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The new Volkswagen California campervan has gone on sale with prices starting from £63,376 for the entry-level model.
The latest generation campervan is available to order today either online or from a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Van Centre.
California campers are available in three trims Beach Camper, Coast and Ocean. There's also a choice of three powertrains with diesel, petrol or plug-in hybrid options.
Volkswagen has completely redesigned the California to base it off the Multivan platform rather than the Volkswagen Transporter which now shares its platform with the Ford Transit Custom.
As well as the petrol and hybrid drivetrains, it now gets a more spacious interior with a host of new configurations and options available.
As part of the launch, early versions of the California will be available at an attractive £549 per month price until 6 January 2025 for a new California Ocean 2.0 TDI 150 PS.
It will be available on a Personal Contract Plan (PCP) over 48- or 60-months on a 10,000 mile per annum contract. The monthly price also includes a £2,000 deposit contribution from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
Customers purchasing the new California will also get Volkswagen's 5+ Promise with a standard warranty and service plan at no extra cost,
The enhanced plan includes five services (three oil Services, two oil and inspection services), the five-year warranty as well as five years’ roadside assistance.
First customer deliveries of the new California are expected from winter 2024.
| California Ocean 2.0 TDI 150 PS | Representative example based on a 48-month, 10,000 mile per annum Solutions Personal Contract Plan agreement2 | Representative example based on a 60-month, 10,000 mile per annum Solutions Personal Contract Plan agreement2 |
| Duration | 4 Years | 5 Years |
| Monthly payments | 47 monthly payments | 59 monthly payments |
| Monthly payments of | £549.00 | £549.00 |
| Deposit contribution | £2,000.00 | £2,000.00 |
| Customer deposit | £16,646.28 | £17,148.47 |
| Total deposit | £18,646.28 | £19,148.47 |
| OTR retail cash price | £77,476.00 | £77,476.00 |
| Optional final payment | £46,971.00 | £42,784.20 |
| Total amount of credit | £58,829.72 | £58,327.53 |
| Total amount payable | £91,430.28 | £94,333.67 |
| Total amount payable by customer | £89,601.69 | £92,333.67 |
| Option to purchase fee^ | £10.00 | £10.00 |
| Rate of interest | 6.85% | 6.85% |
| Representative APR | 6.9% APR | 6.9% APR |
| Excess mileage charge (inc. VAT) | 7.2p per mile | 7.2p per mile |
Volkswagen has unveiled its new panel van and people mover versions of its medium sized van. The new Volkswagen Transporter will be available as a passenger Caravelle van and with panel van variants in several stylings.
Pictured at launch (left to right) as a Caravelle, robust off-roader PanAmericana trim with plastic bodywork protection and as a panel van, the new Transporter has improved its size and functionality.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles says that the new Transporter is clearly identifiable as a VW with its "clean front and rear design" that includes LED headlights and LED tail lights as standard.
The new Transporter will also get a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system that includes DAB+, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There's a multifunction steering wheel, rain sensing wipers and lane keeping assistance system. Autonomous Emergency Braking Front Assist and Dynamic Road Sign Display with wrong-way warning will also be included.
Its wheelbase has grown to 3.1m total with a load compartment length of 2.6m, the long wheelbase van increases its load space length to 3m.
As a result the new Transporter has a capacity of up to 5.8 cubic metres as standard, and the very biggest versions will have up to 9m3.
It will launch with a diesel, hybrid and BEV options.
The new Transporter will also be marketed with a Hollywood star partnership, with actor Jason Statham (known for his role as The Transporter in the films of the same name) being chosen as the face of the new van.
And it’s the face of the van that is the most important part of the new Volkswagen Transporter as it’s essentially the only portion Volkswagen has been able to change in their partnership with Ford for this new medium sized van based on the Ford Transit Custom.
Pre-orders have begun for VW’s most powerful ever panel van with more than 330hp.
The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo 4Motion uses the all-wheel-drive system announced for the GTX version of the Buzz and will sit at the top of the electric van’s range.
Prices for the range-topping ID Buzz Cargo 4Motion will start from €50,355 in Germany.
Power comes from two electric drive motors found in each of the front and rear axles with a combined output of 250kW (337hp).
That makes it the most powerful ever van to wear a Volkswagen badge, dwarfing the power of even the most potent twin-turbo diesel models that peaked at around 280hp.
Currently the most powerful ID Buzz Cargo has 210kW for the rear-wheel-drive van.
Paired to the electric motors will be a 79kWh battery capable of taking a charge at speeds of up to 185 kW using a DC rapid charger.
