BLACK is bling for the van driver who wants the ultimate carry-all and now Volkswagen light van afficionados are being invited to tap into their dark side with the launch of a new Caddy Black Edition.

The range-topping limited edition model is set to join the range at the end of November and it will be a very exclusive load-lugger with just 500 examples destined for the UK.

Priced at £19,370, excluding VAT, it's far from a cheap workhorse, but it comes with a stylish design package and a raft of optional extras designed to deliver the highest level of comfort, convenience and practicality.

Together those extras would add around £2,000 to the price of the standard Highline model, but the Black Edition is only £800 more expensive than the model on which it's based, representing what VW calls a "customer value figure" of £1,200.

Exterior highlights include Deep Black pearl effect paint, black roof rails, body-coloured bumpers, door mirrors and handles, front fog lights with cornering lights, lowered suspension and sporty 17-inch two-tone Black and Silver alloy wheels.

Inside, there's full carpeting, a leather multi-function steering wheel, gearknob and gaiter, climatic air conditioning and a heated windscreen. The extensive standard equipment list also includes cruise control, DAB+ radio and VW's Driver Alert System.

Power is provided by a 102PS, two-litre TDI engine and a five-speed manual transmission. It comes with VW's BlueMotion technologies including Start/Stop, Hill Hold Assist, regenerative braking and low rolling resistance tyres. As a result, the Caddy Black Edition returns 60.1 mpg on the combined cycle and has CO emissions of 123 g/km.

Van man - or woman - has rarely had it so good.