapping about a Caracara, South Africans from all walks could share countless songs, stories and memories about the Volkswagen minibus family.

The German firm has opted to place its latest range of people- and cargo-movers under one Bulli banner: Transporter, Multivan and the electric I.D Buzz options, which boast a visual design that reminisces the T1.

According to the global release, three versions make up the T7 range: panel van, crew bus and Caravelle.

For the local market, the T7 Caravelle trim will be known as Kombi - as the Caravelle nameplate will apply to the Multivan instead. The Multivan rides on a Volkswagen platform and is unrelated to the Ford-based T7.

The crewbus and panel van versions are optionally available with a high roof and an extended wheelbase.

Kombi variants will include a nine-seater option, in addition to a long wheelbase format, with model grades mirroring the Volkswagen passenger cars range: Life and Style (but no R-Line).

Both the Transporter as a panel van and the Kombi are also available in the PanAmericana all-terrain version, like the Amarok bakkie.

Inside, the Transporter is sufficiently distinguished from its Ford counterpart. The fascia design, layout and steering wheel are familiar from contemporary Volkswagen products. But they have not gone too radical with the digitisation of things. According to the brand, the new T7 interior blends “the digital world of displays and controls with robust hardkeys, ensuring that the vehicle’s control centre is easy and safe for professionals to use in any situation”.

Expect more more cabin space, a larger payload (up to 1.3 tonnes) and an increased maximum trailer weight from the new model.

A wider range of powertrains is also a big point, although exact derivatives for our market are yet to be confirmed.

At global launch, the range kicks off with three turbocharged diesel engines (TDI), a plug-in hybrid drive (eHybrid) and three electrified offerings (e-Transporter and e-Kombi).

The TDI engines deliver 81kW, 110kW and 125kW. The 125kW TDI is paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which is optionally available for the 110kW TDI as an alternative to the six-speed manual gearbox.

The TDI models from 110kW can be ordered with 4MOTION all-wheel drive. The eHybrid model packs a total system output of 171kW. The e-Transporter and e-Kombi launch with 100kW, 160kW and 210kW. The capacity of their battery is 64kWh.

Volkswagen SA confirmed that the T7 is in the pipeline for the second half of 2025. The company said market introduction for the ID.Buzz is still under investigation.