Grand price information from the NEC

[Phase one]

Skylark - There's also the Wingamm Micros 4Motion which we have migrated to after years of VW Calis - 5.3m (so same length as the LWB but with the short wheelbase of 3.0m). Built as a full GRP monocoque with no panel joints. We love it's full size double bed and bathroom yet fit for little roads - but like the Joker its not for multi-storey car parks!
Even more Hens Teeth too!!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[The Merle]

Th

True, I have seen them around and think they're great! Bit like hens teeth though!

Theres one in New forest, oh wait that’s mine!
Yes they are very rareI was looking for about a year!

 

[The Merle]

Skylark - There's also the Wingamm Micros 4Motion which we have migrated to after years of VW Calis - 5.3m (so same length as the LWB but with the short wheelbase of 3.0m). Built as a full GRP monocoque with no panel joints. We love it's full size double bed and bathroom yet fit for little roads - but like the Joker its not for multi-storey car parks!
Even more Hens Teeth too!!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Oh yes I love the wingamm, did see a old t5 version for sale on eBay but the elderly couple decided to keep it as I tried buying it (real bargain too about £27k with no miles).
If I wanted a bit more space the wingamm is my next choice over the joker, love the layout.
Did you have yours built as never knew they could do one with 4motion.

 

[The Merle]

 

[Phase one]

4x4 Joker- in answer to your question- Most Wingamm Micros are built to order. Ours was a UK spec unregistered demonstrator which came with all the bells and whistles already on - Solar panels, TV set up, permanent rear view camera wired to high spec Kenwood double din headunit, bike rack, rear mounted spare wheel, BBQ gas point and external shower point and the extra 2 berth bed extension set up for downstairs. Hope this helps.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[flying banana]

Saw the grand today at nec. I was disappointed. Seems rushed and poorly thought out. I'm sure the prototype had an amazing retracting bathroom? And disappearing pot stands? But not this. And not even anywhere to hang the shower head from. The ocean parked next to it was getting far more attention... And rightly so. I wouldn't buy the grand cali if I needed a bog. There is much better out there.

 

[Turfschipper]

If i needed a toilet and shower i would go hymer grand canyon s, with the pop up roof.

I will travel alone, but.... when i want to go fishing, or cycling with a mate, i want an extra bed. And all of the lay outs are for a couple, or only have 1 adult bed.

I wish the Cali grand was a big Cali, with pop up roof with the extra bed and normal roof.

I also cant stand, there is not room for a garage, even on the 680. It is almost 7 meters long and no big enough garage for your bikes, plus no 2nd bed. Waiste of space.

It is still an Ocean for me. It is not only that i dont need a toilet and shower, but i just love the coseyness (is that a word haha?)

 

[AlanC]

We saw the 600 Grand on Friday and both of us felt it was claustrophobic. All of the top cupboards seemed just too many. Not to mention the feeling of living in an ultra modern shiny kitchen. Being 6ft tall, I have never liked a transverse bed, even with a special feet bulge in the bodywork. Have VW not built a 680 version yet?

According to VWUK, it won't be in the UK until September. I got the impression the right hand drive version has not been designed yet.

Shame...missing a trick against some much stronger competition.

Alan

 

[Jay20cali]

Take a look at the Karmann Colorado 655ti
We had a t5 10 plate 180 dsg from new,if you need more space and still want the cool factor there’s no other van in my opinion,
build quality is far superior to anything I have seen at any mhome show .
This thing puts burstners and other so called high end vans to shame!!!!
But not sure Geoff cox is still a Karmann importer so that ship may of sailed unfortunately

 

[2into1]

I'm a bit amused by the amount of folks (here and particularly on the facebook page) thinking this may be a viable alternative to our current Calis. The only thing the two vehicles share is the name. It is as different to our Calis as all the other - holiday only / sit on the drive collecting green algae / use 4 weeks a year - white boxes out there.

 

[AlanC]

I'm a bit amused by the amount of folks (here and particularly on the facebook page) thinking this may be a viable alternative to our current Calis. The only thing the two vehicles share is the name. Is as different to our Calis as all the other - holiday only / sit on the drive collecting green algae / use 4 weeks a year - white boxes out there.

I agree and going to be made in Poland and not Germany too, so I wonder what the quality of the build will be like over time? That is one of the reasons we are still debating the change.

For us the main reason is getting fed up with trooping across wet grass to the loo in the middle of the night and preferring not to have to put together and pull apart a bed every day, we don't sleep up top. Other than that, we wouldn't be thinking about moving away from the Cali's convenience.

Had two nights away this weekend cosy overnight with the heater on, snuggled in a duvet.

Alan

 

[leightonjthomas]

I'm a bit amused by the amount of folks (here and particularly on the facebook page) thinking this may be a viable alternative to our current Calis. The only thing the two vehicles share is the name. It is as different to our Calis as all the other - holiday only / sit on the drive collecting green algae / use 4 weeks a year - white boxes out there.

I wasn’t thinking about it as a comparable alternative to my Cali at all. As you say, they are totally different. For reasons stated we are having to upsize and I was hoping that the 680 would do the job. Like many others, however, I was really disappointed with the 600 at the show, and I don’t think that it compares favourably with the competition for panel van conversions of that size.

