New VW California World to launch 30th August.

[Corradobrit]

"Are you not entertained....."

Content of the email I got from VW Commercial today

"The world is waiting: From August 30th you will experience limitless freedom - the new California world goes online and offers experienced campers and newcomers a lot of interesting content. Tips & tricks for your vehicle. Exciting articles on the topics of vanlife and events. Plus the California Club with exclusive benefits and discounts from partners such as Hinterland and roadsurfer. Also: the California app with new, useful functions. Another highlight are the new California lifestyle products – practical everyday helpers and chic fashion items, as well as exclusive accessories from partners such as Thule and Dometic. And much, much more. So you can be more than excited. "

 

[Mehdime]

Damn. And here I thought they decided to launch a Transporter T7-based California after all and call it California World.

 

[Corradobrit]

Its all part of the California Universe.

 

[CamperFam]

Interesting. Keen to see what the new app unveils.

 

[larrylamb]

the new California world goes online and offers experienced campers and newcomers a lot of interesting content. Tips & tricks for your vehicle. Exciting articles on the topics of vanlife and events. Plus the California Club with exclusive benefits and discounts from partners

Maybe it's just a link to this forum

 

[Corradobrit]

Interesting. Keen to see what the new app unveils.

Unless it can lock/unlock my doors and allow me to activate the parking heater remotely I can't see much benefit.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Perhaps you'll get California man, Thor the broken ice block, the silver surfer, and everything else comical

 

[SaywellHQ]

Interesting video (ignore it’s in German) you get to see people using the new California and it shows a different colour to the white I keep seeing for the kitchen units etc..

The video is from 2 days ago

 

[Corradobrit]

Interesting video (ignore it’s in German) you get to see people using the new California and it shows a different colour to the white I keep seeing for the kitchen units etc..

The video is from 2 days ago

Looks quite similar to Light Oak. The storage solution is a big issue. The seat bins are a joke, just big enough for a packed lunch. No space for kitchen bits n bobs. No inverter upgrade from T6.1.
The lockable awning and window tool storage is clever. Both beds about 5cm narrower. Overall it loses the airy openness of the previous model. As shown that Ocean stickers at 104k Euro. Not even a 4WD PHEV.

 

[Lee.Van.Cleef]

Damn. And here I thought they decided to launch a Transporter T7-based California after all and call it California World.

I was holding out for a last run out special edition built on a T6.1 LWB platform:-(

 

[TripleBee]

No, still not.
I really need at least a 2 meter bed.
And in need, I can sleep on the lower bed without extra matress, in one movement.
Cooking becomes an extra challenge, but at least you won't burn your beans, as you will have to switch from pan to pan on the single burner.
And I really don't like tablets to control car functions.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Interesting video (ignore it’s in German) you get to see people using the new California and it shows a different colour to the white I keep seeing for the kitchen units etc..

The video is from 2 days ago

Thanks for sharing. It doesn’t look very good.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Its a millenial Passion wagon, designed for extended day journeys between festivals and hotels

 

[Blackbrogue1962]

Have to say the rear bed looks like a real dogs dinner and really compromises using the van for anything other than days out IMO. Obviously the Multivan chassis will make it far superior as a large camping car, but it feels like a pastiche of previous generations of California models rather than a replacement.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Have to say the rear bed looks like a real dogs dinner and really compromises using the van for anything other than days out IMO. Obviously the Multivan chassis will make it far superior as a large camping car, but it feels like a pastiche of previous generations of California models rather than a replacement.

It’s pretty obvious the design team’s brief was to design a new California but using the standard Multivan shell with 2 doors, the same seat design etc. Looks like their hands were really tied with this. The LWB doesn’t appear to make much difference to the internal space (though I’d like to see one in person) but instead makes up for the lost internal space the SWB version has from that huge engine bay that you get with a car platform. Such a shame as VW really seem to be going downhill now. Knock on effect of diesel gate perhaps?

 

[Blackbrogue1962]

I don’t think it has anything to do with dieselgate tbh. I do wonder if the UK usage of the California is different to most other European markets in that it’s used more as a campervan for longer trips both in duration and distance. Perhaps a market VW sees as better served by the GC? Like many on this forum I’d like to see a new Cali on the Ford/VW platform as well as a GC that addresses many of the issues that compromise its undoubted potential.

 

[flying banana]

Thanks for sharing. It doesn’t look very good.

I've got one touch screen in my t6 and it's one of the only things to fail. Who wants to fanny around like that to turn a sodding light off. Switch . Press .on. press again. Off. Never try and improve simplicity by making it complicated. Ridiculous, we don't do this in houses.

