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What design changes would you like to see on a T7 California?

Borris

Borris

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T6 Beach 150
Having recently sold our SE due to it not getting the regular use we had intended, I continue to miss it with every day that passes. We are now using our Beach. This vehicle gets used every day for a whole host of different purposes and a very nice and supremely practical vehicle it is too. However, that doesn't stop me missing our SE. It was our personal self contained escape capsule and we had many fantastic adventures in it/her.

It has just occurred to me that by the time our circumstances have changed sufficiently to enable a full fat Cali to once again become a practical proposition for us two old gits, I am hoping that VW will have introduced an improved T7 California. Not that there is much wrong with tha current T5/6 but I for one can think of several improvements that I would like to see on the next generation Cali. Here's my list:

1. Some form of ultra efficient and ultra clean hybrid propulsion system. Possibly diesel/electric or petrol/ electric. I personally don't believe that a fully electric Cali is a realistic practical proposition in my life time and I'm not that ancient.

2. A carbon fibre roof with built in solar panels.

3. Some form of hot water heating system possibly encorporated into the parking heater.

4. The option of the manual roof on the Ocean version.

5. A complete redesign of the wardrobe/rear cupboard area of the interior. I always felt that the wardrobe didn't work that well as a storage space.

6. Any future T7 design rather than a warmed over T6 mk2, could be based on a modular system so that you buy the base van with parking heater and swivel seats etc and then add the elements that you require to meet your personal needs. There are several companies that already offer removable pods etc. why can't the interior be designed by VW to be easily removable modular self contained units that aid greater versatility. You could still achieve the same layout but with the ability to remove or adapt it. Servicing and repairs to certain elements would also be easier.

7. The top spec headlights across the the range.

8. Full leather upholstery as a option.

What would you like to see?
 
Having recently sold our SE due to it not getting the regular use we had intended, I continue to miss it with every day that passes. We are now using our Beach. This vehicle gets used every day for a whole host of different purposes and a very nice and supremely practical vehicle it is too. However, that doesn't stop me missing our SE. It was our personal self contained escape capsule and we had many fantastic adventures in it/her.

It has just occurred to me that by the time our circumstances have changed sufficiently to enable a full fat Cali to once again become a practical proposition for us two old gits, I am hoping that VW will have introduced an improved T7 California. Not that there is much wrong with tha current T5/6 but I for one can think of several improvements that I would like to see on the next generation Cali. Here's my list:

1. Some form of ultra efficient and ultra clean hybrid propulsion system. Possibly diesel/electric or petrol/ electric. I personally don't believe that a fully electric Cali is a realistic practical proposition in my life time and I'm not that ancient.

2. A carbon fibre roof with built in solar panels.

3. Some form of hot water heating system possibly encorporated into the parking heater.

4. The option of the manual roof on the Ocean version.

5. A complete redesign of the wardrobe/rear cupboard area of the interior. I always felt that the wardrobe didn't work that well as a storage space.

6. Any future T7 design rather than a warmed over T6 mk2, could be based on a modular system so that you buy the base van with parking heater and swivel seats etc and then add the elements that you require to meet your personal needs. There are several companies that already offer removable pods etc. why can't the interior be designed by VW to be easily removable modular self contained units that aid greater versatility. You could still achieve the same layout but with the ability to remove or adapt it. Servicing and repairs to certain elements would also be easier.

7. The top spec headlights across the the range.

8. Full leather upholstery as a option.

What would you like to see?
Cannot argue with much of that, but the Carbon Roof and Solar panels, well the Solar panels would have to be an option for those who want to carry roof boxes etc:.
Personally I can't see the additional complexity of a hot water system being worth the cost, not if you have a kettle.
Headlights will remain different for each model, to differentiate entry level upwards, unless LED lights become the norm regarding cost etc:
Apart from the Drivetrain, which will have to happen in time, the other items at present will add to the cost, so unless something drastic happens they might be options but certainly not standard eg: Roof/headlights water heating etc:.
 
Full leather

Nothing else. It works. For me it works brilliantly.
 