Officially the combined WLTP range for the ID Buzz Cargo 4Motion is 268 miles (432km).
The addition of four-wheel-drive to the ID Buzz Cargo line-up also has the added benefit of increasing towing capacity. The ID Buzz Cargo towing capacity increases from 1200kg to 1800kg for a braked trailer.
New models in the ID Buzz range will be shown at the IAA Hannover trade show in September. These will include new Pure and Freestyle versions of the ID Buzz.
The show will also see the world debut of the Volkswagen Transporter T7 which has already been previewed with details of the driveline, interior and design.
Other models set to feature at the show will include the recently relaunched Volkswagen California campervan, based on the Multivan. Plans for an ID Buzz California model are, according to VWCV boss Carsten Intra, not likely before the end of the decade, however, Intra concedes that all models in the California line-up will eventually need a zero-emission replacement.
The current California range is built on the Multivan chassis which only has a hybrid option. The new Transporter replacement will get a medium electric van option, but will be made by Ford and based on the Ford E-Transit Custom.
The Volkswagen ID Buzz has a towing capacity of up to 1.8-tonnes or 1,800kg. This is the highest rating for the ID Buzz's total towing capacity with a braked trailer.
Using an unbraked trailer the ID Buzz has a maximum towing capacity of up to 750kg.
The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo was one of the few year vans to launch with a towing rating. Initially when many electric vans came to market they were unable to tow, but the ID Buzz has consitently been amongst the best vans for towing in its size.
Initially, the ID Buzz was available with a 1000kg maximum towing capacity but it has since been increased to 1.2 tonnes for the standard rear wheel drive models.
The table above shows the 77kWh battery Cargo van with a 3-tonne GVW and 1,000kg brake trailer limit giving it a combined gross weight of 4 tonnes.
As the model line-up has expanded, the towing limit of the ID Buzz has evolved too.
The most capable model for towing is the all-wheel-drive model with two motors.
These twin motor versions, called GTX as a passenger model and a Cargo 4Motion as a van, have an overall towing limit of 1.8 tonnes.
The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo towing capacity is 1200kg for a the rear-wheel-drive model using a braked trailer.
An increased towing capacity of the ID Buzz Cargo can be had with the all-wheel-drive model. The ID Buzz Cargo 4Motion has a towing capacity of 1800kg.
Find out the difference between a braked and unbraked trailer.
The overall gross vehicle weight of the ID Buzz is 3-tonnes. This is the weight for all rear-wheel-drive single motor models.
The gross combination weight of the ID Buzz, however, is higher at 4-tonnes.
Why is that important, I hear you ask?
Well, the gross combination weight (GCW) is the total of the van, the people or payload in it and the weight of whatever it is towing.
That means that despite towing capacity for more than 1 tonne, you have to be careful of the overall combination weight of the ID Buzz in order to not tow illegally.
Unfortunately, the ID Buzz does not come with a tow bar as standard, but it is possible to specify one from the options list or get one fitted at a dealer.
At the time of writing the ID Buzz tow bar (which is retractable) will cost just under £1000 with VAT.
As the ID Buzz is fully electric, towing the vehicle can be a tricky task. The thing you need to be aware of is that the electric motors are not meant to be dragged against their will.
While it is possible to tow an ID Buzz, it's a job best left to the professionals who will lift the relevant axle off the ground so as not to damage the motors. If you have an all-wheel-drive model, they will lift the entire vehicle.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has released the first pictures of its next-generation Transporter van based on the Ford Transit Custom platform.
The new van will officially be unveiled at the Hannover IAA commercial vehicle show in September but Volkswagen has been teasing the seventh generation van's arrival for months.
Details of the line-up have been pretty obvious since Ford announced the Transit Custom, but Volkswagen has officially confirmed that the new Transporter will have a choice of three TDI engines with nominal ratings of 110hp, 150hp and 170hp.
There will also be a plug-in hybrid model called Transporter eHybrid which gets a 232hp rating.
There will also be a fully electric version of the new Volkswagen Transporter with a choice of three outputs.
The eTransporter will get 100 kW (136 PS), 160 kW (218 PS) and 210 kW (286 PS) outputs with a battery capacity of 64kWh.
The TDI and eHybrid models come with front-wheel drive but there will also be a version adopting VW's famed 4MOTION name with an all-wheel drive system available on the two higher outputs of the TDI engines.
Electric models are rear-wheel drive, while an all-wheel drive version is also planned for later in the model's lifetime.
The most powerful 170hp TDI engine will come with an an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, while the middle of the range 150hp will be able to have the same transmission as an option over the standard six-speed manual. Plug-in hybrid and electric models will both have automatic gearboxes.
