Volkswagen Caddy
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VW CADDY
Unveiled in September 2003, and making its public debut the following month at the RAI Show in Amsterdam, the latest Volkswagen Caddy van went on sale in the UK on 15 March 2004.
This vehicle builds on the many virtues of the model it replaced, yet is a significantly different concept. Rather than being a car-based hi-cube van, the Caddy is a distinctive design in its own right with a 'monobox' appearance. Compared with the model it replaced, the Caddy is bigger, offers more loadspace and higher payloads, has greater versatility, is equipped with more powerful and more fuel-efficient engines and features as standard many safety and luxury items which are far from commonplace in its market segment.The Caddy is available with the choice of two sophisticated diesel engines, and since October 2005, with the option of Volkswagen's revolutionary DSG automatic gearbox. This is the first time this technology has been seen in the commercial sector and demonstrates Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' commitment to developing vans for the future.
DESIGN - Exterior
The Caddy has a sleek and integrated appearance, with a clean 'monobox' shape. Its design, however, does not come at the expense of functionality. With an overall length of 4,405 mm, height of 1,833 mm and width of 1,802 mm, the Caddy van offers a total load volume of 3.2 cu m, some 300 litres more than its predecessor. It is also more practical in most key areas than its direct competitors such as the Citroen Berlingo, Renault Kangoo, Fiat Doblo, Vauxhall Combo and Ford Transit Connect swb.
For example, not only is the Caddy the only vehicle in its sector to have a sliding side door as standard, this door also opens to a class-leading 70 cm to make load access even easier.Â
A maximum payload of up to 724 kg further emphasises the Caddy's versatility. In addition, the Caddy leads its rivals with a maximum towing capacity of 1,425 kg.Smooth and slightly curved side body panels are a distinctive feature of the Caddy van and have a welcome benefit for businesses, as they permit easy implementation of graphic designs.
The rugged grey plastic bumpers are easily replaceable, and the use of increased component sharing with the Touran and Golf enables Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to benefit from greater economies of scale than ever before.
As standard the Caddy features one sliding side door and two, asymmetrically split, rear double-wing doors. A second sliding side door is an option, and a rear tailgate may also be specified if required.
The van's large cargo space can thus be accessed from the side and the rear, via low (587 mm at the side) loading sills and wide-opening apertures. The totally level cargo compartment floor can accommodate a Euro pallet, and there are six fold-away lashing eyes with which to assist the securing of loads.The interior features protective trim up to the window line to protect the outer skin of the vehicle from dents and scrapes which can be easily caused during loading and unloading.Â
The rear doors are equipped as standard with a wash/wipe system and heating elements. The doors themselves have an opening angle of 90 degrees when the door-catch is engaged, and 180 degrees when it is disengaged.
Interior
The Caddy's interior is a paragon of ergonomics, designed on the basis that the vehicle is likely to have a variety of drivers and that intuitive operation is key.The dashboard is simply and clearly laid out and offers many practical storage spaces as well as clear instrumentation and easy-to-use controls.
The controls for the heating, ventilation and (optional) air conditioning systems are housed in the centre of the facia. Air ventilation outlets are situated in each footwell and around the windscreen, and there are four directional vents in the dashboard. Two smaller nozzles next to the A-pillars can be adjusted to ensure mist-free side windows.
Everyday practicality is enhanced by the provision of numerous storage compartments. In addition to the sizeable glovebox and dashboard-top trays there is a roof-mounted storage unit which can accommodate A4-sized folders. The door bins are large enough to hold large atlases or 1.5-litre drink bottles, and there are four cup holders and numerous smaller storage compartments arranged around the handbrake lever in the centre console. Additional stowage compartments under the front seats are an option.
The front seats offer excellent lateral support and a generous range of adjustment to ensure a comfortable seating position. Headroom is exceptionally generous and there is a general feeling of spaciousness in the cabin.
Production
The Caddy is built exclusively at the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles plant at Poznan in Poland.Opened in 1993, the Poznan plant began life with 500 employees assembling 5,000 vehicles a year. The workforce now numbers around 4,500 and in 2005, the factory produced approximately 150,000 units.Volkswagen Poznan is Poland's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer with 95 per cent of its output exported. The plant also shares production of the Transporter range with the company's factory in Hanover, Germany.
