Production plants

The first-generation Crafter was built in the Mercedes-Benz Ludwigsfelde and Düsseldorf plants, the same German factories where the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is built.

Design

French car designer Laurent Boulay is responsible for the frontal design of the Crafter, which takes cues from the Volkswagen Constellation.^[9]

Engines

From launch in 2006 up to 2010, all internal combustion engines were based upon Volkswagen Group's re engineered 2.5 litre R5 TDI. This turbodiesel is an inline five-cylinder (R5) Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine.

It displaces 2,459 cubic centimetres (150.1 cu in), and uses what was the latest common rail fuel system, with piezoelectric actuated injectors for the cylinder-direct fuel injection. It also utilises a diesel particulate filter (DPF), allowing all engine variants to comply with Euro IV European emission standards.^[10]

The 2010 version of the 2.5 TDI CR engine was redesigned, correcting the previous problems of turbo failure. An engine update was also released under the guise of "Blue TDI", which used AdBlue – or diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) – in combination with a DPF to attain the more stringent Euro V EEV European emission standards.^[10]

Features

The Crafter is available in three wheelbase options; 3,250 millimetres (128.0 in), 3,665 millimetres (144.3 in) and 4,325 millimetres (170.3 in). It is equipped with front airbags as standard, and side and curtain airbags as options, along with anti-lock braking system (ABS), load adapting electronic stability programme (ESP), anti-slip regulation (traction control) (ASR), and electronic differential lock (EDL).

The electronic differential lock (EDL) employed by Volkswagen is not, as the name suggests, a differential lock at all. Sensors monitor both roadwheel speeds across a driven axle, and if one is rotating substantially faster than the other (i.e. slipping) the EDL system momentarily brakes it. This effectively transfers the torque to the other driven wheel which is deemed to still have grip.

Payloads and gross vehicle weights

The Crafter Chassis and Double Cabs models have payloads ranging from 1,472 to 3,026 kilograms (3,245 to 6,671 lb), and come in gross vehicle weights (GVW) of either 3.5 or 5.3 tonnes.

Conversions based on the Volkswagen Crafter

The Crafter is an ideal base vehicle for minibus conversions, and Volkswagen have a list of accredited vehicle conversion specialists.

Awards

The Crafter has won a number of motor industry awards, including:

• 2006 What Van? – Overall Van of the Year (UK)
• 2006 What Van? – Large Van of the Year (UK)
• 2007 Professional Van and Light Truck Magazine – Large Van of the Year (UK)
• 2007 Van Fleet World – Best Large Panel Van (UK)
• 2007 Delivery Magazine – Large Van of the Year (Australia)
• 2008 Professional Van and Light Truck Magazine – Best Van derived Chassis Cab of the Year (UK)^[11]

• 
  Front (Europe; pre facelift)
• 
  Rear (Europe; pre facelift)
• 
  Volkswagen Crafter Minibus (Europe; pre facelift)

First generation facelift (2011–2017)

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles released a revised Crafter in April 2011. The design of the grille was changed to the current design language of the Volkswagen brand. New power trains based on the 2.0L TDI producing 80 kW/109 PS, 100 kW/136 PS and BiTDI 120 kW/163 PS with the engine revised the payload was increased by up to 10% on some models. The facelift appeared 2 years before the Sprinter on which its based got its own facelift.

Engines

In 2011, the 2.5 litre engine was replaced by the 2.0 litre TDI, which utilises exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in conjunction with a diesel particulate filter (DPF), allowing all engine variants to comply with Euro 5b (Euro V) European emission standards,^[10] which came into force in September 2011.

In March 2012 the Crafter 4Motion variant was released as an option with one engine BiTDI 120 kW (163 PS; 161 hp). The four wheel drive system is supplied and fitted by Austrian specialists Achleitner.

• 
  Facelift front (2011)
• 
  Facelift rear (2011)

Engines

e-Crafter

In September 2016, Volkswagen unveiled the e-Crafter all electric van at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover. The concept e-Crafter has a 43 kWh battery that delivers an estimated range of 208 km (129 mi). The van payload is rated at 1,709 kg, and cargo space is listed at 11.3 cubic meters. The e-Crafter has a 100 kW (136 PS; 134 hp) and 290 N⋅m (214 lb⋅ft) electric motor, and top speed is limited to 80 km/h (50 mph).^[3] The electric van is production ready, and retail deliveries were slated for 2017.^[3]

Grand California

At the 2017 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show, Volkswagen presented the California XXL motorhome concept, based on the Crafter. The 6.2 m long vehicle has a standing height of 2.2 m and is equipped with underfloor heating. The production version was named Grand California and the model went on sale in 2019. It is the larger version of the Volkswagen Transporter based Volkswagen California.

MAN TGE

The second generation Crafter is also sold by MAN Truck & Bus as the MAN TGE. MAN is a brand of TRATON, which is the Volkswagen Group's heavy commercial vehicle division. The MAN TGE has a wide range of body types, with the van primarily being sold as a panel van, but also available as a tipper, dropside or crew cab variant.^[14]

• MAN TGE 5.180, as Public light bus in Hong Kong