On the road with the new VW light truck
Page 7
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by Trevor Longcroft AN OPPORTUNITY to drive VW's new light truck range was the main feature of a press conference held last week at the company's Hanover plant.
I was able to drive one of the new models (described in detail on page 17).
This was the LT 31 truck, the middle-weight model of the LT range, fitted with drops ide body and plated to 3.1 tonnes gvw. It has a nominal payload capacity of 1.5 tonnes, though for our test it was loaded with just 750kg (14.8cwt) of ballast.
The 2.5m (8.2ft) wheelbase truck had the standard twolitre petrol engine, standard transmission of 4.88 to 1 rear axle.
The cab exterior has a high percentage of glass and so all-round vision is understandably very good. I particularly liked the large, deep windscreen that slopes gently away from the driver towards the bottom and the slim cab corner pillars.
The dash panel is simply but functionally arranged with all gauges clearly visible through the top sector of the steering wheel. The speedometer and the fuel and temperature gauge are inset into the dash and they are free from any reflections.
The windscreen wiper control and the direction indicators are mounted on the steering column : like all the other minor controls they are within comfortable driver reach.
The ease of gearchanging completely vindicated the cable gear linkage that I viewed with some pessimism when inspecting the specification.
On the autobahn the LT31 cruised easily and extremely quietly at around 80km/h (50mph) and pulled away with only minor grumblings from the transmission and engine from 30krn/h (19mph) in top gear.
Acceleration tests with a similar model but fitted with the lowest 5.38 to 1 rear axle and fully loaded with 1.5 tonnes of ballast produced a 0-50km/h (30mph) time of 9.8sec and a 0-80km/h (50mph) time of 24.4sec.
For easy engine access the passenger and driver seat can be easily removed before lifting the engine cover. Routine checks are completed through a hatch in the engine cover. The brake fluid reservoir is situated beneath the dash and the vehicle battery behind the driver's seat with the vehicle jack and other equipment.
M1 extension opened
A FURTHER 4km (4-mile) section of the M1 was opened this week between Fiveways Corner and the A406 North Circular Road. Because of further construction work, only the northbound carriageway has been opened, enabling traffic to bypass Hendon Central. The southbound carriageway will open next summer.