|
|
|
|
| More for less in new
Volkswagen Caravelle - 16/10/97
The new Volkswagen Caravelle is available in five speed manual form for $48,990 and with the new Dynamic Shift Program 'thinking' automatic gearbox for $52,190. It is on sale in Australia with immediate effect, but demand for the new Caravelle has already seen most of the first shipment sold in advance. "The Volkswagen Caravelle is the only real people mover on the market that really lives up to the name," says Ewan Ramsay, Managing Director for Volkswagen in Australia. "It will carry eight full size adults in comfort -- not crushing back row passengers -- and still have a good two cubic metres of luggage space. Caravelle owners don't have to choose between passengers or luggage. This combination also means another practical safety feature: In some people movers the heads of the rear passengers are right against the rear window. Not in the Caravelle, which has a good safety crush zone at the rear, to match that at the front." The new Caravelle is immediately recognisable thanks to its new long nose and styling changes to bring it in line with the other Volkswagen passenger cars. The new nose conceals a range of under skin changes to make the Caravelle safer, more refined and a match for many cars, let alone other people movers. The new 'Plus' front axle, straight out of the high performance Golf VR6, is complimented by an electronic differential lock, to give the maximum traction in difficult conditions. In addition to having disc brakes on all four wheels, the latest fifth generation ABS brakes are used. Refinement is enhanced with new engine mounts and sound proofing materials. The front end is completed by new impact absorbing bumpers, that absorb minor impacts and bounce back into shape after minor impacts, and bolt on guards for quick replacement. New trim level, more equipment, more safetv The entire interior of the Australian specification Caravelle has been changed, with a move up from the 'CL' to 'GL' trim level. This involves a new velour cord upholstery, deep pile carpet and new side trim panels. The Caravelle also gains a new dashboard, with soft-feel finish, new instruments and controls. However, the versatile eight seat interior remains, with eight full size adult seats which can be removed or folded to give a maximum of 5.4 cubic metres of interior space. Equipment levels are now exemplary, with alloy wheels, colour matched bumpers, ABS Brakes, Electronic Differential Lock, driver's side airbag, height adjustable front seats, height adjustable front seat belts, pollen filter, front windscreen antenna, climate control twin air conditioning, timer delay interior lights and a multi function trip computer all added to the new 1997 Caravelle. This is in addition to front electric windows, power steering, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, tinted glass, central locking, front and rear mud flaps digital stereo radio cassette with six speakers, rear fog light and a cruise control all carried over from the previous model. Siqnificantly safer Already a standard setter in the safety arena, the 1997 Volkswagen Caravelle boasts significant improvements placing it at the cutting edge of active and passive safety. Like its car counterparts, the Caravelle is 40 per cent ahead of any planned safety legislation world-wide.
Crash tested seat belt floor mountsPowerful enqine, new automatic qearbox The 1997 Volkswagen Caravelle is fitted with a new 2.5 litre 85 kW SIMOS engine, matched to either a five speed manual gearbox or the latest four speed Dynamic Shift Program automatic gearbox with 'fuzzy logic' computer control. This gives the Caravelle a top speed of 161 kmh in manual form and 157 kmh with the automatic gearbox. It accelerates to 80 kmh in 11.2 seconds in manual form, while the self-shifter takes 11.4 seconds. Cruising at a steady 90 kmh, the Caravelle averages 8.9 litres per 100 km or 9.7 litres per 100 km with the automatic ~earbox. Caravelle: The REAL people mover There can be few terms in the automotive lexicon more abused than 'people mover'. A real people mover should be able to not only move more people than the average car in comfort, it should also be able to carry all their luggage as well. Too many so-called people movers on the market give the driver the choice of taking the people and leaving the luggage behind or vice versa. Some don't even carry more people than the average car. The ideal people mover should also drive, handle and hold the road like a car. Some, based on crude commercial vehicles don't even meet that criteria. There is an exception. In fact it is the latest version of the vehicle that invented the people mover: The Volkswagen Caravelle. With an overall width of 1840 mm and length of 4655 mm, the Caravelle takes up no more road space than the average wagon. But its tall stance - not so tall it won't get into multistorey car parks - short nose and compact transverse, front wheel drivetrain means that the interior brings new meaning to the word spacious. Not only are there eight spacious seats, there is sufficient room for the occupants to move around inside the Caravelle - even from the front seats - without having to resort to climbing over other passengers. The compact front engine layout means that the floor is low and the roof high, giving further space and refinement. Access is through two wide opening front doors and a large sliding door on the side, making access in tight parking spaces easy. Even if the front