The seventh generation of the Volkswagen Transporter is deep into development. While we know VW is running them around the Nürburgring Nordschleife for testing, this video shows an engineer pushing the new van especially hard around the famous course. It’s a good thing this rig isn’t hauling packages for deliveries because anything fragile would be in pieces.
The T7’s tires scream while the big van negotiates the Nordschleife’s corners. Despite the fairly high center of gravity, the suspension appears to keep the body roll under control. You can’t call the vehicle nimble, but it doesn’t look too awkward on the track.
The last next-gen Transporter we saw at the ‘Ring was a plug-in hybrid model with a charging port on the passenger side front fender. This detail is absent from the one in this video suggesting we’re looking at one of the combustion-powered versions of the van.
The new Transporter has a fairly big design change by adopting a tiny quarter window between the windshield’s A-pillar and the door. It looks like this element would provide improved outward visibility, which is especially helpful in a commercial vehicle that often needs to maneuver in tight, urban areas.
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Examples with less camouflage (above) offer a better perspective on the new van. It appears that depending on the model of Transporter, there’s going to be different grille and front fascia combinations to identify them. Like the current model, VW would offer the new one in various roof and wheelbase configurations to fulfill a variety of tasks.
Spy shots show the cabin with a digital instrument cluster. A large infotainment screen comes out of the dashboard, and there are an array of buttons underneath it.
The exact powertrain range is still a mystery, but you should expect lots of options to meet customers’ needs. Hybrid, PHEV, gasoline, and diesel powerplants are all likely to be on the options list.
The T7 will go on sale in Europe in 2021. At this time, a date for the unveiling isn’t available.