End of T6.1 (California) production expected June 2024

With the recent announcement of Ford laying staff off and clearly concentrating on electric vans a Ford dealer told me that they will be building all new VW transporters vans all being based on the nugget.
Wait and see I guess. In the meantime just enjoy our fabulous California’s.
 
I can see only positives if they do a joint venture...VW in my opinion very much rest on there laurels of quality and are stuck with boring interiors on the California....perhaps a joint venture will inject some quality and better design ....
 
Kevintube1979 said:
I can see only positives if they do a joint venture...VW in my opinion very much rest on there laurels of quality and are stuck with boring interiors on the California....perhaps a joint venture will inject some quality and better design ....
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I think many here will disagree with that thesis. I think the interior of the Cali is a great solution for what is a very small area and volume. It all works in harmony. That said I will say the comfort mattress is disaster. Overall I have no complaints so far.
 
Corradobrit said:
I think many here will disagree with that thesis. I think the interior of the Cali is a great solution for what is a very small area and volume. It all works in harmony. That said I will say the comfort mattress is disaster. Overall I have no complaints so far.
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Just my opinion after 4 years of California ownership,and yes agreed the so called comfort mattress is a joke.
 
Kevintube1979 said:
I can see only positives if they do a joint venture...VW in my opinion very much rest on there laurels of quality and are stuck with boring interiors on the California....perhaps a joint venture will inject some quality and better design ....
Click to expand...
Surely a joint venture means less diversity, having competition gives customers a choice.
 
Trail Planner said:
So:
1) ID. Buzz - specific EV market - no Cali
2) Multivan - people carrier - no Cali - aka T7
3) VW/Ford platform - next VW Cali after T6.1 ends mid-2024, maybe +1 year as base models get released
Who knows, other than the VW strategist laughing at this thread?
I'd like to see a Hybrid TSi/Battery non-PHEV that can return 55mph+ and is not dependent on charging, so it can go as remote as your like. Honda's e: HEV drivetrain has got it right in my view.
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exactly. why not hybrid
 
Corradobrit said:
I think many here will disagree with that thesis. I think the interior of the Cali is a great solution for what is a very small area and volume. It all works in harmony. That said I will say the comfort mattress is disaster. Overall I have no complaints so far.
Click to expand...
Many might Disagree, but it’s about time VW had some decent competition. 2 vehicles on the same platform, by 2 major vehicle manufacturers, hopefully both producing a Campervan, each with their own interpretation , will mean both will up their game. If VW wants to stay ahead and make the most of the VW California legacy then they won’t be able to rest on their laurels.
There are many good things about the interior, the materials used etc, compared with some conversions. The camping electronics and software are diabolical, def designed by geeks for geeks. It should be simple to understand and intuitive. The vehicle Infotainment system should be camper/Leisure friendly as well as driver friendly, it isn’t.
There is so much that could be done, you only have to look around other vehicle manufacturers , non-European in particular with regards to vehicle development and the mainstream leisure vehicle converters.

Just my personal opinion.
I like my T5.1 but the T6 has nothing to offer on the camping side and just more complication on the vehicle to meet Euro 6 standards. The T6.1 , vehicle wise doesn’t offer much improvement on the vehicle side but some improvements on the camping side, sadly let down by the poor implementation of the new Control Panel and software.
 
WelshGas said:
Many might Disagree, but it’s about time VW had some decent competition. 2 vehicles on the same platform, by 2 major vehicle manufacturers, hopefully both producing a Campervan, each with their own interpretation , will mean both will up their game. If VW wants to stay ahead and make the most of the VW California legacy then they won’t be able to rest on their laurels.
There are many good things about the interior, the materials used etc, compared with some conversions. The camping electronics and software are diabolical, def designed by geeks for geeks. It should be simple to understand and intuitive. The vehicle Infotainment system should be camper/Leisure friendly as well as driver friendly, it isn’t.
There is so much that could be done, you only have to look around other vehicle manufacturers , non-European in particular with regards to vehicle development and the mainstream leisure vehicle converters.

Just my personal opinion.
I like my T5.1 but the T6 has nothing to offer on the camping side and just more complication on the vehicle to meet Euro 6 standards. The T6.1 , vehicle wise doesn’t offer much improvement on the vehicle side but some improvements on the camping side, sadly let down by the poor implementation of the new Control Panel and software.
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I agree wholeheartedly .....
 