Surely it has got to be some kind of electric-photo roof like on the XXL that you can have clear or tinted at the push of a button. Some caravans are starting to use this glass now in their front screens to ‘bring the outside in’ etc. It’s very very trick and I am sure VW could charge a couple of K for it...
 
Definitely number 7 and an end to the galvanic corrosion unless the later T6's have this licked??

(Pulls pin and runs away :Iamsorry )
 
1. Better use of Hybrid and solar technology. Full electric wont be technically possible for years. The generating infrastructure is simply not capable of producing the power required for charging millions of vehicles. I cannot see happening this in my lifetime.

2. More 'standard' colours and a wider choice on upholstery and interior trim.

3. A better choice & value for money on options/upgrades. The pricing structure for options on both Beach & Ocean models is a bit of a rip off. Make it possible for the buyer to purchase only those options they want to have, without having to include things they don't really want but have to buy as a part of a 'package'.

4. Longer warranties. If Kia can give 6 years, why not VW?
 
Price policy to be reviewed. Next week I will collect my new Cali: I deliberately gave up some accessories such as led lights and 17 "or 18" alloy wheels due to prices too high compared to the market. I do not want to make the Germans richer than they are already. In my opinion they should offer option packages that make the top specs more convenient considering that you are already buying a car for over 50K pounds. An example? Dsg at the same price of manual gearbox. Innovation is not such if it is not widespread.
 
Price policy to be reviewed. Next week I will collect my new Cali: I deliberately gave up some accessories such as led lights and 17 "or 18" alloy wheels due to prices too high compared to the market. I do not want to make the Germans richer than they are already. In my opinion they should offer option packages that make the top specs more convenient considering that you are already buying a car for over 50K pounds. An example? Dsg at the same price of manual gearbox. Innovation is not such if it is not widespread.
It was exactly the same for me in Spain. I had to trim the specifications due to price rises and the poor exchange rate.
 
...two things I'll be looking out for on a T7;
1) opening rear tailgate window a la marco polo. I'd love to have this opening out to a view especially when waking in the morning when sleeping downstairs.
2) revised parking brake - get rid of the (too large and restrictive) handbrake lever which blocks the seat swivel and replace it with a finger controlled parking brake on the dashboard that is auto releasing when pulling away like most new vehicles.
 
Cannot argue with much of that, but the Carbon Roof and Solar panels, well the Solar panels would have to be an option for those who want to carry roof boxes etc:.
Personally I can't see the additional complexity of a hot water system being worth the cost, not if you have a kettle.
Headlights will remain different for each model, to differentiate entry level upwards, unless LED lights become the norm regarding cost etc:
Apart from the Drivetrain, which will have to happen in time, the other items at present will add to the cost, so unless something drastic happens they might be options but certainly not standard eg: Roof/headlights water heating etc:.
I agree with most of what you have said although regarding the water heater, I really feel that VW should make the effort and provide this feature on all the Ocean models. After all, for the same money you can buy a top of the range motor home with every convenience including hot water. They are also provided on some after market Transporter based conversions. So IMO the Cali is lagging behind.
As to the cost, well if VW did provide a water heater they would probably provide it as an option in order to rinse yet more cash from their customers. However, I think that VW should be careful as IMO they may be very close to the very top end of what the average buyer would be prepared to pay for a Cali. I maybe wrong but there may already be signs that demand is no longer outstripping supply. The VW Commercial web site is currently showing around seventy Calis for sale where only a few months ago you would be lucky to find a dozen!
 
Remember that this is a commercial vehicle and as such will have tried and tested equipment for that purpose
 
...two things I'll be looking out for on a T7;
1) opening rear tailgate window a la marco polo. I'd love to have this opening out to a view especially when waking in the morning when sleeping downstairs.
Not much use if you want the , as some would say, iconic tailgate Bicycle Rack.

Maybe as an option, but might limit its resale audience.
 
I love your idea of a modular Cali. Just buy the base vehicle with a single drivers' seat and add modules. A choice of a toilet module, single or double front passenger seat, for example. The different possible configurations are mind blowing.


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The view that the Cali is at the peak of it's "price range" is so subjective.

