Company.

2001
Operations begin at the new paint shop in the Poznan factory. The total investment for this amounts to 140 million euros.

The 2002 truck production line presented by Volkswagen Truck and Bus South America Operations at the "International Transport Show" in São Paulo in November offers many innovations. 20 different model versions with more than 200 equipment options are available. In addition, "customised trucks" are assembled entirely to specific customer requirements. The variety of options is the result of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' manufacturing policy: the product must be adapted to the customer, not vice versa.

The factory celebrates its fifth birthday in November 2001, and produces its 200,000th vehicle since the launch of the first VW truck in Brazil (1981).

2002
In the course of restructuring Volkswagen AG, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles becomes the third pillar of the Group on 1st January. All commercial vehicle products from Volkswagen AG are managed by the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand with its headquarters in Hanover.
The Hanover and Poznan factories are further expanded for the production of the new T5 Transporter and town delivery van generations. A total of 1 billion euros is invested in this.

In June it is decided that the Microbus, a new interpretation of the MPV and leisure vehicle, is to be built at the Hanover site. Within the framework of the 5000 x 5000 project, 1,500 new jobs will be created in Hanover in the near future. Production of the vehicle, which mainly targets the American market, is to begin at the end of 2006.

A new cooperation contract is signed with DaimlerChrysler in September for the joint development of the LT/Sprinter successor model, the market launch of which is planned for 2006. The new "CarePort" service package is presented at the Commercial Vehicles IAA in Hanover. It is tailored to both individual retail and trade customers and fleet owners of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The brand therefore also takes a new approach in the services segment.

On 3rd March the go-ahead is given for series production of the new Multivan. After 13 years and after being the measure of all things for transporters, MPVs and leisure vehicles up to then, the T4 receives a more than worthy successor. The new Multivan and Transporter model ranges are now independent, clearly differentiated vehicles.

The driving debut of the Multivan is in Valencia and it is officially presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Three basic versions are offered and the Multivan is a convincing family-friendly MPV with extremely flexible interior equipment. The variable rail system in the basic model, in the standard "Comfortline" version and in the "Highline" version facilitates adjustment of the rear bench seat and the fitting of additional tables, seats or transport fixtures. The vehicle receives a euphoric reception from motoring journalists. For example, "Auto Motor Sport" commented on the Multivan under the headline "Red giant": "It has the strength of a bull!" The verdict of the German journal "Auto Bild" was: "The Multivan sets new standards in its class". The new Transporter has its motor show premiere at the AMI in Leipzig.
With a completely new design, the "new" model offers customers even greater possibilities. The new Transporter fulfils every individual wish: three roof heights; as a classic Delivery van, Kombi, Dropside truck, Double cab or Chassis; eight body shapes; 375 versions; and the choice of four diesel and two petrol engines.

The new Transporter receives one award after another. It is voted "Transporter of the Year" by the panel of experts of the "Lastauto Omnibus" and "transaktuell" journals. The English motoring journal "What Van" votes it "Van of the Year"; and in September, international motoring journalists from ACE award it the most coveted prize of all: the new Transporter is the "International Van of the Year 2004".

The new California is shown for the first time at the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon in August. Revolutionary features include lightweight furniture of Aluwell and the electro-hydraulic elevating roof – also made of aluminium. Another novelty is that Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles builds the California itself from 2004 onwards in a new small factory in Hanover-Limmer.

It is offered either as a Delivery van with two lateral sliding doors or as a family-friendly Kombi and with up to seven seats. The third generation Caddy is larger and more flexible in respect of equipment than any vehicle in its category and, in contrast to its predecessors, is self-developed by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and produced in Poznan, Poland solely for the European market.

The Poznan factory celebrates its 10th anniversary in November. "Within ten years, a plant with outdated products has become a factory with an ultra-modern range of products that is highly competitive internationally" stated Bernd Wiedemann, spokesman of the Management Body of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Poznan, at a ceremony in Poland.

Within an extremely short period of time, Volkswagen Poznan has become the largest industrial employer in the area. The initial workforce of 500 has grown to 4,500 – with an upward trend. By the end of 2006, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will have invested nearly 600 million euros in the factory. Besides the Caddy, some 90,000 models of which are to be built in 2004, the Dropside truck and Double cab versions of the Transporter are also built here.

There is also cause for celebration in December: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles goes into the lead for the first time in Brazil. Volkswagen Truck and Bus South America Operations, a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, takes 1st place in the heavy truck segment (7-45 tonnes) in 2003 in the highly competitive Brazilian truck market. More than 21,000 trucks are sold and more than 4,000 omnibuses which means a new production record for the Resende factory. In addition, 400 million euros are to be made available for the development of new truck models up to 2006. At the same time, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles announces that a truck assembly plant is to be opened in Mexico in 2004 which is to build 2,000 units per annum for the local market.