WelshGas said:
Many might Disagree, but it’s about time VW had some decent competition. 2 vehicles on the same platform, by 2 major vehicle manufacturers, hopefully both producing a Campervan, each with their own interpretation , will mean both will up their game. If VW wants to stay ahead and make the most of the VW California legacy then they won’t be able to rest on their laurels.
There are many good things about the interior, the materials used etc, compared with some conversions. The camping electronics and software are diabolical, def designed by geeks for geeks. It should be simple to understand and intuitive. The vehicle Infotainment system should be camper/Leisure friendly as well as driver friendly, it isn’t.
There is so much that could be done, you only have to look around other vehicle manufacturers , non-European in particular with regards to vehicle development and the mainstream leisure vehicle converters.

Just my personal opinion.
I like my T5.1 but the T6 has nothing to offer on the camping side and just more complication on the vehicle to meet Euro 6 standards. The T6.1 , vehicle wise doesn’t offer much improvement on the vehicle side but some improvements on the camping side, sadly let down by the poor implementation of the new Control Panel and software.
Click to expand...
Some fair points but so far my MY23 T6.1 software and electronics have been glitch free. My fingers are crossed it stays that way. I find the user interface pretty user friendly so I guess that makes me a geek. :happy
 
WelshGas said:
Many might Disagree, but it’s about time VW had some decent competition. 2 vehicles on the same platform, by 2 major vehicle manufacturers, hopefully both producing a Campervan, each with their own interpretation , will mean both will up their game. If VW wants to stay ahead and make the most of the VW California legacy then they won’t be able to rest on their laurels.
There are many good things about the interior, the materials used etc, compared with some conversions. The camping electronics and software are diabolical, def designed by geeks for geeks. It should be simple to understand and intuitive. The vehicle Infotainment system should be camper/Leisure friendly as well as driver friendly, it isn’t.
There is so much that could be done, you only have to look around other vehicle manufacturers , non-European in particular with regards to vehicle development and the mainstream leisure vehicle converters.

Just my personal opinion.
I like my T5.1 but the T6 has nothing to offer on the camping side and just more complication on the vehicle to meet Euro 6 standards. The T6.1 , vehicle wise doesn’t offer much improvement on the vehicle side but some improvements on the camping side, sadly let down by the poor implementation of the new Control Panel and software.
Click to expand...
Some fair points although I have to say, touch wood, in our 9 months of a T6.1 we have had zero issues with the control panel or software.

The points around complexity are spot on - at Nissan we were forever feeding back to Cranfield engineers that the software was not "idiot proof" and in many cases made no sense. The challenge was the software and hardware it integrated with was designed by engineers who then used their own software teams to develop the interfaces. To them it made a whole load of sense. To the rest of us, none at all. They just fed back that they could not see the problem. Hey ho.
 
WelshGas said:
Many might Disagree, but it’s about time VW had some decent competition. 2 vehicles on the same platform, by 2 major vehicle manufacturers, hopefully both producing a Campervan, each with their own interpretation , will mean both will up their game. If VW wants to stay ahead and make the most of the VW California legacy then they won’t be able to rest on their laurels.
There are many good things about the interior, the materials used etc, compared with some conversions. The camping electronics and software are diabolical, def designed by geeks for geeks. It should be simple to understand and intuitive. The vehicle Infotainment system should be camper/Leisure friendly as well as driver friendly, it isn’t.
There is so much that could be done, you only have to look around other vehicle manufacturers , non-European in particular with regards to vehicle development and the mainstream leisure vehicle converters.

Just my personal opinion.
I like my T5.1 but the T6 has nothing to offer on the camping side and just more complication on the vehicle to meet Euro 6 standards. The T6.1 , vehicle wise doesn’t offer much improvement on the vehicle side but some improvements on the camping side, sadly let down by the poor implementation of the new Control Panel and software.
Click to expand...
Yes but, will it be a VDUB?
 
Hawthorn37 said:
Yes but, will it be a VDUB?
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That all depends on VW.
They will have to work hard at keeping customer loyalty to the brand and “ life style “

I didn’t buy my VW California for the VW badge but for the California badge on the tailgate.
 
