T6 California here at Busfest, Malvern

[Aidy P]

Thanks Tom for posting the pics. Looks great. I'm even more excited about my order now. Certainly evolution but the new cab looks great. A nice place to soak up the miles. Did you notice any other innovations?

 

[teeboy]

Had a good kick of the T6 tyres today and spoke to a few people.

As most have spotted behind the front seats it is identical apart from some colour changes (which some will like and some wont). There are some lights in the roof which look good, and get rid of the bendy light. The bendy light becomes a 12 socket. Similar lights appear in the boot, I am not sure I need those, but might be handy.

All of the action is in the dashboard and engine.

The dash is loads more car like. As you can see from the pictured. I like the dash. Most people appear to agree the the UK version will have the better dash and the integrated blinds (unlike the t5 which had the van dash as not cost effective to make RHD version).

I was always envious of the integrated blinds on the euro T5, but having played with the T6 version I have changed my mind. They look quite flimsy and have gaps top and bottom so will be good for discretion but not blackout by any means.

Engines who knows but the vw man from Hereford Vw (who is a cali owner) expects the 150 version to be the most popular across the whole T6 range.

If I didn't have a t5 I would be happy with the T6 upgrade, but certainly not enough to make me want to upgrade.

P.s first time at bus fest. It is massive and very well organised

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[calimera]

Many thanks Teeboy for your review

. Agrees with the recent one from auto express :
"On that basis the 201bhp engine doesn’t feel twice as powerful, although there’s no denying its turn of pace. As ever, though, the middling 148bhp diesel is the best overall, superbly subdued at lower revs, far punchier than its 14.2-second 0-62mph sprint suggests, and silkily smooth – for a diesel, anyway. All California models are available with a seven-speed DSG automatic, while the two higher-powered engines can be specified with 4Motion four-wheel drive.
Despite an overarching sense that little has changed from the T5 California to the T6, that’s not exactly a fair assessment – Volkswagen counts 6,000 changes from the T5 Transporter to the T6, all of which carry over to the California. They just happen to be mostly suspension, engine and technology improvements, most of which you can FEEL rather than see ".


This is why we are buying 150 PS DSG. Love the present living area of the T5 but looking forward to the new drive experience with the changes to the engine & suspension.

 

[briwy]

Roof fabric ?
Is it the same or has it been changed as said previously somewhere on this thread. Could be the biggest "improvement" if it is now truly waterproof.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Very tidy indeed. Maybe I can get one in another 18 years

 

[Kirk]

Roof fabric ?
Is it the same or has it been changed as said previously somewhere on this thread. Could be the biggest "improvement" if it is now truly waterproof.

More importantly- why have they not sewn a bungee device into the bellows? Maybe they want us all to get it jammed so they can charge us for a new one?

 

[soulstyledevon]

Not sure if I like the grille treatment, doesn't seem to look as elegant as the T5; but I guess it will grow on me.

(The upper bit I mean, between the headlights)

Agree
I just don't think it looks right.
Massively disappointing

 

[teeboy]

More importantly- why have they not sewn a bungee device into the bellows? Maybe they want us all to get it jammed so they can charge us for a new one?

Definately been improved. Looks more like an artificial fabric, than the cotton like T5 fabric. The bus fest T6 was an ocean, but didn't have a front window, I think we will

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[Tom Lyons]

Roof fabric ?
Is it the same or has it been changed as said previously somewhere on this thread. Could be the biggest "improvement" if it is now truly waterproof.

The roof fabric has changed. It now feels like a more tough and durable waterproof material instead of the more cloth feel of the T5


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[Mustriharder]

17" Devonport Alloy Wheel

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Thanks again for the photo's Tom.
Very good of you to go to all the trouble.

 

[Tom Lyons]

Had a good kick of the T6 tyres today and spoke to a few people.

As most have spotted behind the front seats it is identical apart from some colour changes (which some will like and some wont). There are some lights in the roof which look good, and get rid of the bendy light. The bendy light becomes a 12 socket. Similar lights appear in the boot, I am not sure I need those, but might be handy.

All of the action is in the dashboard and engine.

The dash is loads more car like. As you can see from the pictured. I like the dash. Most people appear to agree the the UK version will have the better dash and the integrated blinds (unlike the t5 which had the van dash as not cost effective to make RHD version).

I was always envious of the integrated blinds on the euro T5, but having played with the T6 version I have changed my mind. They look quite flimsy and have gaps top and bottom so will be good for discretion but not blackout by any means.

Engines who knows but the vw man from Hereford Vw (who is a cali owner) expects the 150 version to be the most popular across the whole T6 range.

If I didn't have a t5 I would be happy with the T6 upgrade, but certainly not enough to make me want to upgrade.

P.s first time at bus fest. It is massive and very well organised

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The guy who brought the Cali over from Germany made a comment that the 150ps felt more like 30ps more than the out going 140ps. Their expectations are that with the improvements they have made to the 150ps engine will potentially pull some of the current 180ps customers back to the 150ps instead of the 204ps. I think the proof will be driving the two back to back.


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[Tom Lyons]

Thanks again for the photo's Tom.
Very good of you to go to all the trouble.

