Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Volkswagen Trucks and Buses
Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda
Type Subsidiary of MAN SE
Founded 1995
Area served Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa
Industry Automotive
Products Commercial vehicles
Parent MAN SE[1][2]
Website VWtrucksandbuses.com

Volkswagen Trucks and Buses (VTB), Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda (VWC), is a Brazilian manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Originally a part of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles division of the Volkswagen Group (VWAG), as of 1 January 2009, it is under the ownership of MAN SE, which is 29.9% owned by Volkswagen.[2]

Volkswagen Trucks and Buses operation[]

In 1979, Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen AG) acquired a 67% percent stake in Chrysler Motors do Brasil Ltda. In January 1980, Volkswagen AG buys 100% of shares in Chrysler Motors do Brasil Ltda, therefore giving VWAG the rights in renaming the company to Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda.

VW 13

The first Volkswagen Truck - the 1981 13.130

Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. released their first trucks in February/March 1981; the Volkswagen 11.130 and the Volkswagen 13.130, both had a reworked version of Volkswagen's Mk1 LT cabin, and were powered by MWM Motores Diesel Ltda (MWM) engines on Chrysler engineered platforms which were inherited from the takeover.[3]

AutoLatina years[]

From 1990 to 1995, Volkswagen Trucks and Buses were built with Ford components as part of the AutoLatina venture, and were built in Ford's Ipiranga complex in Brazil.

Once the AutoLatina marriage fell through, Volkswagen Group had no factory for its trucks and their parts, so Resende plant was built in 1995.[3]

Resende, rebirth of Volkswagen Trucks and Buses[]

1996, Resende was the official start for Volkswagen Trucks and Buses, developing their own parts and platforms. The Modular Consortium was introduced for the first time in Resende.

Modular Consortium[]

The Modular Consortium is the group of main suppliers that make the parts and assembles them for Volkswagen Truck and Bus on site in the Resende factory.

Volkswagen Groups involvement is only in supplying the factory and inspection at the end of production; Volkswagen pays only a small amount of wages, as each partner of the Modular Consortium pays the workers.[3]

The Modular Consortium comprises these companies:

  • Maxion Sistemas Automotivos Ltda. manufacture the chassis parts such as Air Reservoir, Fuel Tank and Frame
  • ArvinMeritor manufacture the Suspension and Axle parts such as Springs and Hubs and Drums
  • Remon manufacture the Tires and Wheels
  • Aethra Karmann-Ghia manages the Body Shop
  • Carese manages the Paint Shop
  • Continental AG manufacture the Cab Trim components such as Seats and Instrument Panel

Sales[]

Most of the early sales of the Truck and Bus chassis' operations were mainly within South America; with the exception of small exportations to China and the Middle East.

Prior to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' new role of managing the Truck and Bus operation; in 1994 Volkswagen imported to Germany a 7 tonne truck: the Volkswagen L80. Due to the European Union Gas Emissions EU4 standards; exports discontinued in late 2000.[3]

The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles era[]

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles took over the Brazilian Trucks and Buses operation in 2000 from Volkswagen's Brazilian subsidiary; this signaled the start of a new era for the Volkswagen Group in producing its own Heavy Truck and Bus Chassis Range, which covers the Gross Combination Mass of 5 tonnes to 57 tonnes category.

Since Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles have taken control; the company has been looking at expanding Truck and Bus sales to other markets outside of South America, South Africa and Middle East regions.

All Volkswagen Truck and Buses are built in the Resende, Brazil factory and sent in Semi Knocked Down kits to Uitenhage in South Africa and Puebla in Mexico.[3]

Planned future markets for export are ASEAN and Eastern Europe countries.

Volkswagen Truck and Bus division released in September 2005 the new Volkswagen Constellation range with a Gross Combination Mass from 33 tonnes to 57 tonnes.[3]

Volkswagen Trucks and Buses company facts[]

  • The Resende plant was built in 153 days at a cost of US$ 250 million dollars
  • The Resende plant adheres to International Standards ISO TS and ISO 14001
  • Resende plant produces 140 vehicles per day in two working shifts and employs 3,045 workers.[4]
  • Volkswagen Trucks and Buses are sold in over 35 countries around the world. Some of the countries are Argentina, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.[5]
  • Most of the Volkswagen Truck and Bus growth has been in the last eight years
  • All the 2007 Volkswagen Truck range are capable of operating in minus 20°C and plus 45°C; Middle East specified trucks can stand 55 degrees Celsius.

BMB Mode Center[]

Established in 2002 10 km from Resende the assembly plant, the BMB Mode Center is responsible for modifications to the truck and bus range that cannot be done on the production line.

BMB Mode Center build:

  • For bus range: low entry buses and articulated buses.
  • For truck range: 4x4, 8x4 & 8x2 conversions as well as an armored truck & finally exterior design modifications.

