‘PanAmericana’ – the route from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego gets globetrotters and all who would like to be such dreaming all over the world of motoring wanderlust and freedom: on the immediately available new Caddy PanAmericana from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles the panels in off-road style on the wheel arches, the side sills and the extra black bars on the doors of the city delivery van and family MPV are among its most eye-catching external design elements.
Only those who set themselves extraordinary targets will repeatedly discover something new. The new Caddy PanAmericana is the perfect companion for that. And in the fifth Caddy generation it also definitively expands the PanAmericana range at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles into a model family, now supplementing the familiar Transporter 6.1 PanAmericana.
The grained bumpers, with underbody protection front and rear, leave no room for doubt: with the Caddy PanAmericana there is always something new to discover away from the beaten track – including at times on light off-road terrain. The model is – exclusively for the short wheelbases of the Caddy Cargo and passenger car variants based on the Caddy Life – now available for ordering and delivery. A total of up to 19 available assist systems in the Caddy make excursions on light off-road terrain too an assured pleasure. As-standard LED lights front and rear plus glazed 17-inch alloy wheels add to the tough and rough charm of the new Caddy PanAmericana. Trim elements such as the inserts coloured right through in silver in the side door strips enhance its look to such effect that the Caddy PanAmericana simultaneously cuts a fine figure on the street or outside a café.
Based on the ‘Life’ passenger car line or the ‘Cargo’ city delivery van variant, it already offers everything that people who play sport, workers in the manual trades and individualists appreciate: a sporty, striking off-road look thanks to robust vehicle body guards. The silver solid-coloured design underbody protection, front and back, the body-coloured bar in the radiator grille, with no frills or chrome, and a silver roof rack cleverly underpin this impression.
The Caddy playfully features hints of a lust for adventure: the wording ‘PanAmericana’ appears in the extension of the sliding door track, on the choice of rear wing doors or hatch and on the radiator grille of the Caddy and Caddy Cargo. The word ‘Caddy’ on the back makes way for this. In terms of both its presence and appearance, the PanAmericana thus becomes a stand-alone member of the new Caddy family.
Highlights inside the passenger car model based on the Caddy Life include, for example, the new ‘Pinestripe’ seat covers, the standard small leather pack for the multifunction steering wheel and the gearshift cuff, pedals and footrest, both in in aluminium look, door panels with inserts and a centre console the same as the higher Caddy ‘Style’ specification, inscribed silver door tread plates at the front, steering wheel with clasp, the ‘PanAmericana’ wording and floor mats as standard, front and rear.
The new Caddy PanAmericana is available exclusively with a short wheelbase as passenger car or Cargo, with a choice of 84 kW TSI petrol engine or TDI turbo diesel delivering 75 or 90 kW of power. Dependent on engine, it is then either purely front-wheel drive with a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG automatic transmission or a 4MOTION all-wheel drive vehicle with 6-speed manual gearbox.
All engine specifications have efficient Blue Motion technology as standard and consume combined between 4.5 (TDI) and 5.7 litres/100km (TSI). That equates to CO2 emissions of between 119 and 133 grams/km (combined). All engines conform to the latest Euro 6d – ISC FCM emissions standard.
Dependent on drive system, the Caddy PanAmericana has a towing capacity of up to 1.5 tonnes and can as the Cargo carry a load of up to 679 kilograms and as a passenger car, dependent on specification, of up to 525 kilos (permissible roof load: 100 kg, supported load up to 75 kg).
The Caddy PanAmericana is available in paintwork finishes of Candy White or Deep Black Pearl Effect, or also in metallic paintwork finishes such as Reflex Silver, Starlight Blue or Copper Bronze.
With the latest evolution of the MQB (Modular Transverse Matrix), numerous new technologies make their entry into Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ full Caddy range: innovative assist systems such as Travel Assist and Trailer Assist, the new Turn-off Assist as part of Front Assist and assist systems for changing lane and getting out of parking spots increase safety and ease of driving in the new Caddy. Five of the up to 19 possible assist systems are completely new in the Caddy, and thus also in the PanAmericana, while the others have been extensively updated. More information on the ‘assistants’ here: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles – Press service (vwn-presse.de)
The fifth Caddy generation of this best-selling vehicle, of which in the previous generations alone over three million were made, thus offers as the off-road PanAmericana model too numerous real user highlights, not only in terms of the assist systems. They, however, offer even greater safety and ease of use and assist the driver, both actively and passively.
The new Caddy, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ all-rounder, uses – not only as the PanAmericana – numerous further new technologies. They make the Caddy even more practical, efficient and impressive.
