Brazilian vehicle manufacturing company
Volkswagen Truck & Bus Industria e Comercio de Veiculos Ltda.
, formerly known as
Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus
, is a Brazilian
commercial vehicle
manufacturing company based in
Resende
,
Brazil
and a subsidiary of
Traton
. It manufactures heavy
trucks
and
buses
under the
Volkswagen
marque
.
Volkswagen Truck and Bus was originally a part of the
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
division of the
Volkswagen Group
. On 1 January 2009, it was sold to
MAN SE
, and formed its MAN Latin America division.
[2]
In August 2021, MAN SE was merged with
Traton SE
, with the latter becoming the direct owner and parent of Volkswagen Truck and Bus.
Volkswagen Truck and Bus operation
[
edit
]
In 1979,
Volkswagenwerk AG
acquired a 67% percent stake in Chrysler Motors do Brasil Ltda (
:pt
). In January 1980, it increased its shareholding to 100%, therefore giving it the right to rename the company to Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda.
The first Volkswagen Truck ? the 1981 13.130
Volkswagen Caminhoes 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)
diesel engines
on Chrysler engineered
platforms
which were inherited from the takeover.
[3]
AutoLatina years
[
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]
From 1987 to 1996, 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 the
Resende
plant was built in 1995.
[3]
Resende rebirth
[
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]
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.
[4]
Modular Consortium
[
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]
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.
[4]
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:
Sales
[
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]
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
[
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]
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
took over the Brazilian Trucks and Buses operation in 2000 from
Volkswagen do Brasil
; 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
(GCM) 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 Caminhoes e Onibus vehicles are built in the Resende,
Brazil
factory and sent in
semi knocked down
(SKD) kits to
Uitenhage
in South Africa and
Puebla
in Mexico.
[3]
Planned future
markets
for export are
ASEAN
and
Eastern Europe
countries.
Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus released the new
Volkswagen Constellation
range in September 2005, with a
gross combination mass
from 13 tonnes to 57 tonnes.
[3]
Volkswagen Truck and Bus company facts
[
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]
- The
Resende
plant was built in 153 days at a cost of US$250 million
[4]
- The Resende plant adheres to
International Organization for Standardization
ISO TS and ISO 14001
[4]
- Resende plant produces 240 vehicles per day in two working shifts and employs 4,500 workers.
[4]
[5]
- Volkswagen Trucks and Buses are sold in over 35 countries around the world. Some of the countries are
Argentina
,
[4]
Peru
,
Chile
,
[4]
Uruguay
,
[4]
Bolivia
,
Colombia
,
[4]
Venezuela
,
[4]
Paraguay
,
[4]
Ecuador
,
[4]
Dominican Republic
,
[4]
Cote d'Ivoire
,
[4]
Nigeria
[4]
and
Saudi Arabia
.
[4]
[6]
- 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
.
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus are assembled at the MAN Automotive Concessionaires Corporation plant in Quezon City, Philippines since March 2014.
BMB Mode Center
[
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]
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.
