Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is celebrating 60 years of the Transporter in the UK with the launch of a new special edition model – the Sportline 60 – that replaces the current Volkswagen Sportline.
The Sportline 60 is available in both short and long wheelbase forms as either a Kombi or panel van with unique 18” Sportline five-spoke alloy wheels finished in Anthracite or Black/Silver and with 255/45 R18 103 tyres and a Tyre Mobility System, black steel side bars, gloss black door mirror covers and special decals to highlight the exclusivity of this particularly stylish T5 Transporter.
But it’s not just those extra features on this special edition Sportline 60 that make this particular Volkswagen Transporter stand out from many of the other vans on the road, because it also has all those other externally stylish features that Volkswagen gave the Sportline when it originally launched: features like the colour-coded front bumper and lower spoiler, the chrome grille, Gloss black door mirror covers with a Sportline logo, headlights with interior chrome detailing, darkened rear light clusters, the rear roof spoiler, the unique Sportline 60 badging and the standard body colours of metallic Reflex Silver or Deep Black (with as option of Candy White with a Deep Black roof as backup.)
It doesn’t just look powerful.
It is, with a top of the range 2.0-litre BiTDI 180 PS engine under the bonnet of the special edition Volkswagen Sportline 60 offering up to 400 Nm of torque with a choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG gearbox.
Inside the transporter, the Sportline 60 doesn’t skimp on the equipment, because there is “a host of premium creature comforts” that includes an upgraded Kenwood DAB Multimedia System, with 7” colour touchscreen, full European Garmin satellite-navigation with real-time traffic information, built-in Bluetooth® phone connectivity, DAB radio and single CD with DVD playback, full iPod or iPhone connectivity with an optional lead, a rip computer with multi-function display, front and rear parking sensors with rear parking camera, and new quilted and embossed leather upholstery proudly bearing a special Sportline 60 edition logo – all as standard.
And when you consider that the standard specification also includes a front seat armrest, leather-covered steering wheel and gearknob, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, electric windows, ABS, climate air conditioning, remote central locking, a Thatcham Category 1 approved alarm and immobilizer with tow-away, perimeter and interior cab protection, and a stereo with CD player, then you know that you are talking something a bit special..
Because, let’s be honest, the Volkswagen Transporter has always been a bit special.
Since it was first launched in the UK back in 1954, more than 300,000 Transporters have been sold in this country, (18,350 of which were snapped up in 2013 alone): reinforcing the fact that the Transporter range has formed the backbone of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles range for six successful decades.
The Volkswagen Transporter has helped to start millions of businesses for its owners, helping to make pipe dreams realities whether they were being used for gardening and construction to general globetrotting – and over time, as businesses and their needs have evolved, so has the Transporter.