 

[dspuk]

Interesting video (ignore it’s in German) you get to see people using the new California and it shows a different colour to the white I keep seeing for the kitchen units etc..

The video is from 2 days ago

Interesting and luckily I speak enpough German to have understood.

As a two person van, I can see the benefit - some nice touches and it's good to see real world use vs the reviewers who were still fawning over the almost empty and full of design elements that clearly have not made it to the production version.

To me there still remains less usable space for a family, I think we would struggle without a drive away awning in anything more than a day or one night away trip.

I'm assuming VW have done their sums. You want something bigger for more (?) people, there is the grand. For couples or solo adventurers, this ticks a lot of boxes and given the vast majority of people we see at sites in a Cali are coiuples vs families maybe the point is to create a depth of range. If only they made a 4 sleeper 680.

As it is when our year old gets bigger we have more or less resigned it's something like a Sven Hedin with a pop top for us.

 

[Lee.Van.Cleef]

We're approaching that point, but there aren't many options that sleep 3 or 4 or even have comfortable traveling seats for rear passengers. Sven with a pop would be ideal, but most options seem to be Ducato-based. Bah.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Interesting and luckily I speak enpough German to have understood.

As a two person van, I can see the benefit - some nice touches and it's good to see real world use vs the reviewers who were still fawning over the almost empty and full of design elements that clearly have not made it to the production version.

To me there still remains less usable space for a family, I think we would struggle without a drive away awning in anything more than a day or one night away trip.

I'm assuming VW have done their sums. You want something bigger for more (?) people, there is the grand. For couples or solo adventurers, this ticks a lot of boxes and given the vast majority of people we see at sites in a Cali are coiuples vs families maybe the point is to create a depth of range. If only they made a 4 sleeper 680.

As it is when our year old gets bigger we have more or less resigned it's something like a Sven Hedin with a pop top for us.

Maybe they have, but a Grand as an every driver doesn’t make sense to us. The new Ford Nugget is a better offering and would meet the requirements for a family reasonably well.

 

[SaywellHQ]

Interesting video (ignore it’s in German) you get to see people using the new California and it shows a different colour to the white I keep seeing for the kitchen units etc..

The video is from 2 days ago

Another one has gone up, English this time.

Looks like there isn't an embargo on the videos and interestingly this is quite a small channel and yet has had access to the new van (not seen any major channels reviewing yet).

I have seen a few vids of hers and she does this really annoying thing of flipping the footage when filming herself driving, so looks like she is in a UK van when it's not (also gives the impression that the Kitchen is on the other side).

It's 100% a no from me, but no doubt it will suit someone (somewhere).

 

[Corradobrit]

Another one has gone up, English this time.

Looks like there isn't an embargo on the videos and interestingly this is quite a small channel and yet has had access to the new van (not seen any major channels reviewing yet).

I have seen a few vids of hers and she does this really annoying thing of flipping the footage when filming herself driving, so looks like she is in a UK van when it's not (also gives the impression that the Kitchen is on the other side).

It's 100% a no from me, but no doubt it will suit someone (somewhere).

MQB = "Improved interior space" ?!? What is this girl smoking? Such a biased review. Not subscribed.
So Australia can be thanked for the double sliding doors, who knew.

Looks like the typical VW sponsored prelaunch fluff piece. See how many Sharavans were in that field? Makes sense VW invited these small time reviewers, who's output is easier to control.

 

[Corradobrit]

Here is the same script but in Italian. VW really wanted to control the messaging

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Here is the same script but in Italian. VW really wanted to control the messaging

Yep, very controlled messaging! Says it all really. If the van were that great they wouldn’t need to control the messaging.

 

[dspuk]

I used to run these events and support the PR teams. It’s not quite as nefarious as being made out and they are a very standard PR support pre-launch activity. Each country gets to propose their own audience and generally you have a Press day and an Influencers or “amateur press” day, these ones. Never the twain shall meet such was the contempt from the pros. They are fully sponsored and flown out for free all expenses paid. When there they are given a very controlled press route to follow and given presentations which feed them the info they are repeating here. Technically it won’t be untrue, but it can stretch facts a little. The hardened press that come out are a little more wary of these. Some of these will have never seen the old van. Generally there is give and take. They want to be honest for their audiences, but at the same time they don’t want to be blackballed for other events by being brutal. I expect actual press ones to come out soon and these will generally be a little more considered and compare against the 6.1 more closely.