The new Transporter has increased in size compared to the Transporter T6.1 which is replaces.
It now measures 5,050mm in length (up by 146mm) and the wheelbase has been extended by 97mm to 3,100mm. A long-wheelbase model with an additional 400mm will be also be in the line-up giving the Transporter a choice of two body lengths and a total length of up to 5,450mm, as well as two roof height options.
The width of the Transporter has also increased to 2,032mm with an additional 128mm compared to the T6.1.
In the rear loadspace this means that the maximum width between the wheelarches has increased by 148mm to 1,392mm.
Overall the total load compartment length for the standard wheelbase Transporter is 2,602mm, while the long-wheelbase model increases its load length to 3,002mm.
With the Volkswagen Transporter dimensions increasing the load volume has also gone up. There's now 5.8m3 total volume for the standard van while the long wheelbase model with a high roof will take up to 9.0m3.
On the inside the latest Transporter gets a large 13-inch infotainment screen and a 12-inch digital instrument cluster.
Keyless start is standard along with a multifunction steering wheel. There's an electronic handbrake, increasing room in the footwell, and a new column drive selector for automatic versions, freeing up space on the dash and at the centre seat.
Device charging options include USB-A, USB-C and 12v sockets, and there's also the option of an inverter for 230v power, where, in the diesel versions, the 230 V socket is in the driver’s seat frame but on electric models there will be the option of two additional sockets in the rear of the van.
In total, the 230v system can power up to 2,300 watts, making it suitable to charge batteries or devices as well as operate machinery for tradespeople.
The new Transporter will be available as a panel van, dropside, Kombi van for passenger transport, and as a double cab with platform body using the long wheelbase.
There will also be a more upmarket Caravelle version designed for executive travel like airport taxis.
The new Transporter will have a maximum payload of up to 1.33 tonnes and a towing capacity of up to 2.8 tonnes, depending on variant. This is an increase from the 2.5-tonne towing capacity of the previous Transporter.
LED headlights, LED tail light clusters, an electronic parking brake with Auto Hold function, 12-inch digital instruments (Digital Cockpit), an infotainment system (including DAB+, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, online services and 13-inch touchscreen) are all standard along with a multifunction steering wheel, Keyless Start system, rain sensor, Lane Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Dynamic Road Sign Display.
The Volkswagen Caravelle will come in four versions with an entry-level model, medium trim Life specification, and top of the range Style. There's also a PanAmericana for the more adventerous - a name that has previously been used with the Bulli van and is also a trim level on the Volkswagen Amarok pick-up truck.
Order books are now open, with first deliveries expected by the end of the year.
We've all seen the stickers... "no tools left in this vehicle overnight" but it turns out that for a lot of tradespeople that's really not the case.
A surprising number of van drivers are in fact leaving their precious tools in their vans overnight.
That's despite 1 in 5 UK businesses falling victim to crime from their vans last year. According to research from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, 19% of van drivers had their vans broken into and tools stolen.
Year-on-year, crime from vans is down but a Freedom of Information request revealed that 15,464 individual cases were reported to police.
Read our guide on how to keep your van safe from tool theft and van theives
Understandably a lot is at stake for a business, but there's a lot to gain for the criminals too. The average value of stolen equipment per van stands at over £1,700. Multiply that out and that could mean that UK tradespeople are facing a bill of up to £1.64 billion in stolen gear.
Worse still is that more than a third (37%) of van owners say that they leave tools in their vans with a value of more than £2,000.
A majority (57%) of tradespeople surveyed reported being unable to work entirely while their vans are restocked with tools and repairs are made after a break-in.
That downtime costs an estimated £550 a day per van, and there's also a high probability of an increase in future insurance premiums after such a loss.
John Ricardo-Neto, head of product planning at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “The cost of theft is more than just the price of the tools stolen, it’s the downtime while van drivers replace the stolen equipment, the higher insurance premiums and lost revenues, so it’s imperative that UK tradespeople be vigilant to tool theft.
“We urge those who own expensive equipment to take extra precautions – securing or removing tools overnight and parking in a well-lit, CCTV-monitored area. For those who wish to further increase the security of their vehicles, our range of theft prevention technologies can offer extra protection, allowing van drivers to get back to focusing on their businesses.”
In an effort to remind van drivers about the risks, VW says that its Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo comes fitted with an anti-theft alarm system as standard. When activated, the anti-theft alarm system sounds the horn and activates the hazard lights to help alert the break-in.
