New VW Caddy TGI Is The First Van To Combine Natural Gas And DSG ‘Box

VW has released the new Caddy TGI BlueMotion DSG, the first natural gas-sipping model in the segment with a double-clutch gearbox.

The new VW Caddy TGI’s engine will burn either CNG or bio-natural gas and is available both in short wheelbase and Maxi versions.

The 1.4TGI engine is based on a TSI unit that’s been modified to run on compressed natural gas. The available power is 108hp (110PS) at 4800-6000rpm with maximum torque rated at 200Nm (147lb ft) between 1500 and 3500rpm. The cylinder head, valve train, crank drive, pistons, lines and valves have been adapted, among others, to the requirements of the natural gas fuel.

VW’s latest addition to the BlueMotion family comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, leaving the double-clutch DSG transmission in the options list.

The Caddy TGI has four high-pressures tanks mounted under the floor which can hold 26kg of natural gas and a 13-litre petrol tank. The bigger Caddy Maxi has five tanks with a total capacity of 37kg. The under-floor mounting of them means that cargo space remains unchanged from the other models in the range.

VW claims a combined natural gas consumption of 4.1kg/100km for the short wheelbase version and 4.3kg/100km for the Caddy Maxi. The driving range on offer can reach 630km (390 miles), or 860km (534 miles) in the pure gas mode.

CO2 emissions for the short-wheelbase version are 112g/km (DSG: 123g/km) and 116g/km for the Maxi version (DSG: 126g/km).

The new VW Caddy TGI DSG will arrive at the European dealerships at the beginning of June 2016, while the adventurous Alltrack version can also be ordered with a 1.4TGI engine fitted.

The commercial version of the Caddy TGI is priced from 22,978 euros in Germany, with the DSG version asking for 25,000 euros. Passenger versions will start at 23,425 euros for the manual and 25,448 for the DSG.

The new VW Caddy TGI DSG is scheduled to make its first public appearance at the Geneva Motor Show.