Loving the Volkswagen Golf GTI is a dead giveaway that someone is a car nerd. They have never been flashy or easily recognized as something sporty unless you find yourself among the initiated. However, if you know, you know, which is why Volkswagen is tipping its hat to the GTI with the design of the newest Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Sportline or, as it is more colloquially known, the VW Van. 

The Volkswagen T6.1 Sportline Looks like a Golf GTI in van form

The VW van has come in roughly one billion different looks, styles, configurations, and whatever else you can come up with over the past six decades. Of all the wild iterations, Volkswagen has even made some more sporty-styled version of the Transporter, but nothing like this newest Special Black Edition, Golf GTI-esq version of the Transport T6.1 Sportline. 

MotorTrend reports that the Sportline models are always the top-of-the-heap trim for the T6.1 vans. The red line across the front grille is a dead giveaway that VW is not hinting at but instead screaming, “THINK GOLF GTI WHEN YOU SEE THIS!” Besides the sporty red stip, this version of the T6.1 Transporter Sportline also has a flashy new front and rear grille and even a little rear spoiler on the roof. 

The normal Sportline comes in grey, red, blue, or bronze and in short- or long-wheelbase versions. However, the Black Edition vans only come in the short-wheel-base panel or Kombi van versions. To further drive the “sporty” point home, VW also dropped the Sportline Black Edition by an inch with Eibach coil-overs

“Premium Commerical Vehicle” is a strange phrase

Although I don’t really understand why VW decided to make a luxury commercial van, I am sure as hell glad that it did. The interior slaps you with an up-scale, luxury-vehicle cabin, the likes of which are common in Audis or Porsche, but not usually in a panel van. 

VW slathered the interior in Nappa leather seats trimmed suede with an intricate honeycomb pattern stitching and, of course, the Sportline logo wherever it could fit. To further set the Black Edition apart from the other vans (but closer to the Golf GTI), the rear window gets an elite dark tint. 

If you needed any more reason to opt for the Black Editon, it also comes with special black alloy wheels, “Black Edition” decals, matte-black sidebars – and a gift box? I’ll be honest, I don’t know what’s in this gift box, but I want to know. 

VW Transport Sporline Specs

All Sportline vans are equipped with a 2.0-liter TDI engine making 200 hp paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. I won’t lie to you, dear reader, this thing ain’t fast, but its 0-60 mph time is not that bad at 8.8 seconds for such a large package.  

Aside from the Black Edition’s unique features, the Sportline comes with heated front seats, a digital gauge cluster, DAB radio, automatic climate control, front windshield heating, and a Discover Media Navigation system. With that gnarly rear window tint, you’ll need the rear-view camera. It also has adaptive cruise control with city emergency braking, front and rear parking sensors, and an anti-theft alarm system also standard.

How do you get one of the badass VW vans?

I hate to say it, but this model still isn’t offered in the U.S. for another 25 years. That being said, we are supposed to be getting an electric version at some point, but our European friends can snag a VW Transporter T6.1 Sportline starting at £42,940 ($59,702) while the Black Edition is available starting at £45,140 ($62,761).