Tom - linked to JimmyLondon's comment, would be great to be kept in the loop RE Grand Cali facelift.
But the 6.1 will be a beacon of hope and solidarity. The last brew of a proper VW Campervan.
Agreed, the new one based on the car chassis is such a departure from the OG that proper Calis will be sort after by the cognoscenti. Bit like when Porsche switched from air cooled to water cooled 911's. The former are increasing in value year on year. The latter just nose dive in value.
Was just about to say, it’s the 993
Life moves on. Euro5 is being banned or charged in many cities and Euro6 will follow. If you want a Campervan to use all year round and as a daily driver then the writing is on the wall. The Private diesel is on the way out.
Not for many many many years. Just have to look at the transition to alternatives in Europe to see how far that is away.
I’ll be pushing up daisies before that comes to full fruition.
The announcement from MB this week just reinforces that ICEs are far from over.
The old ones will keep going but with all the emission control features of modern diesels, compared with petrol will reduce the market. We have turned away from climate emissions , CO2, to environmental emissions and that's where the diesel will fail for the private owners. Adblue and DPF faults will make petrol, petrol hybrids and BEV vehicles the norm for the private owner.
I notice they don't mention which IC vehicles they will continue to produce for the private market, Diesel or petrol?The announcement from MB this week just reinforces that ICEs are far from over.
Mercedes-Benz to continue combustion car sales “well into 2030s” | Autocar
German manufacturer revises its ambition to become an electric-only brand by 2030www.autocar.co.uk
For the heavy commercial market maybe whether that will be the case for private or delivery to door vehicles remains to be seen.
Thats what they said about the Porsche 993. Everything that came before will be compared with the new. The MV is just a car in sheep's clothing with some dubious design elements.Guys, guys, listen to yourselves…
I loves a Volkswagen van, owned most of them. But you’re getting carried away with nostalgia of the previous versions. The infamous Volkswagen build and style disappeared post T4. A T6.1 does not have an ounce of charm or charisma of the older T1 or T2s maybe even a T3.
Since the T5 it really is like most of the others on the market, granted I prefer the drive of the Transporter and seating position. Otherwise, the competition (build, reliability and customisation) is now at VW levels.
The new vans looks great and more importantly it’s finally moving on. The platform has needed this for a while…
You can bury your heads in the sand if you want. But 2/3 years from now, the new platform will be established and everyone will want the latest model…
I think everyone would love to love the new model, upgrades and updates are usually popular afterall. The issue, I think, is that the new van simply isn't large enough to accommodate a functioning camper.Guys, guys, listen to yourselves…
I loves a Volkswagen van, owned most of them. But you’re getting carried away with nostalgia of the previous versions. The infamous Volkswagen build and style disappeared post T4. A T6.1 does not have an ounce of charm or charisma of the older T1 or T2s maybe even a T3.
Since the T5 it really is like most of the others on the market, granted I prefer the drive of the Transporter and seating position. Otherwise, the competition (build, reliability and customisation) is now at VW levels.
The new vans looks great and more importantly it’s finally moving on. The platform has needed this for a while…
You can bury your heads in the sand if you want. But 2/3 years from now, the new platform will be established and everyone will want the latest model…
Boooo, hissss, raaaaaaa, boooo, hisssss, etcGuys, guys, listen to yourselves…
I loves a Volkswagen van, owned most of them. But you’re getting carried away with nostalgia of the previous versions. The infamous Volkswagen build and style disappeared post T4. A T6.1 does not have an ounce of charm or charisma of the older T1 or T2s maybe even a T3.
Since the T5 it really is like most of the others on the market, granted I prefer the drive of the Transporter and seating position. Otherwise, the competition (build, reliability and customisation) is now at VW levels.
The new vans looks great and more importantly it’s finally moving on. The platform has needed this for a while…
You can bury your heads in the sand if you want. But 2/3 years from now, the new platform will be established and everyone will want the latest model…
lol.
All depends what you want from a camper. Family and population demographics are changing. If you want a touring vehicle that can be used as an everyday vehicle then the new California fits the bill. If you want to stay on site for weeks and take everything , including the kitchen sink, as many seem to want to, then get a trailer or a bigger van..
With the T6 we have it all. Space, storage, convenience as a daily driver, <2m height, maximal towing capability, while the MV is a compromise on so many levels. Who cares if the Transporter isn't the latest tech and design. It's a camper van and one that performs amazingly well even when driving all day. The deficiencies in handling like body roll can be easily improved with some suspension upgrades for not that much money. Stiffer ARB's are a good start.
) and this drives smoother, quieter, I put it as ‘more modern’. The handling is not bad, I don't mean that, but it is just not up to par anymore. Do I mind? No, actually not: for me it is quite sufficient and I am satisfied. I also like the appearance of ours but the more I see a multivan, the more I experience it as 'recognizable'. Will the latest versions of the California (the ones that still meet the emission standards) be worth more money now? I don't care but I suspect not. Why would they? They hold their value very well and will remain so for some time, but they are not rare finds that can be pulled from a forest or from a shed like some old Volkswagen campervans. Is it the last of the Mohicans: yes, what comes behind it is so different (two sliding doors with all the loss of storage space as a result? A slide-out refrigerator?) And above all, not based on the Transporter. I suspect that the new California will drive well, but I still have some questions about the camper part. Now, we'll see. I'll definitely keep ours, but I'm curiously looking forward to the Multivan California. I am interested but nothing more: I am not going to purchase it to replace our t6.1 coast. Ours is what I expected: a good travel companion and it certainly suffices as a daily means of transport. I still enjoy it every day. Last Friday I took our daughter with some class friends (ours has a fifth seat, ordered for such occasions) to their destination for the class trip and the California as it is now is also a dream vehicle for 9 year olds; One offered 55,000 euros to buy it, but I declined: too low in amount 
You might be right. If the beds are the same width as the concept (around 10cm narrower than a T6.1) then that’s nearly into single bed territory for 2 adults. That is a step too far so it won’t be for us.
Do you already know if a beach variant will be made?
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