50 years of Volkswagen LT – The master of ergonomics celebrates its birthday
Images are for editorial use only. World premiere of the new light cargo transporter (LT) took place in Berlin in April 1975 A pioneer in ergonomics With an outstanding amount of space in a small traffic area, the LT quickly became a bestseller with a market share of up to 40 percent in the segment Payload from 1.25 to 3.5 tons (LT 28 to LT 55) Perfect base for motorhomes as well Hanover, 23 April, 2025 – Exactly 50 years ago, the Volkswagen LT was presented in Berlin. The big brother of the VW Bus aka Bulli – which was already in its second generation at the time – successfully expanded the product range from Hanover. Volkswagen and Transporter: These two terms have been firmly linked since the launch of the Bulli in 1950. However, since the Bulli was not intended for the really large loads, Volkswagen developed a model below the heavy trucks, but above the VW bus, to supplement the product range: a cargo transporter in the 2.8 to 3.5 tonne segment. When it came to the name, the people of Lower Saxony remained cool and objective. So the cargo transporter was simply renamed the model name: LT. In the appendix, the designations 28, 31 and 35 were found for the maximum permissible weight of 2.8, 3.1 and 3.5 tonnes respectively. As with the Transporter, Volkswagen listened to the wishes of its customers for the LT, and so the LT was available in two wheelbases and two roof variants right from the start. The space-saver was available as a panel van, station wagon, bus, dropside, double cab and as a chassis with cab. In the run-up to the development, it was decided that the ratio of traffic area to usable area should be even better than for the Transporter with rear engine. To this end, Volkswagen engineers designed a vehicle with the space-saving cab-over-control design of the Transporter and a front-end engine that was placed above the front axle between the driver and front passenger seat. The drive was still provided by the rear axle. Without the engine in the rear, the entire cargo space was thus available for use. And yet the LT remained compact: compared to the T2 Bulli, the LT only grew by 34 cm in length and 30 cm in width. However, due to the new space concept with 7.85 cubic metres of cargo space, it offered more than 50 percent more loading volume. Volkswagen was also proud of its ergonomics, which had hitherto been rather neglected in commercial vehicles. The cab was developed with the help of ergonomic scientists. Thanks to this cooperation, for example, the controls were arranged close to the driver and a large windscreen and extra-large exterior mirrors were installed. Among other things, an extra ride comfort was provided by individual wheel suspension on the front axle, which was still not standard in the segment many years after the introduction of the LT. Initially, the Volkswagen was available with a choice of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine from the Audi 100 (throttled down to 55 kW/75 hp and adapted to operation in a commercial vehicle) or a 2.7-litre four-cylinder diesel engine from the English manufacturer Perkins with 48 kW (65 hp). Volkswagen replaced it in 1979 with its first own six-cylinder diesel engine. Although the new 2.4-litre engine produced only eight hp more in the LT than its predecessor, it developed significantly more torque and ran extremely smoothly – so quietly that even Volvo installed this engine in their first six-cylinder passenger car. Like the Bulli, the LT has received numerous facelifts over the years. Here is an excerpt:1983: Six-cylinder turbo diesel with 75 kW (102 hp). As a result, the LT had grown to become the most powerful transporter in Europe Six-cylinder petrol engine with 66 kW (90 hp) Optimised installation position of the engine provides space for a third seat in the cab Redesigned dashboard Third wheelbase for dropbeds up to 4.6 metres in length available 1985: LT 55 with 5.6 tonnes gross vehicle weight LT 35 optionally with rear axle with single tyres Switchable all-wheel drive 4×4 Facelift with rectangular headlights instead of the previous circular 1993: Facelift with new radiator grille and plastic elements in the area of the tail lights Revised turbo diesel with intercooler and 70 kW (95 hp) Due to its quality and reliability, coupled with the large usable area with compact dimensions, the LT also quickly became a popular base for motorhomes. Even today, a large number of them are on the roads of the world. So it came as no surprise to anyone in 1988 that, in addition to the compact California based on the third-generation (T3) of the Bulli, Volkswagen also presented a motorhome based on the LT: With the Florida, Volkswagen offered a fully equipped motorhome for four people with a wet cell. After 21 years and more than 470,000 LT vehicles produced, the time was ripe for a successor in 1996. 1996: The second generation of the LTAfter 21 years, the era of the compact and popular load transporter came to an end in 1996. As with the change from the T3 to the T4, the change from the LT1 to the LT2 was also a change into a more modern age. The LT2 was the first new vehicle to be introduced by the newly founded Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) brand in Hanover, which was founded in 1995. The development of this and the subsequent model series was carried out in cooperation with Mercedes-Benz. The diesel engines were now installed lengthwise under a short bonnet. The entry was much lower, and it was possible to easily reach the rear of the load and passenger compartment between the front seats. Volkswagen’s recipe for success of offering customers a wide range of products has also been retained in the LT2. There were also panel vans, station wagons, buses, dropsides, double cabs and chassis with three wheelbases and a gross vehicle…
