Multivan based California Announced

[WelshGas]

They’re not California’s and never will be.
Volkswagen used the successful California branding to try and sell them.

I could stick a California badge on my Fiat, would it then be part of the California universe…?
Not really, but then again. The next true T is in-fact a Ford…

In order to be a California it has to be a Volkswagen, so the fact you have a California badge on your Fiat is a non-starter.
Not everyone wants or uses 4 berths, so a 4 seat 2 berth Campervan , at my time of life would suit me fine.

What do you define as a California?

 

[soulstyledevon]

What do you define as a California?

Something based on a T series chassis.
Anything else is just marketing guff…

 

[WelshGas]

Something based on a T series chassis.
Anything else is just marketing guff…

So the California will die with the demise of the T6.1, because there is no way a hybrid chassis developed and built in conjunction with Ford can be considered an evolved Transporter.

Personally I consider a California is VWs vision of a Leisure/Camping Vehicle based on a VW vehicle base, built by VW.

 

[clarinetbcn]

They’re not California’s and never will be.
Volkswagen used the successful California branding to try and sell them.

I could stick a California badge on my Fiat, would it then be part of the California universe…?
Not really, but then again. The next true T is in-fact a Ford…

Unless it’s just under 2m in height and just under 5m in length, it’s not taking full advantage of a very specific philosophy (efficient living space in the size of a normal car) and it’s not a California concept, no matter how much the marketing people try to make its successful formula rub off on smaller and larger concepts that are only apt for vacation use under limited conditions.

 

[clarinetbcn]

In order to be a California it has to be a Volkswagen, so the fact you have a California badge on your Fiat is a non-starter.
Not everyone wants or uses 4 berths, so a 4 seat 2 berth Campervan , at my time of life would suit me fine.

What do you define as a California?

Not true. For decades Westfalia converted Volkswagen campers, the ones that made VW campers iconic, until Mercedes bought Westfalia and had them make the Marco Polo with the same concept. VW dropped Westfalia and started making the camper in-house, used the California name for the first time, equipped it with its corrosion plagued aluminum roof, and the rest is history. The California name is a relative newcomer, and is not what made VW campers famous; they were already established when the sale of Westfalia obliged VW to find a new name. Finally Mercedes sold Westfalia, which now makes its own conversions of both VW and Mercedes vans. California is now a concept, and unless VW gets its act together the most successful vehicle embodying the California concept may not be a Volkswagen. There is no way that I can view a Multivan camper that is 27cm longer than my T5.1 while having less internal space as a California, no matter what the badge says. Let’s see what the Transit California looks like (cringe!).
Edit: yes, I was born in California, which is why I love mine while having lost my patience with VW’s far less than stellar evolution of a vehicle with that name (see post #104 above.)

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Finally Mercedes sold Westfalia, which now makes its own conversions of both VW and Mercedes vans.

+ Ford - (Westfalia) Nugget.

 

[Pineweasel]

Not true. For decades Westfalia converted Volkswagen campers, the ones that made VW campers iconic, until Mercedes bought Westfalia and had them make the Marco Polo with the same concept. VW dropped Westfalia and started making the camper in-house, used the California name for the first time, equipped it with its corrosion plagued aluminum roof, and the rest is history. The California name is a relative newcomer, and is not what made VW campers famous; they were already established when the sale of Westfalia obliged VW to find a new name. Finally Mercedes sold Westfalia, which now makes its own conversions of both VW and Mercedes vans. California is now a concept, and unless VW gets its act together the most successful vehicle embodying the California concept may not be a Volkswagen. There is no way that I can view a Multivan camper that is 27cm longer than my T5.1 while having less internal space as a California, no matter what the badge says. Let’s see what the Transit California looks like (cringe!).
Edit: yes, I was born in California, which is why I love mine while having lost my patience with VW’s far less than stellar evolution of a vehicle with that name (see post #104 above.)

The California name was first used for the VW Westfalia conversions back in the T25 days, for example this 1990 model https://www.quirkycampers.com/uk/for-sale/vw-t25-westfalia-california/

 

[WelshGas]

As far as I am aware VW are the only mainstream manufacturer of Campervans, whether it be the Caddy California, California or Grand California, so if they plan to add new variants to the range with the iDbuzz or Multivan then that will be the way forward and hopefully with the Ford/ VW collaboration we may see a Ford "California" version alongside a VW California .
The Mercedes/Westfalia Marco Polo is having significant roof problems with regular ding dogs between Mercedes and Westfalia outside of warranty.
Nothing is perfect and these big companies give the public majority what they want or they lose market share. Minority requirments will be catered for by conversion companies.

 

[calibusje]

Interesting; I can agree with a lot here, from diferent members, parts or completely Just as info, I would like to add the following, feel free to add or correct yourself.

Westfalia had a very difficult financial time at the end of the last century and, although they had the nugget on a ford transit basis but no further interfaces with ford, a collaboration between them and vw was possible. Maybe VW wasn't interested and/or couldn't pay for westfalia because it was acquired by Daimler/Chrysler in 2001 who had already the Marco Polo there since 1997.
Mercedes naturally wanted to put 'their' Marco Polo in first place... and the California, which was based on a Volkswagen was at its end because a new transporter would come (T5). They didn't want to put a cent more into the development of the successor to the T4 California and the collaboration between Westfalia/Mercedes and VW came at its end. VW itself developed further on and that's how the T5 california came. The rest is history as we know it, with the good and the lesser sides of the product.
Btw: VW already 'helped developing' the T3 california (1990) and although it kept the name westfalia, volkswagen saw it more as a product of its own. This is how they got the name 'california' and took it with them when the california camper (T4) discontinued at Westfalia. The T3 California was a simple, cheaper version of the Joker, Club Joker and Atlantic. This was mainly to stimulate sales.

Some more titbits: westfalia worked closely together with vw: of course the campers which were sold at vw dealerships with the warranty included, Westfalia also made designs and models (also 1:1) for vw of the successors to the t1 and even more (and Daimler/Chrysler wasn't fond of that close companionship Westfalia/volkswagen).
There is also a westfalia based on fiat: the Michelangelo. An exercise with two separate seats instead of a bench and a nice little camper but a flop in sales. They are as rare as a hen's teeth.

Westfalia had another hard time with selling their museum pieces as a hopeless rescue plan and low point in 2009. This didn't help and Mercedes got rid of Westfalia and it became a brand of the French rapido group in 2010; only the Marco Polo is still made in Germany.

We ourselves were interested in a westfalia product, the kepler six or its sister model Melbourne from Stylevan (same as a westfalia and made in the same factory). We looked at this extensively and decided to buy a t6.1 california coast for our own reasons. The handy finds of Volkswagen that others don't have were just a few of them to choose a cali when we were looking for a successor to our old faithful westfalia t4 california.
I hope this was not too much reading

 

[Kayleigh]

The California name was first used for the VW Westfalia conversions back in the T25 days, for example this 1990 model https://www.quirkycampers.com/uk/for-sale/vw-t25-westfalia-california/

Oh look.. no roof corrosion