Volkswagen LT 40
Built: 1986-1987 · Series: LT
More machines from model year 1986
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Volkswagen LT – collective page of the heavy commercial programme: two generations from 1975 to 2006, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter technology from 1996, 3.5 to 5.65 tonnes
This page gathers the Volkswagen LT (Lastentransporter), the heavy commercial-vehicle programme VW built from 1975 to 2006 across two generations. The first generation was built at the VW plant in Hanover, the second from 1996 in cooperation with Mercedes-Benz, technically closely related to the Sprinter and built at the Ludwigsfelde plant. The number in the type designation – LT 35, LT 46, LT 55 – gives the gross weight in tonnes times ten; TDI denotes turbocharged direct diesel injection, 4X4 the four-wheel-drive version, and Verh. Dak (Dutch for raised roof) the high-roof variant.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists here 48 versions with outputs from 57 to 116 kW, displacements from 2,355 to 2,799 cm³ from four- to six-cylinders, unladen weights from 2,050 to 4,160 kg against gross weights of 3,500 to 5,650 kg, lengths from 5,200 to 8,200 mm and widths from 1,900 to 2,550 mm.
For decades the LT was the flagship of VW's commercial range above the Transporter and Caddy and competed with the Mercedes-Benz T1/T2 and Ford Transit; it was common as a panel van, flatbed and chassis for box and refrigerated bodies.
On used examples, rust on the frame, sills and wheel arches, on the TDI engines the timing belt and injection pump or injectors, clutch and gearbox condition on vehicles worked hard commercially, and the tightness of the bodywork all count; parts for the first generation are increasingly scarce, while for the second generation they partly run through the Sprinter parts range.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Volkswagen LT, Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge (manufacturer)
Technical data
Engine
| Power | 75 kWcorrect |
|---|---|
| Cylinders | 6correct |
| Displacement | 2,400 cm³correct |
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 5,900 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 2,220 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 2,950 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 3,357 kgcorrect |
| Gross vehicle weight | 3,900 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Gears | 5correct |
|---|---|
| Wheels | 6correct |
| Top speed | 90 km/hcorrect |
Where this model stands
Power-to-weight ratio: 22.3 kW/t (75 kW / 3.4 t)
Stronger than 2% of the trucks in the register — out of 25,242 models with a stated power figure.
Calculated from the documented figures above — not a rating.
Frequently asked questions
How much power does the Volkswagen LT 40 have?
The Volkswagen LT 40 delivers 75 kW.
How much does the Volkswagen LT 40 weigh?
The unladen weight is 3,357 kg.
What is the gross vehicle weight of the Volkswagen LT 40?
3,900 kg.
What engine does the Volkswagen LT 40 have?
6 cylinders, 2,400 cm³ displacement.
How fast does the Volkswagen LT 40 go?
Top speed is 90 km/h.
What are the dimensions of the Volkswagen LT 40?
5,900 mm × 2,220 mm.
When was the Volkswagen LT 40 built?
Production years: 1986-1987.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 15 individual figures for this model. They come from 3 recorded sources; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
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Other models in this series
LT 31
LT 32
LT 35
LT 35 2.5SDI-2DZXHO/403
LT 35 2.5TDI-2DM-3.5T KASTEN/355
LT 35 2.5TDI-2DXOFE
LT 35 2.5TDI-2DZXAE
LT 35 D
LT 35-2.5TDI-2DX0FE-3.55T-PRITSCHEN/355
LT 35-2.5TDI-2DX0FE-3.55T/355
LT 35-2.5TDI-2DX0FE-3.5T/355
LT 35A
Sources: RDW — Dutch national vehicle register (retrieved August 2026) · Traficom — Finnish vehicle register (retrieved August 2026) · UK government data (DVLA) (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Truck in 3D section
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