Corradobrit said:
Interesting article appeared a couple of days ago stating VW sources as saying order books for T6.1 models (incl Cali's I presume) will close shortly. All production of T6.1's slated to end June 2024. The replacement will be the Ford Custom and incl the new Cali.

de.motor1.com

VW T6.1 fast ausverkauft: Vorzeitiger Bestellstopp?

Wie die Automobilwoche berichtet, könnte der VW T6.1 bald bis zu seinem Produktionsende Mitte 2024 ausverkauft sein.
de.motor1.com de.motor1.com


The tightening of Cali model options would support this timeline.
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Indeed, I was just as a stopover to Autostadt at the Californiafertigung (cali production) in Hannover and they told me that this is the full last year of the california as we know it. The successor will be on the T7 basis (the Ford collaboration and not the t7 multivan that is already) and they hope that this van will again become a california at Hannover. I hope so with them.

CCA78F32-8587-4092-9455-8F52766A47BF.jpeg
 
Corradobrit said:
Some fair points but so far my MY23 T6.1 software and electronics have been glitch free. My fingers are crossed it stays that way. I find the user interface pretty user friendly so I guess that makes me a geek. :happy
Click to expand...
Me too, no problems with that interface and if you have one and know how to use it, it is a fine instrument. Keep repeating that it's bad as some like to do here keeps this image about it and this is regrettable.
 
Kevintube1979 said:
I can see only positives if they do a joint venture...VW in my opinion very much rest on there laurels of quality and are stuck with boring interiors on the California....perhaps a joint venture will inject some quality and better design ....
Click to expand...
Everyone has their own opinion and this is mine: about the interior of the cali: it is spot on. A lot off the other interiors from converters or even well-known manufacturers who make a camper from a small van look as a dingy place with carpet everywhere or has amateurism written all over it and check their prices). The cali interior is a matured product and this came from the westfalias decennia before it. Many imitate but do not beat the original.
We came from a T4 westfalia and after deliberation had to be a california (saw the westfalias from now because we really wanted to give the Kepler six a fair chance but unfortunately those are not what previous conventions of them used to be, sorry for the fans; I am also a fan but the cali interior is firmer, yes it is. I would still recommend them because they are in the price range of the california and in some cases are a lwb. I prefer the cali.
A colleague has a westfalia marco polo and they are still converted in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany and that is a very different product from westfalia's keplers which are made in France (westfalia belongs to the large Rapido group, not saying that is the cause it’s just, well, joint venture with Stylevan, also from Rapido :talktothehand).
Are there any quality problems? Sure and that's a shame if you notice this with your new cali, but do you think the others are better? It is and remains a conversion largely put together by hand and by people. Ours is now 11 months old and also had its issues resolved and has already given us several beautiful trips. I also use it for commuting and it is more than adequate for that.
While I’m at it: there are competitors for the cali. Why need more? Again: many imitate..
That joint venture you refer to will probably not be for a campervan; most likely the Ford campervan will be a nugget again and that’s westfalia (and is not a partner anymore from VW).
Tastes differ but if the california interior is boring to you, you can let one of the many converters make one for you (I saw plenty of ‘specials’) and there are some interesting ones like Tonke, Dirty Weekender just to give you two but there are more (but many are -my thoughts- average at best).
I am a big campervan fan from the old camionettes to the new ones -and future- and from every make, for me, my next campervan didn't have to be a Volkswagen, but a california with its simple in design, matured well thought-out interior.
Happy hunting!
 
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Corradobrit said:
Maybe when the Cali books close for good.
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Maybe, could be but they will reopen the books at one time (let’s hope the next cali won’t be more expensive again). That ABT looks good from the outside and if one would want his cali to look like that, you could buy the plastic around it for a swb I guess. I'm not a fan of the interior, but everyone has their own idea about this. This incredibly expensive conversion is in articles touted as competition but I don't think so. There will be those who buy this and then see how the quality is and the follow-up in case of problems and spare parts.
 
calibusje said:
Maybe, could be but they will reopen the books at one time (let’s hope the next cali won’t be more expensive again). That ABT looks good from the outside and if one would want his cali to look like that, you could buy the plastic around it for a swb I guess. I'm not a fan of the interior, but everyone has their own idea about this. This incredibly expensive conversion is in articles touted as competition but I don't think so. There will be those who buy this and then see how the quality is and the follow-up in case of problems and spare parts.
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The ABT version is a bargain compared to this one

 
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