kscarbel2 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 The Volkswagen Worker’s “LT” cab is one of the most enduring designs ever produced. The cab was originally designed for the Volkswagen LT (Lasten Transporter, meaning cargo transporter) light/medium truck launched in the European market in 1975. Four years later, Volkswagen and MAN formed a joint venture to produce a series of commercial trucks ranging from 6 tons to 10 tons (13,228lb to 22,046lb). Dubbed the "G Series" under the VW-MAN partnership, it utilized a widened version of Volkswagen’s LT cab commonly referred to as the G90 cab, which was mounted on a MAN chassis fitted with a MAN drivetrain. The VW-MAN G-Series was produced from 1979 until 1993. Also in 1979, VW Brazil bought a 67 percent stake in Chrysler Brazil. One year later, VW bought the remaining shares of Chrysler Brazil. Though this ended Chrysler car production in Brazil, VW signed an agreement with Chrysler allowing the German company to continue production of Dodge D400 and D700 trucks at the former Chrysler Brazil plant in Sao Bernardo. When VW Brazil formed Volkswagen Truck and Bus in 1981, the new unit began with launching the 11-ton model 11.130 and 13-ton model 13.130 medium trucks which featured the G90 cab (wide width LT cab) mounted to a modified Dodge truck chassis. This marked the beginning of Volkswagen’s “Worker” series which remains popular to the present day. Up to last year, the Worker was available in 4x2, 6x2, 6x4 and 8x4 configurations from 7 tons to 35 tons (15,432lb to 77,162lb). However, the newer cutting edge Constellation has now replaced some models. The Worker remains available in 4x2 and 6x2 configurations rated from 13 tons to 24 tons (28,660lb to 52,911lb). https://www.man-la.com/produtos-volkswagen/modelos/worker-9 From 1990 to 1995, Volkswagen trucks and buses were built at the Volkswagen-Ford AutoLatina* joint venture utilizing Ford truck components. * Challenging economic conditions during the 1980s forced Volkswagen and Ford’s business units in both Brazil and Argentina to join forces and form a money-saving joint venture called AutoLatina in 1987 which lasted to 1995. VW and Ford trucks were produced together in Ford’s Ipiranga truck plant from 1990 to 1995. Due to the end the Autolatina joint venture with Ford, VW Truck and Bus had to withdrawal production from Ford’s Ipiranga plant and build its own truck plant in record time. In 1996, a new factory was built in Resende (west of Rio de Janeiro) in just 153 days at a cost of US$250 million. This also marked the beginning of self-designed proprietary Volkswagen commercial truck platforms. Innovative in design and management, Resende was the first truck plant in the world to adopt the “modular consortium” assembly process, in which the trucks are assembled by the supplier’s employees. Daimler, Ford, GM and Chrysler** went on to use supplier-assembled modules at their plants in Brazil as well. ** After an 18 year absence, Chrysler returned to Brazil in 1998 to produce the Dakota pickup. However, a Daimler-controlled Chrysler shut down Brazil production again in 2001. Fiat-Chrysler plans to open a plant in 2015. At one time, the Worker was sold in the U.S. market by both Kenworth and Peterbilt as the Mid-Ranger from 1987, until the Kenworth K300 and Peterbilt 270 utilizing a DAF 45 cab were introduced in 2000 (Paccar bought DAF in November 1996). Video - The Volkswagen Worker http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sbYaRQpMrk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbsYBBt0Www http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p781TbonEDk Video - The Resende Plant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBWzYFho3wY&feature=related . Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/35895-from-lt-to-worker-volkswagen%E2%80%99s-versatile-long-lasting-%E2%80%9Clt%E2%80%9D-cab/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
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