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Volkswagen California

10/7/2010

 
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Volkswagen has made the Transporter a ‘premium’ van – quite a trick, the light commercial vehicle market is vicious.

The number sporting alloys, lights, roof rails and tints (“privacy glass”) shows a car-like customer base.

Kombi (part cargo/part passenger plus windows) or Caravelle (full ‘MPV’ for a group and kit) go distinctly up-market.  The California is the cherry on the icing on the cake.

Wolfsburg initially, purpose-built Hanover LCV plant from 1956, VW’s Transporter is a further chapter in the story of the legendary Beetle.  The 1950 van copied the layout - rear engine (air-cooled); torsion bar suspension; rear swing-axles.

Kombi and “Sambabus” (full seater and windows now “Caravelle”) were there right from the start – as was the design for a “Campingbox” model which arrived in 1951 and became the “Camper/Campervan” soon afterwards.

Ten million Transporters later, VW’s van has a heritage to rival many premium-badged motor cars: T1 (1950-1967); T2 (1967-1979); T3 (1979-1990); T4 (1990-2003).

T2, with its trademark “bay window” was built in Mexico, South Africa – and the Kombi variant is produced to this day in Brazil.

T3 launched the first Diesel flat-four boxer engine, went over to liquid cooling and offered a very capable 4x4 system.

T4 finally ushered in front wheel drive, T5 in 2003 a step up in sophistication.  This year the whole range has been revised.

T2 Campervan was the cult car of 60s-70s flower power USA.  Sun, sea and surf or new-age desert retreats, the “California” name (adopted for the T5 in 2005) echoes the whole epoch.  “Turn on, tune in, drop out” it might have been for a good many but the “New Bohemia” was for “weekend rebels” most of the time.

You couldn’t drop out too far if you wanted to fork out for a new Campervan (£39,965-£44,465 - today’s T5) and whereas T1-T3 each have huge fan clubs, T4s et seq have drawn a more ‘sober’ lot.  Yes, it’s all nostalgia, but it works.

Sober or not the latest California is a sophisticated vehicle.  VW’s latest common rail 2.0 litre Diesel is here in two versions: 140PS TDI or 180PS BiTDI with twin sequential turbo-charging.  Six speed manual or 7 DSG (double-clutch auto), 4MOTION variable front/rear all-wheel drive is an option with the BiTDI 180.

About the size of a large MPV and quite usable day to day, the California is cleverly designed inside: two double beds (one in the electrically raised roof); ‘fridge; cooker; sink (drinking and waste water tanks); window blinds.

There’s a fold-away table inside (front seats rotate) and a stand-alone one tucked away in the sliding side-door.  Two folding chairs are stored inside the rear tailgate.

Supplementary batteries provide independent heat and light, there’s a plug to hook-up to the mains on a campsite but the cooker runs off a gas bottle inside.  A roller-awning neatly built into the sliding door side is an extra item.

But it’s no ‘Tardis’.  Good for two (who get on) and great for the solitary traveller, a dog would be company, three definitely a crowd.  You’ll need “facilities” – no toilet or shower. 

A great day van or weekender, all the techno bells and whistles are here: air-conditioning; ABS brakes and ESP stability control, etc.

The California 2.0 BiTDI 180 can reach 119mph, 0-62 in 11.3 seconds with CO2 at 208g/km (Road Tax:‘K’/£245 DSG; 6.sp.man.’J’/£235).  Officially it’s 35.8mpg and on test (brim to brim) the DSG model did 26-28 so, day in, day out say 30.

The whole vehicle is built at Hanover so it’s all VW warranty-covered and, like its siblings, bought from and serviced by the VW Van Dealership network.

But it’s not all post flower power cold-light-of-day apparently.  According to Volkswagen, “Enthusiastic California owners have established their own website as well as a Facebook forum to share photos, tips, blogs and to arrange weekends together”.  Bet the cakes are wicked!

By Huw Thomas

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