The Volkswagen Crafter made its World public debut at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham earlier this year.

Dr Bernd Wiedemann, chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand, said: “Just as the Transporter brought car-like standards of ride, noise levels and refinement to the van market, the Crafter also moves the benchmark upwards for larger vans.”

The largest van in the VW range, the Crafter is designed and built to meet the ever-increasing demands of a modern load carrier. It comes with a choice of four five-cylinder engines, delivering 88, 109, 136 or 163PS. Each offers the twin benefits of fuel efficiency and low emissions. A six-speed manual gearbox is fitted as standard, although an automated manual transmission will be optional.

The spacious cabin is ergonomically designed for comfortable and safe driving. Features include a dash-mounted gear lever, excellent storage space and a driver’s airbag fitted as standard. The three wheelbases, four load compartment lengths and three roof heights highlight the Crafter’s versatility, which is further enhanced by its availability as a panel van, window van, chassis cab and double cab. The Crafter has a maximum load capacity of 17 cubic metres, allowing the five tonne panel van to carry a weight of approximately 2,670kg.

Visually more striking than its predecessor with strong lines, vertical clear glass headlights and robust side protection strips, the Crafter has a distinctive appearance and strong road presence. In all areas, the Crafter is larger than the LT it replaces. With the volume of the load compartment now ranging from 7.5 to 17 cubic metres, this outstrips the biggest predecessor model by 25 per cent.

Not only is the Crafter larger, but it also appears bigger, thanks to its new and distinctive appearance. While the progressive radiator grille, front shape and Volkswagen roundel are typical of the brand, the Crafter’s ‘face’ has a robustness which befits its position at the top of the Volkswagen van range.

The thick four-bar radiator grille and large dual headlights define the Crafter’s appearance, but they are also practical. While the lights have an excellent range for night driving, the central section of the bumper beneath the grille acts as a nonslip step when, for example, cleaning the windscreen. Optional round fog headlamps are positioned below the lights and the bumper, further to improve visibility.

The side view of the Crafter is also distinctive, with a deep-set line flowing up from just behind the front wheelarches to the C pillar. Below this is a broad protection strip which effectively protects the lower bodywork from damage. Should this become damaged, repairs should be inexpensive as there is no need to replace large panels. The Crafter’s large wing mirrors incorporate the side indicators. For each wheelbase, there is a matching overhang, giving each model the correct proportions and resulting in balanced weight distribution when the vehicle is laden.

High quality manufacturing techniques mean the Crafter has extremely small panel gaps for a commercial vehicle, with the resulting advantages of refinement and driveability. The Crafter also benefits from comprehensive corrosion protection: all parts of the bodywork which are susceptible to rust are zinc-coated once or even twice. This enables Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to offer a class-leading 12 year anti-corrosion warranty.

The key aim when designing the Crafter’s cab was to achieve the best combination of comfort, storage and practicality. Access to the cab is easy thanks to a relatively low step, while the door opening has been enlarged over the LT by 12cm. The maximum angle of the door opening has deliberately been reduced, making it easier to reach the handle and close the door from inside the cab.

Once inside, the Crafter’s exterior dimensions translate directly into greater cabin space. Two or three people can comfortably travel side by side in the front, while seat adjustment space has been enhanced by six centimetres, allowing extra legroom.

The driver’s seat is adjustable for height and reach, as is the steering wheel. For further comfort, the passenger seat can be specified with height adjustment. Other options include a deluxe seat, double seat, arm rests and seat heating. If required, the Crafter can also be built with an occasional or folding seat. This could be useful, for example, if the vehicle was to be used by a courier.

A further enhancement over the LT’s cab is the addition of the dash-mounted gear lever which leaves the floor clear, allowing easy through-cab access and movement. Not only is the Crafter’s cabin practical, it has also been designed to offer car-like levels of comfort. Soft-touch yet durable materials and trim set new standards in the class and give the Crafter a feeling of quality; while standard items including remote central locking, electric windows, tinted glass and clothes hooks on the B pillars set the Crafter apart from other vans.

The Crafter’s controls are easy to use and understand, with substantial knobs and switches for the stereo, heating and ventilation and lights; the centrally mounted multifunction computer display has also been designed to be clear and simple to see at a glance.

The Crafter offers customers great versatility, with body formats including panel van or window van, chassis cab and double cab, three gross vehicle weights of 3.0, 3.5 and 5.0 tonnes which can be stretched and adapted to include 2.8, 3.2, 3.88, 4.0, 4.25, 4.49 and 4.6 tonne versions, and three extended wheelbases of 3,250, 3,665 and 4,325mm forming the basis for a system which allows potential buyers from all sectors of business and industry to find the Crafter to suit their needs.