ENGINES
The Caddy is available with two diesel engines - a 2.0-litre SDI PD with 69 PS and a 1.9-litre TDI PD with 104 PS. Both use Volkswagen's award-winning 'Pumpe D�se' unit injector system which gives class-leading efficiency and fuel economy.Volkswagen has for a long time been at the forefront of diesel technology.Â
Its latest system, known as 'Pumpe D�se' or 'PD' technology, translates as 'unit injector' and describes a fuel injection system which can operate at pressures of up to 2,050 bars or 30,000 psi.Higher injection pressures mean better mixing of fuel and air. In turn this allows more fuel and air to be burnt cleanly in each cylinder of the catalysed TDI engine to provide a new industry benchmark power unit. PD technology combines the injector and pump into one unit for each cylinder and is operated by the engine camshaft - with the outgoing TDI engine, fuel is pressurised by a distributor injector pump which feeds the individual injectors. A finer adjustment of the fuel injection process with a much higher pressure results in higher torque yet little or no change in fuel consumption or CO2 emissions.2.0-litre SDI PD, 1968cc, 8-valve 4-cyl, 69 PS
This is the first naturally-aspirated diesel engine equipped with PD technology. The SDI PD, as well as being economical to run and inexpensive to maintain, offers flexible driving characteristics. Maximum torque is 103 lbs ft at 2,400 rpm with a maximum power output of 69 PS at 4,000 rpm.
The Caddy SDI PD has an 88 mph top speed and accelerates from rest to 62 mph in 20.5 seconds.
1.9-litre TDI PD, 1896 cc, 8-valve 4-cyl, 104 PS
This engine has already won critical acclaim in the Volkswagen Touran and Golf, and in the Caddy brings unexpectedly high levels of performance to the compact van class.
It delivers its maximum torque of 184 lbs ft from as little as 1,900 rpm for strong pulling power - useful not only when fully laden but also for towing. But unlike with some turbodiesels, this is not 'all-or-nothing' performance: the high injection pressures generated by PD combined with variable turbo geometry (VTG) enliven the Caddy TDI with very linear, progressive performance delivery.The Caddy 1.9-litre TDI PD has a top speed of 103 mph; while 0 to 62 mph takes 13.3 seconds.Â
Gearboxes
All Caddys feature a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, with ratios optimised for the two respective torque outputs.
DSG Direct Shift GearboxA first in the commercial vehicle sector, the Caddy van is offered with the option of the Volkswagen Group's revolutionary DSG gearbox.Available with the 1.9-litre TDI 104 PS engine, the semi-automatic DSG gearbox provides the best of both automatic and manual worlds with a super-quick and smooth gear change providing an economical or sporty drive, depending on the driver's preference.The DSG transmission operates with two automatic clutches - while one clutch is engaged, the second is poised, ready to accept the drive for the next gear. This unique twin-clutch design means gear-changes are completed in under four hundredths of a second - in the blink of an eye. The driver can leave the transmission in 'drive' mode (similar to most automatic transmissions) or can elect to change gear manually, via the gear lever, pushing forwards to change up and pulling back to change down.The clutches are wet clutches running in oil and using friction material similar to those found in a standard automatic transmission. Automated operation means they cannot be abused by the driver and are designed to last the life of the vehicle.
Using DSG technology, drivers can arrive at their destination less tired and more alert thanks to the absence of a manual clutch. Independent research has revealed some startling statistics around driving in central urban areas:
· while driving through a busy city, 19 minutes of every hour are spent with the clutch depressed
· the clutch pedal is pushed 222 times in the average hour
· 150 gear changes are made in an average hour
This research was carried out over a five hour period, between the hours of 11:00 and 16:00 in central London. However, it is likely that these figures are replicated everyday within town centres all over the UK.
The availability of DSG on a commercial vehicle offers van operators the flexibility and options they need to choose the right tools for their trade and environment. Combining economy and a significant reduction in the driver's workload, the DSG transmission and its multiple functions are ideally suited to use in the Caddy.ServicingBoth the Caddy SDI PD and TDI PD require regular oil change intervals of 10,000 miles, with major services taking place at two year intervals.
RUNNING GEAR
The Caddy brings true car-like ride comfort and handling characteristics to the small van market thanks to its adoption of many of the sophisticated suspension components of the Touran, allied to careful consideration of the practical requirements of van operation.
Front axle
The Caddy's front suspension is an independent system, with struts and lower wishbones attached to the central subframe. Key to the optimisation of the front suspension's acoustic and dynamic properties is the employment of an aluminium subframe, attached to the body at six points. The lateral control arms, anti-roll bar and steering are pre-assembled on this subframe during production so that precise steering and suspension geometry is achieved.Rear axle
Designed in-house by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the Caddy's leaf-sprung rear axle is designed for optimum performance whatever the payload. Progressive damping is achieved by the use of load-dependent dampers which change their characteristics in response to compression levels. An anti-roll bar is standard.Electro-mechanical power steering
Another first for the Caddy is the adoption of electro-mechanical power steering. Pioneered by Volkswagen in the Touran, the system varies the feel of the steering to suit the speed of the vehicle and the driving situations encountered - firm and direct when driving hard, effortless at parking speed. The turning circle is 11.1 m.
