< View previous picture - View next picture > Photographer / Copyright Ray Monk Images should not be reused without permission. View vehicle details Location Link/s Acton Works Date added to site 03/09/2006 Printer-friendly version of this page

Details: 2006 seems to have been a bumper year for new van designs, perhaps because of impending Euro-4 emissions regulations. Besides the revised Ford Transit and new LDV Maxus already illustrated, many other models were revamped including the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Vauxhall Vivaro and Movano, Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Relay. Many of these are also badge-engineered from or to other manufacturers as well. The van illustrated here leaving Acton Works on 31st August 2006 is a brand new design, the Volkswagen Crafter (Yes, Crafter!), the appearance of which is rather similar to the revised Transit. The Crafter will replace the VW LT series, several examples of which were leased by London Buses and LUL, and is due to go on general sale in September 2006. This 06-registered example is probably therefore a demonstrator, and it may have been at Acton for evaluation.

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Thomas Young	Hmm, not quite brand new! The VW Crafter is in fact based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, using the same chassis and body panels (and indeed built at Mercedes factories in Germany). The tapering 'groove' in the bodyside is a give-away, most apparent on plain vans. Compare the above with this view of MB Sprinter 6110M. The engine and transmission on the Crafter are VW items, and the front end styling is quite different. Note: Edited by Thomas Young, 12/08/10, 14:17.	Thu 12/08/2010, 14:16