We’re pretty sure having a van in this condition is a sure-fire way of getting yourself pulled over by Old Bill, but some innovative vehicle wrappers have pulled out all the strops with a “Rusty” Volkswagen Caddy at the National Association of Police Fleet Managers’ Conference (NAPFM).
Earlier this month, the show in Telford got an unexpectedly rotten reveal of the rust wrapped Caddy van.
Despite its mucky brown looks, the van’s bright shining, immaculate alloy wheels are a dead giveaway that all is not as it first seems for this small van.
Bluelite Graphics, a Sussex-based vehicle wrapper, wanted to do something that would catch the attention of the conference goers – needless to say if it were on the streets it would certainly turn the heads of any passing traffic cop. They have been wrapping police, fire and ambulance vehicles for more than 30 years and apparently also helped develop the original battenburg livery.
Although wrapped in vinyl, people still couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing. Apparently by the end of the show the van was also covered in fingerprints, rather than rust, as showgoers felt the urge to touch the rusty van to make sure it was a hoax.
While definitely not illegal to wrap your work vehicle in rust, it’s perhaps not the best advertisement for your business. Although a great conversation piece.
Staying on the right side of the law is hard enough, especially when speed limits are different in vans, so keeping the beady eye of the law off your van is probably for the best.
Maybe a rust wrapped van would make a good deterrent against unwanted attention from would-be criminals, though.
One thing is for certain, if you see a van with a real-life rust problem like this van then be sure to avoid it. Rusting vans can be a huge problem, particularly with older models, and few will be as obvious as this one.
It’s a good idea to read out need to know facts about buying a used van at an auction if you’re thinking of picking up a bargain van, as rust comes as a pretty high priority of things to look out for.
It's been 70 years since the Volkswagen Transporter first arrived in the UK, making it's public debut at the Commercial Motor Show at Earl's Court, in 1954.
Six generations later, the Transporter is now about to get its seventh generation when it is revealed at the IAA Hannover trade show in September. The newest version will share a platform with the Ford Transit Custom - the first time the VW Transporter has paired up with a partner.
It will get distinctive Volkswagen styling on the inside and out, but will share the same range of engines inlcuding plug-in hybrid and a full battery electric vehicle version.
Since first arriving, the Transporter has sold more than 13 million units across the world and has grown from just 786 UK sales in 1954, to a whopping 17,521 in 2023.
The most recent update was to the Volkswagen Transporter T6.1, launched in 2019, which got a new dashboard, improved connectivity and under went a facelift with updated headlights and grille.
Here's a brief history of the rest of the VW Transporter range.
T1: 1950 to 1967
Revealed as a hand-built panel van prototype in 1949, the T1 eventually launched as a rear-engine panel van, passenger van and eight-seat vehicle. The engine and gearbox came from the Volkswagen Beetle and it offered a maximum payload of 750kg. In 1951, the iconic "Samba" model was revealed with all-round windows and folding sunroof, and a year later a pick-up version was unveiled. Production moved from Wolfsburg to Hanover in 1956, with some models built in Brazil. By 1967, around 1.9 million people had purchased the T1 with its "splittie" windscreen, making it a global success.
T2: 1967 to 1979
With the T1 forging its name as something of a cultural icon during the swinging sixties era, the successor had a lot to live up to. The T2 took the design and utility of the van forward with a new front end and air intake grille. A sliding door was now standard, and the pop-up roof camper version became an instant hit with globetrotters. In 1972, the T2 went electric with a zero-emission version available to buy. During its run, 2.14 million vehicles were built at the Hanover plant. Production continued until 2013 at the Volkswagen plant in Sao Paulo.
T3: 1979 to 1992
The T3 took the famous vehicle into the modern era with a wider body offering, more passenger and cargo space and improved safety. A flat engine, available in diesel, was introduced adding to the spaciousness while a new chassis offered car-like handling. In 1985, a raft of innovations were added: catalytic converters, turbochargers and all-wheel drive, while the California and Caravelle became popular. In total, 1.3 million T3s were made in Hanover.
T4: 1990 to 2003
This generation marked a technical revolution with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles making the T4 front-engine and front-wheel drive for the first time. With this came a new design, longer front end, new suspension, more varied engine choice and even better handling. The Transporter was also available in two wheelbases for the first time. Following a 1996 mid-model refresh, the T4 was phased out in 2003 having sold 1.9 million models across the range, which had grown to feature the panel van, kombi, double cab, pickup and chassis with single and double cab, Caravelle, Multivan and California.