[7]
Volkswagen Truck and Bus highlights
[
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]
1980s
[
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]
- January 1981
- Volkswagenwerk AG acquires 100% of the Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda
[3]
- February 1981
- Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda releases first
trucks
— 11.130, 13.130, and an
ethanol
powered truck
[3]
- March 1981
- Changing of name from Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda to Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda (Caminhoes is Portuguese for trucks)
[3]
- September 1982
- Launching of 6
tonne
truck range
[3]
- July 1984
- Integration of Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda. into
Volkswagen do Brasil
[3]
- August 1984
- Volkswagen 140, the first methane gas/biogas powered truck in Brazil
[3]
- July 1985
- Volkswagen 11.130 exported to China
[3]
- July 1987
- Truck division integrates with Ford Trucks with the formation of
AutoLatina
[3]
1990s
[
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]
- July 1990
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus
plant
moves to Industrial Complex of the
Ipiranga
[3]
- April 1993
- Launching of the first
Volkswagen Volksbus
chassis 16.180 CO
[3]
- April 1994
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus celebrate 100,000th VWCV truck produced
[3]
- June 1995
- Beginning of the
Volkswagen L80
exports to Germany
[3]
- Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda. announces
Resende
, Brazil as site for the construction of the future Truck and Bus plant
[3]
- November 1996
- Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda moves to new Resende plant
[3]
- September 1997
- Commemoration of the 5000th vehicle made in the
Resende
plant
[3]
- June 1998
- Launching of the Volkswagen Trucks for the
Argentine
market
[3]
- Export of
complete knock down
(CKD) kits of Volksbus microbus chassis to
Colombia
2000s
[
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]
- January 2000
- Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) of Germany, with
headquarters
in
Hanover
, assumes the responsibility for the Truck and Bus operation
[3]
- March 2000
- Launching of Series 2000
[3]
- April 2001
- For the first time in its 20 years, the Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda becomes leader in the
Brazilian
market for
trucks
- August 2002
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus 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
[3]
- July 2003
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus participates in the
International Rally of the Sertoes
, with three 8.150 trucks
- October 2003
- Announcement of the creation of Volkswagen Truck and Bus Operation in Mexico,
[3]
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 2004
- Volkswagen 18.310 successful for the first time in the
Super European Truck Championship
- July 2004
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus add three more vehicles in the RioBiodiesel programme
- August 2004
- First Volkswagen truck production tests are conducted in the
plant
of Puebla, Mexico
- September 2004
- Volkswagen announces construction of plant for Volkswagen Truck and Bus range in
Port Elizabeth
, South Africa
[3]
- October 2004
- The Puebla, Mexican Volkswagen plant officially opens
[3]
- 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
[3]
- November 2005
- Volkswagen Truck and Bus release
Delivery
(5 to 8 tonnes) and
Constellation
(13 to 45 tonnes) lines
[3]
- June 2006
- The BMB Mode Centre is opened for specialised modification of Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus range
- The Constellation Daycab is released
[3]
- 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
[3]
- 8 August 2007
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus released their most powerful
diesel engine
– the Volkswagen NGD 370 in the
Volkswagen Constellation
lineup
[3]
[8]
- 22 August 2007
- Volkswagen produce the first
right hand drive
heavy truck in the companies history, with the release of the
Volkswagen 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 Caminhoes e Onibus to
MAN SE
to form MAN Latin America.
[2]
[9]
2010s
[
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]
- 3 November 2011
- Volkswagen AG
acquires majority share holding of 55.9% in
MAN SE
, thus officially bringing Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus back into the Volkswagen Group.
- 13 September 2017
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus launches an all new generation of the popular
Volkswagen Delivery
family.
2020s
[
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]
- 1 September 2020
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus launches their first heavy duty flagship model, the
Volkswagen Meteor
.
- 31 August 2021
- MAN SE is merged with Traton SE, with the latter becoming the new owner and parent of Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus
- 18 May 2022
- Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus announced it was changing its corporate name to Volkswagen Truck & Bus, one of its parent's former names.
[10]
Volkswagen Truck and Bus in motorsports
[
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]
A
Constellation
pace truck
leading the field at the 2006 Curitiba round of the Brazilian
Formula Truck
championship
Volkswagen Caminhoes e Onibus competes in the Brazilian
Formula Truck
championship, with four drivers.
[11]
The
Volkswagen Constellation
18.310 Titan
tractor unit
is used;
[11]
they are driven by
Renato Martins
,
[11]
Felipe Giaffone
,
[11]
Walmir Benavides
[11]
and
Debora Rodrigues
.
[11]
Furthermore, an additional Constellation is used as the official
pace truck
,
[11]
driven by
Ana Lucia Lopes
.
[11]
Current models
[
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]
Volkswagen Truck and Bus gallery
[
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]
References
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]
External links
[
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]
- official sites
- unaffiliated sites
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