doors cannot be opened, it is easy to enter through the side door and walk to the front seats through the Caravelle. The step at the sliding door is illuminated for added safety. Even with all the seats occupied there is still more than two cubic metres of load space, easily accessible through the large rear hatch, which opens up to provide shelter from inclement weather when the vehicle is being loaded and reveals a load lip height just 515 mm from the ground. Compare that to some people movers. Fold the rear seats up and/or remove the seats and this expands to more than five cubic metres! The Caravelle not only moves things in it: With a braked trailer load of two tonnes or an unbraked trailer load limit of 700 kg, matched to powerful all disc brakes, the stability of fully independent suspension and a shape that guides the air flow over a trailer, the Caravelle is an ideal tow vehicle. A vehicle payload of 950 kg also points to the people and load carrying ability of the Caravelle. A real people mover should be as easy to service as an ordinary car. Not for the Caravelle an engine buried under the middle of the vehicle, as on some forward control MPVs. The Caravelle is no harder and takes no more time to service than a normal car, thanks to service-friendly design, and it boasts a range of features to make repairs quick and easy, all saving money. Driving enjoyment is also guaranteed with the Caravelle. Its powerful five cylinder engine is related to the unit that took Audi to winners rostrum with the all-conquering Audi quattro. In the Caravelle it has been tailored to provide the torque - 200 Nm at 2200 rpm - that is essential to move large loads, be they people or goods, with ease. The Caravelle accelerates to 80 kmh in 11.2 seconds and will, when allowed, go on to achieve 161 kmh. The Caravelle also goes around corners as well as it goes in a straight line. It uses a similar suspension layout as the Volkswagen Golf VR6, including the passive four wheel steering, that has made that car a byword for roadholding, handling and ride comfort. There is also a long list of options that may be fitted to make the Caravelle even more versatile, from hydraulic lifts to make it the perfect vehicle for the disabled driver, to - as would be expected from the company that invented the camper - a camping conversion that makes the Caravelle the perfect bush explorer. The Volkswagen Caravelle uses - with the new 'Plus' suspension - double wishbones, shock absorbers and longitudinally located torsion bars at the front, which are mounted on the upper wishbones. This compact construction allows the spacious front foot wells. At the rear there is a diagonally trailing arm axle with shock absorbers fitted in front of the axle under the load floor. In league with compact springs, this gives a very compact rear suspension that allows a wide, flat, rear floor and a very low loading sill at the rear. The brakes are a diagonally split, power assisted set up with discs at the front and rear, with ABS anti-lock brakes. The thinkinq qearbox In addition to the standard five speed manual gearbox, the Volkswagen Caravelle is available with a sophisticated automatic gearbox that examines how each driver is using the car and adapts to their individual needs.This 'Dynamic Shift Program' (DSP) gearbox has five different shift programs loaded into its memory. These range from a very economical program, which changes up early and changes down late, keeping engine speed and fuel consumption down, to a sporty program which holds onto gears into high rev bands and down shifts as the Caravelle's speed reduces, so that it is always ready to respond with maximum power. These two extremes cover a wider range than the Sport/Economy modes in the previous gearbox. But this sophisticated gearbox does more than just shift between programs. It is an adaptive program, adjusting its settings and its responses to meet the demands and requirements of each different driver. The transmission starts off in the economy program and it stays in this program provided the driver accelerates gently up to about 90 kmh. However, if the driver repeatedly asks for hard acceleration, for instance demanding the kickdown, the gearbox instantaneously switches into its sport program. A double flick of the accelerator pedal - not dissimilar from a double click on a computer 'mouse' - will put the gearbox straight into the high performance mode. The program also has a service setting which records any intermittent faults and supplies them to the service mechanic. It also has a limp home program if the gearbox suffers a primary system fault. In this situation the gearbox locks in the economy mode and illuminates a warning light on the dashboard. The Caravelle boasts an excellent Cd of 0.36 and its aerodynamic performance has been optimised in the Volkswagen Climatic Wind Tunnel to give optimum performance in cross winds and poor weather. It has an overall length of 2.9 metres, a width of 1.8 metres and a height of 1.94 metres. This enables to get into most car parks and park like a normal car. Access is via a slidin~ side door, two front doors or a large rear hatch. Standard equipment
|
|
|
|
For a great range of car
parts at great prices, |
The Volkswagen Caravelle, the latest model
from the company that invented the people mover, has been
launched at the Sydney International Motor Show with more
equipment, a new engine and gearbox, plus a new level of
trim and styling but with prices cut by up to $3,000.