Ergonomics Marvel 50 Years of the Volkswagen LT Icon

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Actually, Volkswagen is celebrating three anniversaries this year: the well-known "Bulli" was launched 75 years ago. The "LT," which stands for Lasten-Transporter (cargo transporter), has been around for half a century. And also the "Polo" subcompact car made its debut in the automotive world 50 years ago, although it cannot, of course, be categorized under Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) production.

The LT transporter, often somewhat disparagingly referred to as a "panel van," is featured in this profile simply because you are currently reading a logistics trade magazine, and the "workhorse" LT is therefore favored over the other two jubilees.

The world premiere of the "LT" took place in April 1975 in Berlin. The "big brother" of the "Bulli," which by then was already in its second generation, successfully expanded the product range from Hanover. Since its market launch in 1950, the terms "Volkswagen" and "Transporter" have been closely intertwined. However, since the "Bulli" was not intended for very heavy loads, Volkswagen developed a model positioned below heavy trucks but above the VW Bus: a cargo transporter in the segment of 2.8 to 3.5 tons gross vehicle weight. For the naming of the newcomer, the Lower Saxons were distinctly pragmatic: "LT" stands, as mentioned above, for "Lasten-Transporter." The numbers 28, 31, and 35 were appended, simply indicating the permissible gross weight of the transporter, albeit separated by commas.

Many Variants Available From the Start

As the automotive group states, they listened to their customers' wishes even back then and offered the "LT" with two wheelbases and two roof variants from the start. The spatial miracle was available as a panel van, station wagon, bus, flatbed, double cab, and even as a chassis with a cab for further expansion.

Even before the development of the "LT," it was established within the company that the ratio of traffic area to utility area should be better than that of the rear-engine Transporter. Therefore, the engineers designed a vehicle with space-saving cab-over-engine construction and a front engine, positioned between the driver and passenger seats, above the front axle; the vehicle, however, was still driven by the rear axle. Without a rear engine, the entire cargo area was available for use as a cargo transporter. Yet, as Volkswagen notes in a retrospective, the "LT" remained compact: compared to the T2 "Bulli," the "LT" grew by just 34 centimeters in length and 30 centimeters in width. With 7.85 cubic meters of cargo space, the 50-year-old celebrant offered over 50 percent more loading volume.

Ergonomics was Previously a Foreign Concept

Even though the then-new bestseller from Hanover might have appeared somewhat "boxy" by today's standards, there was pride in the ergonomic component, which had been somewhat neglected in commercial vehicles until then. For instance, the cab was developed with the help of work scientists. Thanks to this collaboration, the controls for the equipment were placed close to the driver. The large front windshield and extra-large exterior mirrors also benefited the driving personnel.

Commercial vehicles

75 years of Bulli and a solid result

More driving comfort was promised, among other things, by the independent suspension on the front axle—a feature that was not standard among competitors even years later. Initially, the "LT" was available with either a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine (from the Audi 100) or a 2.7-liter four-cylinder diesel engine from the English manufacturer Perkins, which was replaced in 1979 by VW's first own six-cylinder diesel. Although the new 2.4-liter engine in the "LT" delivered only eight more horsepower than its English predecessor, it offered significantly more torque and ran very smoothly. So smoothly, in fact, that even Volvo installed this engine in its first six-cylinder passenger cars.

Model Maintenance or Genuine Metamorphosis?

Like its smaller brother, the "Bulli," the "LT" has undergone several model updates over the years—here are just a few highlights: In 1983, the six-cylinder turbodiesel was introduced, making the "LT" the most powerful transporter in Europe with 75 kilowatts (102 horsepower). In 1985, the "LT 55" was added, boasting a total weight of 5.6 tons. In 1993, the series received a facelift, including a new radiator grille and plastic elements in the area of the taillights.

The sheer size of the cargo transporter quickly sparked interest among campers (not only in this country): due to its obvious quality and reliability, combined with large usable space within compact dimensions, the "LT" became a popular base for motorhomes. In 1988, alongside the compact California (based on the third generation (T3) of the "Bulli"), Volkswagen also presented a motorhome based on the "LT." With the Florida, the Hanoverians offered a fully-fledged motorhome for four people with a bathroom.

And after 21 years and over 470,000 "LT" units produced, the time was ripe in 1996 for a successor: the "LT2." For its development, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles entered into a cooperation with Mercedes-Benz. The diesel engines were now installed longitudinally under a short hood, the entry was significantly lower, and there was the possibility to easily move between the front seats to the rear loading or passenger compartment. In 2006, after almost 340,000 units, the production of the "LT2" at the Stöcken plant also came to an end. (bm)

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