Brazilian vehicle manufacturing company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Volkswagen Truck & Bus Indústria e Comércio de Veículos Ltda., formerly known as Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus, is a Brazilian commercial vehicle manufacturing company based in Resende, Brazil and a subsidiary of Traton. It manufactures heavy trucks and buses under the Volkswagenmarque.
Quick Facts Formerly, Company type ...
Volkswagen Truck & Bus Indústria e Comércio de Veículos Ltda
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.
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 Caminhões Ltda.
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) diesel engines on Chrysler engineered platforms which were inherited from the takeover.[3]
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]
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]
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]
Kromberg and Schubert (usually referred to as KROSCHU) manufactures the Cab Trim components such as Seats and Instrument Panel[4]
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 7tonne truck: the Volkswagen L80. Due to the European Union Gas Emissions EU4 standards; exports discontinued in late 2000.[3]
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 Caminhões e Ônibus 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]
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 Caminhões e Ônibus are assembled at the MAN Automotive Concessionaires Corporation plant in Quezon City, Philippines since March 2014.
Established in 2002 10km 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 150m outside the Resende Plant. The new location has 30,000square metres of land; it cost Brazilian R$7 million to build.[7]
1980s
January 1981
Volkswagenwerk AG acquires 100% of the Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda[3]
February 1981
Volkswagen Caminhões 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 Caminhões Ltda (Caminhões is Portuguese for trucks)[3]
For the first time in its 20 years, the Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda becomes leader in the Brazilian market for trucks
August 2002
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus 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 Caminhões e Ônibus 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,[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
Volkswagen AG acquires majority share holding of 55.9% in MAN SE, thus officially bringing Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus back into the Volkswagen Group.
13 September 2017
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus launches an all new generation of the popular Volkswagen Delivery family.
2020s
1 September 2020
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus 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 Caminhões e Ônibus
18 May 2022
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus announced it was changing its corporate name to Volkswagen Truck & Bus, one of its parent's former names.[10]
