Volkswagen TranSporter Suzuki Line Van : A TRANSPORTER WITH EXTRA SPORT

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If You're Put Off By The Blandness Of Bog-Standard Panel Vans, Volkswagen Have The Answer In The Shape Of Their Extrovert Transporter Sportline. Steve Walker Reportsâ€¦

When images of Volkswagen's Transporter Sportline first appeared in our office, they attracted an unusual amount of interest. If the Sportline was an Italian supercar or the latest Japanese rally replica, a certain amount of fuss would have been par for the course but it isn't, it's a panel van. The reason why this comparatively unassuming vehicle caught the imagination quite so readily will be immediately clear to anyone who lived out their misspent youth during the mid to late 1980s. Decked out in Diamond Black paint with 18-inch alloys, roof spoiler and chrome side rails, the Transporter Sportline is a dead-ringer for the A-Team van.

All that's missing is a red stripe down the Transporter Sportline's flanks and it truly would be the modern day equivalent of the 1983 GMC G-Series van that Hannibal, BA, Face and `Howling Mad' Murdoch made famous in the A-Team TV series. The youngsters who watched The A-Team on its first airing all those years ago (regular re-runs can still be found on satellite TV channels) will now have grown-up and may well be in one of the numerous professions where a practical panel van like the Transporter would be just the ticket. It's reasonable to assume that a good few of them will warm to the idea of heading out to work each morning in a vehicle similar to that in which the A-Team survived as soldiers of fortune in the Los Angeles underground, avoiding the unwanted attentions of Colonel Decker's military police. Even if you have no recollection or interest in the A-Team, there's a good case for taking a closer look at the Transporter Sportline. A company's commercial vehicles act as an extension of its public image and those wanting to project a youthful, dynamic persona to the world at large may have found their ideal van. The standard Transporter exterior is jazzed-up considerably by the Sportline special edition features. At the front, there's a chunky spoiler and two (count-`em) chrome grilles with the bumper and spoiler ensemble fully body-coloured. The mirrors and door handles are also body-coloured while the back end benefits from a roof spoiler and impressive-looking `Sportline' badging. Chrome side rails span the lower edge of the van between wheelarches which are filled admirably by 18" Borbet five spoke alloy wheels shod with low profile all-weather tyres. The whole package is then given a more aggressive stance by the inclusion of Eibach suspension springs which drop the ride height by 30mm.

"Volkswagen have thrown the options list at the Transporter Sportline"

Looking at a well-stocked equipment list like this, you may have to stop every so often and remind yourself that this is a panel van we're talking about. Inside, there's more of the same with electric heated door mirrors, electric windows, air-conditioning, a CD stereo, remote central locking, leather trim, a Sportline gearshift cap and a driver's arm rest. The Transporter Sportline is available in short or long wheelbase form, creating load lengths of 2,543mm and 2,943mm respectively. Both versions are powered by Volkswagen's 172bhp 2.5-litre TDI diesel engine which endows them with strong performance characteristics. The engine develops its peak torque of 400Nm from just 2,000rpm making the Transporter quick off the line and surprisingly unfazed by hefty payloads. The 0-62mph sprint takes 12.2s and there's a 117mph top speed but fuel economy remains at a manageable level where owners can expect in excess of 40mpg on the open road. Given what you're actually getting in the Transporter Sportline package, you wouldn't expect it to be cheap and it isn't. You'll pay just over £21,000 for the short wheelbase model and £500 more for the extra capacity of the long wheelbase. It's a hefty sum for a businesses to find when you consider the prices of more ordinary panel vans but Volkswagen are confident that the vehicle's road presence and car-like specification will secure its popularity. The target customers are user choosers who want something more distinctive than your typical panel van or else surfers, skiers and trailbikers who want to move their equipment from place to place in a bit of style. We've touched on the standard Transporter's less than inspiring outward appearance which the Sportline successfully addresses but inside there's a real touch of class about the place that the Sportline inherits. Drivers will be pleased to find a raft of storage options for odds or ends, including a lockable glovebox, and the whole ambience has that distinct air of Volkswagen quality. The gearstick sprouts from the centre console, as is the fashion at the moment and it falls nicely to hand. As do the controls on the gently sloping facia which are simple to pick out and manipulate without diverting attention from the road ahead. You could easily be in a people carrier from the top of the Volkswagen passenger car Range, such is the refinement and simplicity of the cabin. Good though the Volkswagen Transporter's interior is, the crowning glory in this van's make-up has to be its performance on the road. Even without a load onboard to appease the heavy-duty suspension, the ride is exemplary and the steering is perfectly weighted. The squeaks, creaks, rattles or hums that seem to creep into commercial vehicles have been successfully banished and the engine noise is noticeably well suppressed. There's a solidity about the T5 Transporter suggesting that, like its predecessor, this model will run and run. Volkswagen have thrown the options list at the Transporter Sportline and the result is one of the most distinctive panel vans officially available in the UK. The standard Transporter base vehicle is a highly competent van but it certainly isn't one of the more exciting offerings to look at in the sector. What this Sportline derivative does quite successfully is inject a little visual dynamism that should help the Transporter glean sales from more attractively-styled models like the Vauxhall Vivaro and Mercedes Vito. The A-Team famously loved it when a plan came together and Volkswagen will be hoping that Sportline gets a similarly positive result in the marketplace.

Facts At A Glance VAN: Volkswagen Transporter Sportline ENGINES: 2.5-litre TDI PD 172bhp PAY
LOAD CAPACITY: 795kg - 1,245kg LOAD LENGTH: 2,543mm - 2,943mm
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, traction control, driver's airbag.