 

[calikev]

My first impression was good on closer inspection not so . plastic windows very dark also the interior floor space is very limited for the van size. there just seems more room in the other alternative size vans. also comes with gas heater as standard you have to spec diesel. and with the new T6.1 having a digital dash i think this will soon look out of date.

 

[MattBW]

I liked the look from outside and it looked rather amazing in the brochure in the dark metallic grey.

I heard a couple talking and the wife say "You like that?! It looks like an icecream van" lol

Inside it felt like VW had a list of must have things to include and they'd put them all in without thinking about how they'd actually be used, like a game of tetris. Did the designers ever actually go camping, had they ever used a camper? It felt not and many conversions I saw were so much more roomier in the same base vehicle. It was very cramped I could barely turn around in the table/kitchen area.

Some of the parts looks very nice (the floor was nice), other bits felt cheap, built to a price. The big selling point a warranty from VW on all the bits inside and out, factory built, that was the only real advantages over a conversion. Depreciation I think will be something we understand when the first ones appear.

Maybe the bigger one is better? I hope so. For me the Cali just seems even more brilliant after seeing this and I can park it in a normal carpark....

 

[VWDrooper]

Agree it looks nice from the outside from all angles better than I thought it would.

However inside there is definitely a feeling of a lack of space given the size of the base vehicle, I know its just not me as several of my friends have comparable conversions and they noticed it to, the nature of the inward taper of the vehicle doesn't help so you will of course have more actual room in say a fiat conversion but I'm sure the Sven feels roomier, might be due to the shower cubicle taper and different design of overhead lockers.

Ignoring the pre-production bits and bobs which will get ironed out I'm sure I thought the build quality was good overall and nothing seamed to rattle about when pocked/pulled which is a good starting point imo.

Its a shame the dash looks so commercial as do the other manufactures offerings, the T6 has a big advantage here adding to the feeling of luxury when driving and this will only increase with the T6.1, I did ask the guys on the stand if the dash would remain commercial looking and they thought it would, shame.

The big plus is of course the dealership backup making getting those small but annoying issues sorted quickly without the need to drive across the other side of the country but does this outweigh the main problem as I see it, the lack of actual usable space inside, who knows.

It will be interesting to look found the finished article when it reaches the show rooms but based on what I've seen so far if I were looking to go up to a vehicle of this size which I'm sure we will in time its not a definite yes or no but definitely one to add to the list.

 

[MattBW]

I agree with you there, I think I'd like to try one to really understand what its like to use, that will be the true test I guess.

 

[2into1]

Did the designers ever actually go camping, had they ever used a camper?

It's worth us all remembering that our Cali's are only so good because VW only tinkered with a design developed by Westfalia over many many years. Even then, VW managed to bugger up a few things. So it's perhaps not surprising the Grand feels like it has been developed by folk who are new to the game, because that is exactly right.

 

[Starbug1]

Take a look at the Karmann Colorado 655ti
We had a t5 10 plate 180 dsg from new,if you need more space and still want the cool factor there’s no other van in my opinion,
build quality is far superior to anything I have seen at any mhome show .
This thing puts burstners and other so called high end vans to shame!!!!
But not sure Geoff cox is still a Karmann importer so that ship may of sailed unfortunately

Take a look at the Karmann Colorado 655ti
We had a t5 10 plate 180 dsg from new,if you need more space and still want the cool factor there’s no other van in my opinion,
build quality is far superior to anything I have seen at any mhome show .
This thing puts burstners and other so called high end vans to shame!!!!
But not sure Geoff cox is still a Karmann importer so that ship may of sailed unfortunately

Hi Jay,
Do you know what happened to your 655ti ? Or where it is now ? If you do please pm me

 

[Jay20cali]

Hi Jay,
Do you know what happened to your 655ti ? Or where it is now ? If you do please pm me

Hi I believe it’s somewhere near Leeds it popped up on Instagram a few months back and I managed to speak to a friend of the owner.

 

[Tobytreg]

Another massive Karmann fan here, This is my current Colorado, blows away the quality of any Cali, and has every luxury you could wish for

 

[MattBW]

It's worth us all remembering that our Cali's are only so good because VW only tinkered with a design developed by Westfalia over many many years. Even then, VW managed to bugger up a few things. So it's perhaps not surprising the Grand feels like it has been developed by folk who are new to the game, because that is exactly right.

I saw a Westfalia crafter conversion and it was so close to the Grand Cali, although I would say the Cali had nicer bed and storage in the rear and a nicer standard of finish. I guess VW are not a "think outside the box" type company they like tried and tested and small changes over time.

Still open minded to how it would be to use but at present still not convinced.

 

[Jay20cali]

There’s ours we bought it new and loved it had it 18months then down sized to a westfalia Columbus,
Kept that 2 years the downsides again back to where we started with a California..in a Cali it feels more like your camping...That’s what we have done for 30years and still enjoy it.we will get another hotel room on wheels when we need more luxury and space if it’s affordable