Volkswagen Taro

Volkswagen Taro
(*Typ* 7A)
Volkswagen Taro; (Typ 7A)
	Volkswagen Taro
Overview
Manufacturer	Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles; Toyota; Hino
Also called	Toyota Hilux/Pickup
Production	February 1989–March 1997
Assembly	Japan: Tahara, Aichi; Germany: Hannover;
Body and chassis
Class	Light commercial vehicle
Body style	Pickup truck
Layout	Longitudinal front engine;; rear-wheel drive (4x2), or; four-wheel drive (4x4)
Powertrain
Engine	Petrol:; 1.8 L 2Y I4; 2.2 L 4Y I4; 2.4 L 22R I4; Diesel:; 2.4 L 2L I4;
Transmission	5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	4x2: 2,850 mm (112.2 in); 4x4: 3,095 mm (121.9 in);
Length	4x2: 4,725 mm (186.0 in); 4x4: 4,905 mm (193.1 in);
Width	4x2: 1,650 mm (65.0 in); 4x4: 1,690 mm (66.5 in);
Height	4x2: 1,555 mm (61.2 in); 4x4: 1,740 mm (68.5 in);
Chronology
Predecessor	Volkswagen Caddy
Successor	Volkswagen Amarok

The Volkswagen Taro was a 1 tonne pickup truck that was introduced in January 1989 by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to complement the half tonne Caddy pickup / panel van ranges, and the 1 tonne Transporter van and chassis cab ranges. The name "tarō" is a suffix used in Japanese to denote the oldest brother or son, or the first-born son of a family.

The Taro was a project of badge engineering. The Taro was a rebadged fifth generation Toyota Hilux, which was fully engineered and designed by Toyota. The two companies came together in an effort to solve each other's problems:

Volkswagen Group at the time did not have a one-tonne pickup truck.
Toyota wanted a bigger European market share of the one-tonne utility market.