The new Volkswagen Transporter and Caravelle have been teased, with the company confirming a number of details about the upcoming range of van-based vehicles.
European customers will be able to pre-order the new Transporter/Caravelle from the end of 2023, meaning the range’s full unveiling can’t be too far away.
Volkswagen Australia will launch the new Transporter and Caravelle in the first quarter of 2025.
With the latest generation, Volkswagen has split up the Transporter/Caravelle from the Multivan people mover. The latest Multivan uses Volkswagen’s MQB architecture, that underpins everything from the Golf upwards.
The upcoming Transporter and Caravelle, meanwhile, are based on the new-generation Ford Transit Custom, due in Australia in the second quarter of 2024.
Visually, the Transporter/Caravelle will have a unique front end design featuring headlights similar to those found on the Multivan. Compared to the Transit Custom, the Volkswagen variants have a smaller, more angular grille, as well as a cleaner front bumper and unique bonnet.
At the rear, the tail-light graphics look to be new. The wing mirrors look to be the same as the Ford’s, and it’s likely doors and side pressings will be shared. It’s unclear what level of differentiation there will be on the inside.
According to the video teaser posted by Volkswagen overnight, the Transporter/Caravelle will be available in van, people mover, and high roof formats, all of which shouldn’t be too dissimilar to their already revealed Ford counterparts. There will also be a cab-chassis ute variant that’s yet to be revealed from the Ford side.
Volkswagen has confirmed the Transporter/Caravelle will be available with three drivetrain types: diesel (badged TDI), plug-in hybrid (eHybrid), and all electric (e-Transporter).
With the demise of the e-Golf, the Transporter family will be the only vehicle in Volkswagen’s lineup to offer a choice of hybrid, internal combustion-only, and all-electric powertrains.
Although the German automaker has yet to detail the new Transporter’s drivetrain offerings, it’s safe to assume they will be a subset of those available in the Transit Custom.
The Ford is available with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel in a range of outputs. Power outputs for the manual variants are 81kW, 100kW, or 110kW, and a mechanical limited-slip differential is optional.
Automatic buyers can choose between 100kW and 125kW variants, and can also specify all-wheel drive.
Ford Transit Custom 
The Transit Custom 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid has a 11.8kWh, and has an pure electric driving range of between 35 and 53 kilometres.
Meanwhile the all-electric e-Transit Custom is available with either a 100kW/415Nm or 160kW/415Nm drivetrain. Both models have a 74kWh battery, and a range of between 380 and 423km. The electric Transit Custom supports AC charging up to 11kW, and DC fast charging up to 125kW.
The Ford Transit Custom and Volkswagen Transporter/Caravelle will all be built at Ford’s joint venture plant in Turkey.
The Transporter/Transit Custom pairing forms part of a collaboration between Volkswagen and Ford in work vehicles. Vehicles launched so far include the Ford Ranger-based Volkswagen Amarok, and the Volkswagen Caddy-based Ford Transit Connect.
Volkswagen Caddy 
Ford Transit Connect
The close ties between the two firms have also seen Ford use the MEB all-electric architecture as the basis for its Europe-only Ford Explorer crossover, as well as the yet-to-be-revealed Capri coupe crossover.
While both these models use the MEB platform, they will be built by Ford at its factory in Cologne, Germany, which once pumped out Fiestas by the bucketload.
MORE: Everything Volkswagen Transporter
MORE: Everything Volkswagen Caravelle