The BMB division moved in June 2006 to the new location 150 m outside the Resende Plant. The new location has 30,000 square metres of land; it cost Brazilian R$ 7 million to build.[6]

Volkswagen Trucks and Buses highlights[]

1980s[]

January 1981
Volkswagen AG acquires 100% of the Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda
February 1981
Volkswagen Caminhoes releases 1st trucks - 11.130, 13.130 and an ethanol powered truck
March 1981
Changing of name from Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda to Volkswagen Caminhoes (Trucks) Ltda
September 1982
Launching of 6 tonne truck range
July 1984
Integration of Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. into Volkswagen do Brasil
August 1984
Volkswagen 140, the first methane gas/biogas powered truck in Brazil
July 1985
Volkswagen 11.130 exported to China
July 1987
Truck division integrates with Ford Trucks with the formation of AutoLatina

1990s[]

July 1990
Volkswagen Truck plant moves to Industrial Complex of the Ipiranga
April 1993
Launching of the first Volksbus chassis 16.180 CO
April 1994
Volkswagen Truck and Bus celebrate 100,000th VWCV truck produced
June 1995
Beginning of the Volkswagen L80 exports to Germany
Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. announces Resende, Brazil as site for the construction of the future Truck and Bus plant
November 1996
Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda moves to new Resende plant
September 1997
Commemoration of the 5000th vehicle made in the Resende plant
June 1998
Launching of the Volkswagen Trucks for the Argentine market
Export of completely knocked down kits of Volksbus microbus chassis to Colombia

2000s[]

January 2000
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) of Germany, with headquarters in Hannover, assumes the responsibility for the Truck and Bus operation
March 2000
Launching of Series 2000
April 2001
For the first time in its 20 years, the Volkswagen Caminhoes becomes leader in the Brazilian market for trucks
August 2002
Volkswagen Truck and Bus has 30% market share of Brazilian market, Brazil is the Number 1 in the world, buyer of Buses and Number 2 for Trucks
December 2002
Production of 100,000th Volkswagen truck in Resende
July 2003
Volkswagen Truck and Bus participates in the International Rally of the Sertões, with three 8.150 trucks
October 2003
Announcement of the creation of Volkswagen Truck and Bus Operation in Mexico, construction of an assembly line starts in the City of Puebla, Mexico
November 2003
In pioneering research in Brazil, Volkswagen tests a Volksbus powered by biodiesel with the support of the Government of the State of Rio De Janeiro and the UFRJ, in the Riobiodiesel project
April 2003
Volkswagen 18.310 successful for the first time in the Super European Truck Championship
July 2003
Volkswagen Truck and Bus add three more vehicles in the RioBiodiesel programme
August 2003
First Volkswagen truck production tests are conducted in the plant of Puebla, Mexico
September 2003
Volkswagen announces construction of plant for Volkswagen Truck and Bus range in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
October 2003
The Puebla, Mexican Volkswagen plant officially opens
Volkswagen Titan 18.310 is champion in the Super European Truck Championships in the first year it competes
October 2005
Beginning of the Volkswagen Truck and Bus operation in[South Africa with the production of three Volksbus models
November 2005
Volkswagen Truck and Bus release Delivery (5 to 8 tonnes) and Constellation (33 to 45 tonnes) lines
June 2006
The BMB Mode Centre is opened for specialised modification of Volkswagen Truck and Bus range
The Constellation Daycab is released
September 2006
The top of the line 18.320 VIP Volksbus is released
February 2007
Release of the 31.320 6x4 Constellation and 15.190, 17.230 Volksbus line
8 August 2007
Volkswagen Truck and Bus released the most powerful engine - the Volkswagen NGD 370 in the Constellation lineup.[7]
22 August 2007
Volkswagen produce the first right hand drive heavy truck in the companies history with the release of the Constellation range in South Africa
8 August 2008
Volkswagen releases a new robotised transmission in co-operation with ZF Friedrichshafen AG for the Volksbus range
15 December 2008
Volkswagen AG sells Volkswagen Trucks and Buses to MAN SE.[2][8]

Models[]


References[]

  1. "MAN AG buys Volkswagen's Brazilian Truck, Bus Unit". Bloomberg L.P.. Bloomberg.com (15 December 2008). Retrieved on 9 November 2009.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Volkswagen sells heavy truck business in Brazil to MAN". Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft. VolkswagenAG.com (15 December 2008). Retrieved on 9 November 2009.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus". MAN Latin America. VWTBpress.com.br. Retrieved on 2008-06-07. (Portuguese)
  4. Locations – America – Resende (Brasil)[dead link]
  5. "Resende - Brasil". MAN Latin America. VWTBpress.com.br. Retrieved on 2008-06-07.
  6. "BMB Mode Center abre centro modificador de caminhões e Ônibus Volkswagen". MAN Latin America. VWTBpress.com.br. Retrieved on 2008-06-07. (Portuguese)
  7. http://vwgazette.blogspot.com/2007/08/vw-constellation-370-revealed-93l-57.html
  8. http://vwphaetonfan.blogspot.com/2008/12/volkswagen-sells-heavy-truck-business.html

External links[]

Commons-logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
official sites
unaffiliated sites


Smallwikipedialogo This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Volkswagen Trucks and Buses. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons by Attribution License and/or GNU Free Documentation License. Please check page history for when the original article was copied to Wikia


Advertisement