Volkswagen Taro

Volkswagen Taro (Typ 7A)
Overview
Manufacturer	Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Toyota Hino
Production	February 1989–March 1997
Assembly	Tahara, Aichi, Japan Hanover, Germany
Body and chassis
Class	light commercial vehicle
Body style	Pickup van
Layout	Longitudinal front engine; rear-wheel drive (4x2), or four-wheel drive (4x4)
Related	Toyota Hilux
Powertrain
Engine	1.8 L I4 petrol 2.2 L I4 petrol 2.4 L I4 petrol 2.4 L I4 diesel; 3.0 L I4 diesel
Transmission	5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	4x2: 2,850 mm (112.2 in), 4x4: 3,095 mm (121.9 in)
Length	4x2: 4,725 mm (186.0 in), 4x4: 4,905 mm (193.1 in)
Width	4x2: 1,650 mm (65.0 in), 4x4: 1,690 mm (66.5 in)
Height	4x2: 1,555 mm (61.2 in), 4x4: 1,740 mm (68.5 in)
Chronology
Successor	Volkswagen Amarok

In January 1989,^[1] Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles introduced a 1 tonne pickup truck, called the Volkswagen Taro, to complement the half tonne Caddy pickup / panel van ranges, and the 1 tonne Transporter van and chassis cab ranges. The name "tarō" is a suffix used in Japanese to denote the oldest brother or son, or the first-born son of a family.

The Taro though, was a project of badge engineering. The Taro was a rebadged Toyota Hilux - fully engineered and designed by Toyota. The two companies came together in an effort to solve each other's problems:

• Volkswagen Group at the time did not have a one-tonne pickup truck;
• Toyota wanted a bigger European market share of the one-tonne utility market.

So in the late 1980s, Volkswagen Group and Toyota signed an agreement that Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles would assemble the Toyota Hilux at its VWCV factory in Hanover, Germany, and it would be sold under the Volkswagen Taro moniker.^[2]

The first Taros manufactured in Hanover, Germany, from 1989-1994 had a 2.4 litre diesel engine with 61 kW (83 PS; 82 bhp), torque was 165 N·m (122 lbf·ft) at 2,400 rpm, with loading space of 3.4 square metres (37 sq ft) and a 1,125 kilograms (2,480 lb) payload. It was only built with two-wheel drive and a regular cab, although the "Taro" moniker was used for other versions in other European markets.^[2]

In September 1994 at the IAA Nutfahrzeuge (Commercial Vehicle Fair) in Hanover, Germany,^[3] Volkswagen released the four-wheel drive version of the Taro which had an extended cabin. The 4x4 Extended Cab Taro was manufactured in Toyota's Tahara plant in Japan, but now the Taro had an updated 2.4 litre diesel engine which produced 58 kilowatts (79 PS; 78 bhp) at 4,000 rpm and torque of 163 newton metres (120 lbf·ft) at 2,400 rpm. The 4x4 Taro had a 2.9 square metres (31 sq ft) loading space and 815 kilograms (1,797 lb) payload, but could tow 750 kilograms (1,653 lb) without brakes, and 2,100 kilograms (4,630 lb) with brakes.

The joint venture ended in 1997, due to sales failing to meet either car marques expectations.

Specifications

engine ID code, displacement, configuration and rated motive power output^[4]

2Y: 1.8 litre inline four OHV petrol engine with carburettor, 61 kilowatts (83 PS; 82 bhp) at 4,000 rpm

4Y: 2.2 litre inline four OHV petrol engine with carburettor, 69 kilowatts (94 PS; 93 bhp)

2L: 2.4 litre inline four indirect injection SOHC diesel engine, 61 kilowatts (83 PS; 82 bhp) at 4,000 rpm

22R: 2.4 litre inline four SOHC petrol engine with Bosch L-Jetronic common rail multi-point indirect injection, 82 kilowatts (111 PS; 110 bhp)

driveline

4x2 = RWD, 4x4 = 4WD

loading area (m²)

(4x2) 3.1m² (4x4) 2.9m²

track width - front

(4x2) 1,355 millimetres (53.3 in), (4x4) 1,430 millimetres (56.3 in)

track width - rear

(4x2) 1,370 millimetres (53.9 in), (4x4) 1,425 millimetres (56.1 in)

turning circle

(4x2) 12.6 metres (41.3 ft), (4x4) 14.0 metres (45.9 ft)

permissible total weight

(4x2) 2,395 kilograms (5,280 lb), (4x4) 2,515 kilograms (5,545 lb)

payload

(4x2) 995 kilograms (2,194 lb), (4x4) 815 kilograms (1,797 lb)

trailer weight braked

(4x2) 1,800 kilograms (3,968 lb), (4x4) 2,100 kilograms (4,630 lb)

trailer weight unbraked

750 kilograms (1,653 lb)

maximum speed km/h

(4x2) 145 kilometres per hour (90.1 mph), (4x4) 130 kilometres per hour (80.8 mph)

acceleration - 0-80 kilometres per hour (49.7 mph)

(4x2) 15.0 secs, (4x4) 17.0 secs

fuel consumption

(4x2) 9.6 litres per 100 kilometres (29 mpg_-imp; 25 mpg_-US), (4x4) 10.2 litres per 100 kilometres (28 mpg_-imp; 23 mpg_-US)

Specifications Source^[1]

Future Pick-Up

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles division sells the Volkswagen Amarok pick-up. It rivals the Nissan Navara and Toyota Hilux.

It will have Single & Double Cab options as well as the option of 2WD or 4WD.

References

External links

• Volkswagen-Commercial-Vehicles.com - official international portal