T6.1 Cali Beach Tour, 4Motion and 7Seats. Is it possible?

[HugoFar]

I've noticed that the 2wd Cali Beach Tour can be spec'd with 7 seats, (like the Multivan, or Caravelle in the UK) but it appears the 4Motion one is only available with 5 seats. I imagine if this is correct then it could be to do with the extra weight of the 4Motion and not exceeding the GVM. Does anyone have any knowledge of this other than options missing from a configurator? Thanks.

 

[WelshGas]

I've noticed that the 2wd Cali Beach Tour can be spec'd with 7 seats, (like the Multivan, or Caravelle in the UK) but it appears the 4Motion one is only available with 5 seats. I imagine if this is correct then it could be to do with the extra weight of the 4Motion and not exceeding the GVM. Does anyone have any knowledge of this other than options missing from a configurator? Thanks.

Correct, it is to do with the Gross Vehicle weight when fully loaded.

 

[HugoFar]

Correct, it is to do with the Gross Vehicle weight when fully loaded.

So, from spec's I have access to,(Australian models with GVM at 3080kg) the Beach Tour front-wheel drive 7 seater has an unladen mass of 2431kg,(payload max 649kg) and the 4Motion 5 seater is 2457kg.(payload max 623kg) A difference of 26kg.
If it's calculated that including 4Motion adds 120kg then the 5 seater 2 front wheel drive should weigh 2457-120=2337kg. Which seems to calc that each single seat weighs 47kg (if my calcs are right). I do wonder whether it will be acceptable/allowed to add a single seat to the 4Motion model to make a 6 seater (2457+47=2504kg), reducing Payload max to 576kg?

Does any one know how the max payload is worked out? (Not the GVM minus the Unladen Mass.)
Is it an expected occupant weight per seat, plus personal possessions, or some other particular formula?
The point of all this is that with two kids,it's quite good to be able for them to take one friend each, or two Grand Parents on outings. We had a 7 seater 4Motion Multivan for a while which worked well for people carrying, but not camping.

 

[WelshGas]

I could be wrong but I believe the GVM is calculated with 75 Kgm / passenger inc: driver + fuel.

 

[California4x4]

I've noticed that the 2wd Cali Beach Tour can be spec'd with 7 seats, (like the Multivan, or Caravelle in the UK) but it appears the 4Motion one is only available with 5 seats. I imagine if this is correct then it could be to do with the extra weight of the 4Motion and not exceeding the GVM. Does anyone have any knowledge of this other than options missing from a configurator? Thanks.

Regardless of logic, the configurator will only allow what it has been allowed to do. Forgive me if I’m misunderstanding. If you are set on a California and the option of 4Motion is a priority, I would go for it as it would be almost impossible to retrofit. Whereas, upgrading suspension and having the vehicle reclassified as a higher GVM and then modifications including additional seat rails could be added. This would be expensive to do but possible, whereas adding 4Motion probably isn’t. Do the laws in Aus / NZ allow such reclassification and modification of vehicles? It may be more cost effective to start with a 4Motion Transporter with 7 seats and have a company convert it to a Beach spec campervan. Let us know how you get on.

 

[HugoFar]

Regardless of logic, the configurator will only allow what it has been allowed to do. Forgive me if I’m misunderstanding. If you are set on a California and the option of 4Motion is a priority, I would go for it as it would be almost impossible to retrofit. Whereas, upgrading suspension and having the vehicle reclassified as a higher GVM and then modifications including additional seat rails could be added. This would be expensive to do but possible, whereas adding 4Motion probably isn’t. Do the laws in Aus / NZ allow such reclassification and modification of vehicles? It may be more cost effective to start with a 4Motion Transporter with 7 seats and have a company convert it to a Beach spec campervan. Let us know how you get on.

If the Beach Tour rear seat set up is the same as the Multivan,(which I believe it is) it already has the correct floor rails in the rear to accommodate the single seats, so no modification needed there. The real question is would adding one single seat (Total 6 seats) keep within the bounds of the Official VW GVM/Unladen Mass calculation formula, what ever that is? I have seen a VW configurator where you could add EITHER one or two single rear seats, but now can't find it,and not sure if it was for the Beach Tour.
Adding a pop top to a Multivan in NZ is not really a viable option, and even if it was you'd miss out on all the useful camping bits that come with a Cali Beach. Auxiliary heater, chairs in tail gate, table in sliding door, extra battery, etc...
An aside to this is that our MY08 Cali 4Motion has three floor rails in the rear, and can fit a fifth seat ,and is registered as a 5 Seat Vehicle. VW must have changed the allowable seat number after this year.

 

[HugoFar]

Part of what Caifornia4X4 suggested above , increasing the GVM could theoretically be achievable from the factory.
The Transporter T6.1 Van has an option to ''Increase Gross Vehicle Mass to 3200kg,17 inch steel wheels". Code PG2. NZD $3000. (GBP 1580.00) Not sure why steel wheels are listed as I'm sure certain VW alloys will be strong enough.
If it was possible to add PG2 to a Cali Beach Tour 4Motion factory order, then I wonder if 6 or 7 seats would then fall within the allowable GVM/Unladen Mass/Payload limits formula?
Has anyone heard if increasing a Cali GVM to 3200kg has been done ex factory. I've never read or heard of it before, and the option has not been listed on any Cali Specification and Option list I've seen. Thanks.

 

[Tarquers]

sorry photo is not the best, but this is a Beach Camper with 3 seat bench and 2 additional seats installed (one flat to accommodate the kitchen).

No idea how or why it can be sold this way in Europe and not in UK, but it does exist. This particular van is 4motion with diff lock but I can't remember if it is a 150 or a 204/199. Took photo in dealers before Christmas, van was on display but already sold.

 

[WelshGas]

Part of what Caifornia4X4 suggested above , increasing the GVM could theoretically be achievable from the factory.
The Transporter T6.1 Van has an option to ''Increase Gross Vehicle Mass to 3200kg,17 inch steel wheels". Code PG2. NZD $3000. (GBP 1580.00) Not sure why steel wheels are listed as I'm sure certain VW alloys will be strong enough.
If it was possible to add PG2 to a Cali Beach Tour 4Motion factory order, then I wonder if 6 or 7 seats would then fall within the allowable GVM/Unladen Mass/Payload limits formula?
Has anyone heard if increasing a Cali GVM to 3200kg has been done ex factory. I've never read or heard of it before, and the option has not been listed on any Cali Specification and Option list I've seen. Thanks.

The commercial Transporter comes in 3 variations, T28/T30 and T32, with GVMs of 2800, 3000 and 3200 Kgms. Whereas the T28 and 30 have the same running gear the T32 does not having different front suspension.
The California is based on the T30 chassis.
The payload would be calculated with a presumption of carrying All adults. You wouldn't be, especially when camping I presume.
Therefore with an extra seat and 4 adults and 2 children you would still have a significant payload. So that wouldn't be a problem.
The main question is, does the 4 Motion have the seat rails to accommodate an extra seat. If it does then you may have to have a separate order for a 5th seat, not as part of the vehicle order. This could be expensive. Or find a 2nd hand 5th seat. Probably difficult in NZ.

 

[HugoFar]

sorry photo is not the best, but this is a Beach Camper with 3 seat bench and 2 additional seats installed (one flat to accommodate the kitchen).

No idea how or why it can be sold this way in Europe and not in UK, but it does exist. This particular van is 4motion with diff lock but I can't remember if it is a 150 or a 204/199. Took photo in dealers before Christmas, van was on display but already sold.

View attachment 72229

Thanks Tarquers. Great to have confirmed it is possible.