Stretching from the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego to the U.S. state of Alaska, the Pan-American Highway served as inspiration for the Caddy PanAmericana. A trim that replaces the Alltrack from the previous-generation Caddy, this fellow stands out with the help of grained wheel arches and silver-painted underbody protection up front and out back.
Be warned, however, that Volkswagen hasn’t modified the underpinnings for proper off-roading scenarios. The oily bits come in the guise of a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 113 horsepower on deck or a 2.0-liter turbo diesel with 101 or 121 horsepower. Opting for the six-speed manual gearbox translates to front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive while the seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission is an exclusively front-driven affair.
The soft-roading van features PanAmericana decals on the front bumper, tailgate, and on the sides, and customers are offered five colors for the exterior: the pictured Copper Bronze, Candy White, Deep Black Pearl, Reflex Silver, and Starlight Blue. Based on the Life passenger van or Cargo delivery van, this variant further sweetens the deal with a body-color bar in the radiator grille and a silver-finished roof rack for the carrier of your liking.
Offered only in short-wheelbase guise, the PanAmericana also flexes aluminum on the pedals and footrest, leather on the steering wheel and shifter boot, silver-finish tread plates, and PanAmericana-branded floor mats to bring the point home. Standard LED headlights and taillights, 17-inch wheels, and up to 19 driver-assist systems also need to be mentioned.
Based on the MQB modular vehicle architecture of the Mk8 Golf, the Caddy in this adventure-oriented specification is pretty dependable as well thanks to a maximum towing capacity of 1.5 tons (3,306 pounds). The cargo and passenger models flaunt a maximum payload of 679 kilograms (1,479 pounds) and 525 kilograms (1,157 pounds), respectively. For reference, the crossover-based Ford Maverick pickup is good for 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms) while the Hyundai Santa Cruz offers 1,700 pounds (771 kilos).
The soft-roading van features PanAmericana decals on the front bumper, tailgate, and on the sides, and customers are offered five colors for the exterior: the pictured Copper Bronze, Candy White, Deep Black Pearl, Reflex Silver, and Starlight Blue. Based on the Life passenger van or Cargo delivery van, this variant further sweetens the deal with a body-color bar in the radiator grille and a silver-finished roof rack for the carrier of your liking.
Offered only in short-wheelbase guise, the PanAmericana also flexes aluminum on the pedals and footrest, leather on the steering wheel and shifter boot, silver-finish tread plates, and PanAmericana-branded floor mats to bring the point home. Standard LED headlights and taillights, 17-inch wheels, and up to 19 driver-assist systems also need to be mentioned.
Based on the MQB modular vehicle architecture of the Mk8 Golf, the Caddy in this adventure-oriented specification is pretty dependable as well thanks to a maximum towing capacity of 1.5 tons (3,306 pounds). The cargo and passenger models flaunt a maximum payload of 679 kilograms (1,479 pounds) and 525 kilograms (1,157 pounds), respectively. For reference, the crossover-based Ford Maverick pickup is good for 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms) while the Hyundai Santa Cruz offers 1,700 pounds (771 kilos).