T5: 2003 to 2015
The T5 was an evolution of exterior design with greater focus placed on the interior and the driver's workplace as well as a variety of petrol and diesel engines and an all-wheel drive system. The California was built in Hanover for the first time, while Caravelle and Multivan continued to be popular choices alongside a number of limited-edition models. In total, 1.65 million T5s were produced.
T6 / T6.1: 2015 to 2019 / 2019 to present
New engines, intelligent driver assistance systems, new infotainment and a front-end redesign have defined the modern T6 era - while the two-tone paint scheme serves as a nod to the original model. In 2019, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brought the iconic van into the digital age with a new dashboard design, a raft of technology and connectivity updates as well as a new power steering system and additional efficient, clean turbodiesels.
The first proper details of the upcoming Volkswagen Transporter have been released ahead of its reveal at the IAA Hannover commercial vehicle trade show in September.
The digital renderings released by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles show minor details of the what will be the seventh-generation Transporter including the headlight and rear light design as well as alloy wheels and the PanAmericana name currently used on high trim level Volkswagen Amarok pick-up trucks.
Accompanying two official graphics of the alloy wheel design and PanAmericana name badge is a short video where viewers get a glimpse of the new headlights and electric vehicle charging point, and the rear light cluster.
The new model will be made by Ford and is based on the Ford Transit Custom and Ford E-Transit Custom but VW says the new Transporter “seamlessly follows the classic Bulli DNA” adding that they have “systematically enhanced the design – as is perfectly demonstrated by the new PanAmericana”.
“The new Transporter combines a high degree of utility with the distinctively clean and iconic style of Volkswagen Design. It is not just the vehicle’s overall lines, but also its individual elements that have become hallmark features of the product line,” says says Albert Kirzinger, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ chief designer.
For the first time in the history of the Transporter, the PanAmericana will be launched with 19-inch wheels as standard. It will get a diamond-cut rim and black spoked star – a nod to the Indianapolis wheel recognisable as a Transporter design.
“The headlights and tail light clusters have long been more than just sources of light. Even the first Transporter had round headlights that made it look like the commercial vehicle had eyes, giving the front end a face. The new Transporter also has an unmistakable face – and this is once again thanks to its striking light design,” Kirzinger adds.
PanAmericana trim will also include the top-spec version of the new LED headlights, however, even the entry-level new Transporter vans will also have LED headlights.
Watch the video of the new Volkswagen Transporter PanAmericana teaser below.
Full details of two new models in the Volkswagen ID Buzz range have been revealed.
The sporty ID Buzz GTX will get 21-inch black alloys, an electrically dimmable panoramic glass roof, ambient lighting, memory power seats, special Black Artvelour microfleece seat fabric and a leather wrapped heated steering wheel.
As well as being the most powerful Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles model, with 337hp and a 0-62mph time of just 6.1 seconds, the four-wheel-drive GTX also gets an exclusive grille design to make the model stand out.
The ID Buzz GTX with normal wheelbase is available with five seats and gets a 40:60 split three-seat bench in the second row, or can be had as a six-seater with two individual seats each in the second and third rows.
The GTX also gets a unique front bumper to go with its gloss black honeycomb grille. There’s new side air guide elements and GTX lettering. Models come with the option of a new Cherry Red solid paint finish that will be exclusive to the ID Buzz GTX.
Alternatively, it can be specified with Mono Silver metallic as a two-tone paint finish.
Pricing details for the ID Buzz LWB (long wheelbase) have also been released with a starting price of £59,545. The longer wheelbase ID Buzz gets space for up to seven passengers as standard and a larger 86kWh battery to give it a combined range of up to 291 miles on the WLTP combined cycle.
The range starts with the 86kWh ID Buzz Life LWB 286PS with a better equipped 86kWh ID. Buzz Style 286PS available for £64,345 – and a slightly reduced range of 286 miles. Both LWB models get the same 283hp single motor as the normal wheelbase versions.
The ID Buzz dimensions for the LWB are improved over the standard model and now measures 4,962mm in length, compared to 4,712mm for the normal wheelbase version.
The increased length has been achieved by stretching the wheelbase from 2,989mm to 3,239mm.
The additional 25 mm has been added to the wheelbase and the sliding rear doors, which have been widened by 192mm.
The ID Buzz width is 1,985mm (excluding its exterior mirrors) and it has a height of 1,927mm.
In the five-seater ID Buzz LWB has luggage space for up to 1,340 litres, compared to 1,121 litres in the normal model.
With the second and third row seats folded, the ID Buzz LWB rear stowage space increases to 2,469 litres, and when using all seven seats, the ID. Buzz LWB still has 306 litres of space.