I appreciate not everyone can be there so hopefully some of the images may help on opinions until they land in the showrooms.


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[SimplyDubs]

In theory these vehicles shouldn't be viewed by the public as they are not finished to the final standard

Very true Tom and good to point out... spent about 20 mins taking a look and it became apparent there were lots of trim issues and things not working properly.

Interesting to see it in the "flesh", next to a GP. - I'm sure those who order will ultimately be very pleased, personally if I was looking to change any time soon I'd be looking for a reasonable deal on an unregistered GP... there's just not enough difference to justify the potential price hike (and lack of deals) and the inevitable problems that come with a first release of a new model. (Which I've suffered on T5's, Range Rovers and others)

 

[Borris]

We have just had a look round this T6 at Busfest and like most of the people I spoke to it is a very poor upgrade especially in the habitation area.

They have not improved any of the things which have problems on the T5 Cali

Same grey floor that is impossibsle to keep clean
Same fabric on the seats (be it different design) but will still stain with water
Same design for wardrobe sliding doors that fall apart just as you go out of warranty
Same blinds that are way too fragile for a campervan
Same dash/dials layout
Nice shiny dash BUT it is very easily scratched and is pointless in a campervan
New front blinds but they feel cheap and very breakable

At least now we have seen it we know it is pointless upgrading

I feel that the only significant recently reported, possible upgrade to the habitation area is a different water and wind proof roof bellows material. Can anyone who has seen the Busfest T6 Cali confirm that it has a new material?
If it is new, it will be interesting to see if it proves to be an improvement. It should be but if it is wind and waterproof, will it allow condensation and mold to build up?
The extra light here and there, the new plastic cup holder thingy and the front blinds that UK owners probably wont be getting, don't float my boat.

 

[Tom Lyons]

I feel that the only significant recently reported, possible upgrade to the habitation area is a different water and wind proof roof bellows material. Can anyone who has seen the Busfest T6 Cali confirm that it has a new material?
If it is new, it will be interesting to see if it proves to be an improvement. It should be but if it is wind and waterproof, will it allow condensation and mold to build up?
The extra light here and there, the new plastic cup holder thingy and the front blinds that UK owners probably wont be getting, don't float my boat.

It is a different material for the T6. It should be more waterproof than the T5. It certainly feels more durable. Also it was suggested that it would dry quicker.


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[motacyclist]

Interesting to see it in the "flesh", next to a GP

What's a GP?

 

[calikev]

T5.1 facelift Cali is sometimes referred to as a t5 gp

 

[greenfintry]

Would be nice if VW fit the new fabric roof bellows when fixing the roof rot on our T5's. Sure they are the same dimensions and might make us all feel a bit better disposed to VW after the whole business? Could the forum put this forward as a proposal?

 

[jts46]

having touched it and felt the roof material it feels more man made fibre ish, much prefer the material of mine.

John

 

[GrannyJen]

having touched it and felt the roof material it feels more man made fibre ish, much prefer the material of mine.

John

Yes but it is probably non-iron if man-made Yet another piece of teutonic efficiency.

 

[Borris]

Few more.....

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I like the clean functional lines of the new dash layout but I hate VWs current fashion of fitting lots of cheap looking shiny reflective plastic bits. What ever happened to the nice old tactile soft touch stuff of the past. The same goes for the highly reflective impractical and i suspect easily scratched painted dash panels.
The new Devonport alloys are snazzy but I will stick with my equally nice Thunders for now. However chrome finished alloys? What happens when they get damaged? A new wheel i suspect.
I am ambivalent about the external styling. The changes look OK but the T5 looks just as good to me.
Since in my opinion, you would need to do mega miles for the mpg and VED improvements to be a major incentive to buy a T6, for me at least, the greatest incentive for upgrading to a T6 would be anything that improves the ride quality over our dreadful, poorly maintained, crater strewn british roads. However it seems us brits wont be getting the adaptive suspension offered on the EU models! Well at least not at first.

Thanks Tom for the pics, very interesting.

 

[reserves]

Would be nice if VW fit the new fabric roof bellows when fixing the roof rot on our T5's. Sure they are the same dimensions and might make us all feel a bit better disposed to VW after the whole business? Could the forum put this forward as a proposal?

A good reason for T5 owners to be excited about the T6 is that most improved items should fit straight onto the T5, in years to come when roof canvas needs to be replaced we'll have the option of the T6 one. Interested to see what else can be 'retro-fitted' from the T6 too.

 

[zeratul]

It looks nice, but I find it unbelievable they didn't fix the handbrake problem for turning the driver's seat around.

 

[treecity]

It looks nice, but I find it unbelievable they didn't fix the handbrake problem for turning the driver's seat around.

So true.

Also, if you order electric seats, they don't turn at all!!

 

[teeboy]

So true.

Also, if you order electric seats, they don't turn at all!!

Wow - that is good knowledge and a real gotcha. Not having the turning seats would be a real limitation of a camper - even if they are a pain to turn round.

Fitting the electric handbrake like on the new style golf surely wouldn't have been a big change.
When I first got the golf it was a bit weird, but once you get used to the magic handbrake it is really good.