Photo: Volkswagen
It's a well-known fact that the quickest vehicles on UK roads don't have big engines or lots of power, but rather a tall figure, plenty of hauling capabilities, and, generally speaking, white paint.
Indeed, when in Britain, you're much more likely to be overtaken by a white van than, say, a BMW or any other generic term for a sporty car you can think of. We haven't driven enough through England to say whether this is more folklore than fact, but we're going to guess it's the former.
Well, it seems as though Volkswagen UK is looking to put some truth next to this myth by launching the Transporter T6.1 Sportline, though to be fair, you'd have to be mad to opt for white when there are so many new paint colors available. Those would be Indium Grey, Fortana Red, Ravenna Blue, and Copper Bronze, all featuring a metallic finish.
Before we go any further, we should probably speak a little about the T6.1 Sportline's appearance. If, after looking at the pictures, the word "ridiculous" springs to mind, then we're on the same wavelength. Like any car enthusiast, we like a mean, sporty-looking car, with the keyword there being "car." Vans, though, they're OK for a laugh, but with this thing costing $60,000 (£42,940) or more, we don't see any reason even to smile.
Sure, whoever buys it will get a host of other features that aren't usually associated with vans either. The Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Sportline comes with 18-inch wheels, Nappa leather and suede interior, a digital cockpit, heated windscreen, adaptive cruise control with emergency braking, and a central touchscreen that can be as big as 9.2 inches.
And when you think the Sportline is cuckoo enough, you hear about the Black Edition. This one starts at just under $63,000 (£45,140) and, just like the regular Sportline, is available in both Kombi and panel van configurations. However, the Black Series can only be ordered in short-wheelbase form, as opposed to the base Sportline which can also be had in long-wheelbase form.
Regardless of trim level, all Sportline Transporters (Black Edition included) come with a 2.0-liter TDI engine developing 204 PS (201 hp), hooked to a seven-speed DSG transmission. It's enough to give the van a top speed of 126 mph (202 kph) and a 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) acceleration time of 8.9 seconds. It may not sound like much, but in the hands of a British white van driver, it's almost race-spec.
The Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Sportline will be available to order starting the end of this month, with deliveries expected to commence in July.
Well, it seems as though Volkswagen UK is looking to put some truth next to this myth by launching the Transporter T6.1 Sportline, though to be fair, you'd have to be mad to opt for white when there are so many new paint colors available. Those would be Indium Grey, Fortana Red, Ravenna Blue, and Copper Bronze, all featuring a metallic finish.
Before we go any further, we should probably speak a little about the T6.1 Sportline's appearance. If, after looking at the pictures, the word "ridiculous" springs to mind, then we're on the same wavelength. Like any car enthusiast, we like a mean, sporty-looking car, with the keyword there being "car." Vans, though, they're OK for a laugh, but with this thing costing $60,000 (£42,940) or more, we don't see any reason even to smile.
Sure, whoever buys it will get a host of other features that aren't usually associated with vans either. The Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Sportline comes with 18-inch wheels, Nappa leather and suede interior, a digital cockpit, heated windscreen, adaptive cruise control with emergency braking, and a central touchscreen that can be as big as 9.2 inches.
And when you think the Sportline is cuckoo enough, you hear about the Black Edition. This one starts at just under $63,000 (£45,140) and, just like the regular Sportline, is available in both Kombi and panel van configurations. However, the Black Series can only be ordered in short-wheelbase form, as opposed to the base Sportline which can also be had in long-wheelbase form.
Regardless of trim level, all Sportline Transporters (Black Edition included) come with a 2.0-liter TDI engine developing 204 PS (201 hp), hooked to a seven-speed DSG transmission. It's enough to give the van a top speed of 126 mph (202 kph) and a 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) acceleration time of 8.9 seconds. It may not sound like much, but in the hands of a British white van driver, it's almost race-spec.
The Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Sportline will be available to order starting the end of this month, with deliveries expected to commence in July.
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