Commercial Vehicle Show returnee Volkswagen is launching a tipper truck model built on its Crafter chassis cab platform.
Developed under Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ ‘Engineered to Go’ programme with conversions specialist VFS, the Crafter Tipper will be available in both single and double-cab variants, and VW says that it will boast high payload capacities.
The load bay is based around a high-strength steel platform designed for torsional rigidity, and operated by a direct-acting five stage underfloor ram. VW says that this unit is designed to offer maintenance-free lifting throughout the vehicle’s life, but the bolted construction of the conversion also ensures easy access for maintaining the rest of the vehicle.
A steel tailboard is built into the tipper unit, with side-mounted lock mechanisms. Load-lashing points are included across the tipper bay, while the flexibility of the load area is increased by the option of a bolted cage assembly, which is available with or without sliding sides.
The Tipper will use the same Euro 6 diesel engines offered on other vehicles in the Crafter line-up, and be supplied with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty that includes the conversion.
According to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles specialist sales manager Nick Axtell, the Tipper has been developed in partnership with VFS to deliver a hardworking, safe and flexible specialist load carrier.
“The new conversion meets all of the same high build quality standards of a factory-built vehicle, giving customers the peace of mind that it will get the job done without letting them down,” Axtell says.
Meanwhile Volkwagen has also launched a Converter Recognition Programme at the show, designed to both extend the range of off-the-shelf and bespoke conversions on offer for its vehicles, and to further guarantee the quality of such products available directly from the VW dedicated Van Centre network.
Conversion specialists will be required to meet new quality and technical criteria to be part of VW’s official offerings. A new three-tiered approach, Registered Bodybuilder, Integrated Partner and Premium Partner, has been developed to suit the differing converter agreements that Volkswagen operates.
All approved converters will undergo regular audits and be required to deliver minimum type approval certification for each conversion, and as a result all Volkswagen-converted vehicles will include the same aftersales support received by the brand’s standard vehicles.
According to Axtell, the changes to the scheme will ensure customers are provided with a ‘one stop shop’ for converted vehicles, their chosen Van Centre taking care of the whole conversion process.
“The alterations to the conversions offering will allow us to not only further develop current range of off the shelf solutions we offer, but also help us to deliver an improved customer experience,” he says.
Photos: Andrew Charman
