Syncro: what market
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VOLKSWAGEN'S 4x4 synchro version of its Transporter van range was launched in the UK last week, with VW admitting that it does not know the 4x4's market potential.
At the European launch last February, VW had still to decide whether it would export the synchro to the UK. Since then. European demand has pleasantly surprised VW, with 1985 production totalling 5,000.
The company estimates that there is a UK market for around 300 similarly-sized (one-tonne payload) 4x4 vans per year.
As a factory-produced model, instead of a conversion, VW expects the synchro to capture i large slice of that business, and envisages sales of at least 100 in the first year.
Target customers include the e T11 crgcncy services, farmers and the building trade.
Sales of the conventional 4x2 Transporter were down in the UK last year and a re placement is not expected until 1989.
All Transporter models are available in the 4x4 synchro version.
Synchro models are currently available only with the 1.9-litre Boxer petrol engine, developing 57kW (78hp). In the spring the 51kW (70hp) turbocharged diesel engine will become an option, followed by the 82kW (112hp) 2.1-litre petrol injection engine in the summer.
The synchro uses a viscous coupling instead of a conventional transfer box to transmit the power to the front axle.
In normal road conditions, all the power is fed to the rear wheels, but once these begin to lose traction the viscous coupling on the front axle drive engages to power to the front wheels as well.