Wheels and tyres
As standard the Caddy is equipped with 6J x 15-inch steel rims and 195/65 R15 tyres. The full-size spare wheel is cradled beneath the rear floorpan.
Braking system
Disc brakes are employed on all four wheels, while a brake servo cuts in at a predetermined level of brake pressure to provide extra assistance. Electronic brakeforce distribution ensures good performance whatever the load being carried. ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) is standard across the Caddy range, as is TCS (Traction Control System) and EBC (Engine Braking Control).
Electronic Stabilisation Programme - ESPESP Plus (with Driver Steering Response and trailer stabilisation) is optional on all Caddy vans, reinforcing Volkswagen's commitment to safety. ESP is a sophisticated system that automatically senses any tendency for the car to slide. Should this situation occur, ESP reacts by applying the brakes to one, two, three or all four wheels and adjusts the engine's power. In this way, it is possible that a skid is corrected even before the driver is aware that one has started.This can be useful if a tendency to understeer or oversteer develops in a bend. In such circumstances ESP can help prevent the car skidding or spinning off the road and is particularly helpful in wet or icy conditions. ESP uses the sensors and systems associated with the traction control system.
EQUIPMENT AND TRIM
The Caddy van comes with a high level of standard equipment, resulting in an impressive value for money package. Key features include:
· ABS (anti-lock braking system)
· TCS (traction control system)
· EBC (Engine Braking Control)
· radio / single CD player
· driver's airbag· remote central locking with deadlocking and internal locking button
· height and reach adjustable steering wheel
· full-height bulkhead (solid lower section with plastic mesh upper section)
· large overhead storage tray in cab
· heat reflective glass
· electro-mechanical power steering
· electronic immobiliser
· brakesafe steering lock
· load side lining
· side sliding door
· 6J x 15 steel wheels with 195/65 R15 tyres
FACTORY-FIT AND VAN CENTRE OPTIONS
For those customers wishing to customise further their Caddys, a wide range of factory options is available. Van Centres also have stocks of rear window protection grilles and roof rack systems.
Many options are grouped into packs: for example, a customer could choose one of three door packs depending on whether they require a tailgate or wing doors, and one or two sliding side doors. There are also airbag and options packs, for example a Visibility Pack which includes front fog lights, headlight washers, heated washer jets and washer fluid level indicators. Of course a load floor cover is available too.
However, the Caddy also includes items on its options list which are more readily associated with luxury cars. These include satellite navigation with colour screen and trip computer, cruise control, alloy wheels, pearl effect paint and semi-automatic climate control.Â
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Volkswagen has earned a reputation for building safe, sturdy vehicles, and the Caddy is no exception. However, aside from the extremely strong and rigid bodyshell, the Caddy shines in its class for having a high level of standard-fit active and passive safety features. For example, it is unique in its class for having anti-lock brakes (ABS), traction control (TCS) and engine braking control (EBC) all fitted as standard.A driver's airbag is also standard across the Caddy range, with a passenger airbag and side airbags available as optional extras. When a front passenger airbag is specified, it includes a key-operated deactivation switch so that a child seat can be accommodated in the front passenger seat. Height-adjustable head restraints and seat belts with pre-tensioners are standard-fit items. The seat belts are also height adjustable.A full height bulkhead (solid lower half, plastic mesh upper half) is also fitted as standard, but can be deleted at no cost.
All Caddy vans come with remote central locking with deadlocking and an internal door locking button. An immobiliser is also standard, while a sophisticated alarm with interior and tow-away protection is a low-cost optional extra.
WARRANTIES
All Caddys sold through the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK Van Centre network have a three year bumper-to-bumper warranty. The first two years with no mileage restrictions are manufacturer operated, while the third year (and up to 100,000 miles) is a Van Centre warranty.
In addition, all have a 12 year anti-corrosion warranty and a three year comprehensive recovery and assistance package. The result of this final warranty is fully trained technicians on hand 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to diagnose and repair most problems at the roadside using Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles equipment and genuine parts.
Volkswagen Caddy Dealers
Broadway Motor CompanyRobinsons VW Van Centre
Vanatic
SVS Van Centre
Global Van Solutions
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