VW are probably not making much more margin on something that sells in low thousands to something that sells in millions. Just look at all the converters that for all their low scale, homespun technology, cannot match a Cali on like-for-like price. I just got very involved in a discussion on buying a Jerba until I realised it's "Cali - like" price was for a 102 engine!

A campervan is inverted camper logic. Size does matter but in an inverse way. A premium is worth paying on being able to go anywhere.

I am on a website that is devoted to "Where NOT to camp". One of those places is where I am camping next week. Oh sing! It has a height barrier! no problem for Albert.

VW can sell the Cali for the price that they do because nothing does the job quite like it. A supremely well designed pocket-rocket that can go anywhere, is as tough as old boots, that can live to it's 4WD rugged reputation, offering comfort for 4 if you are prepared to accept compromises, ..... nothing like it on the planet.

If you are a camper then you accept compromises and in terms of compromise the Cali is off the planet.
 
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The view that the Cali is at the peak of it's "price range" is so subjective.

VW are probably not making much more margin on something that sells in low thousands to something that tells in millions. Just look at all the converters that for all their low scale, homespun technology, cannot match a Cali on like-for-like price. I just got very involved in a discussion on buying a Jerba until I realised it's "Cali - like" price was for a 102 engine!

A campervan is inverted camper logic. Size does matter but in an inverse way. A premium is worth paying on being able to go anywhere.

I am on a website that is devoted to "Where NOT to camp". One of those places is where I am camping next week. Oh poo! It has a height barrier! no problem for Albert.
You are right of course GJ. My views on current Cali prices are subjective.......at the moment.
However, if the aforementioned current glut of Calis on the VW Commercial network continues then we just might see VW Cali pricing start to plateau or possibly even drop, although I am not holding my breath. There should at the very least be some healthy discounts on offer at the dealers as they are still going to want to shift all of that stock.
The recent press reports that UK car sales in general have fallen in the last six months may also now be showing in new Cali sales. I suspect the uncertainty over Brexit, nasty dirty diesel engines and the new VED regime will not be helping matters. It will be interesting how things pan out. Anyway, regardless of how few Calis VW make and their margins on those vehicles, the numbers of potential buyers will ebb away if their prices continue on up and up.
 
I think it's important that we remember that a pretty standard 204 DSG kombi highline is over 35k on the road and that's literally just a van.

Yes another 20k on top to make it a camper sounds like a lot but it does come with a good amount of extra 'stuff' for the money, with some of it being in the £1000s. Then factor in the specialist build production line costs etc, it all seems reasonably ok to me.

I still don't like the thought of the 3% price rise though!
 
The recent press reports that UK car sales in general have fallen in the last six months may also now be showing in new Cali sales.
Maybe in the UK but not elsewhere. Here's a translation of a recent French article:

After a new record of delivery in 2016 (12 887 units), Volkswagen hopes to reach over 16 000 copies in 2017 and thus set a new record with more than 25% increase from one year to another.

VW has no reason whatsoever to lower their prices in the near future!
(Full French article: http://www.fourgonlesite.com/actualite-fourgon/1576-record-en-vue-pour-le-vw-california)
 
You are right of course GJ. My views on current Cali prices are subjective.......at the moment.
However, if the aforementioned current glut of Calis on the VW Commercial network continues then we just might see VW Cali pricing start to plateau or possibly even drop, although I am not holding my breath. There should at the very least be some healthy discounts on offer at the dealers as they are still going to want to shift all of that stock.
The recent press reports that UK car sales in general have fallen in the last six months may also now be showing in new Cali sales. I suspect the uncertainty over Brexit, nasty dirty diesel engines and the new VED regime will not be helping matters. It will be interesting how things pan out. Anyway, regardless of how few Calis VW make and their margins on those vehicles, the numbers of potential buyers will ebb away if their prices continue on up and up.

There is a lot of uncertainty, no doubt. I'm also sure that as we enter into 2018 we will start to see what we saw in 2014 .... the wait for the next model, especially with the rumours of a hybrid T7 coming along around 2020.

Very interesting times. For me that wants a DSG 4 Motion there is no competition around. A conversion is just as expensive and the MP does not have a 4WD option in the UK, in fact it doesn't have much of anything in the UK at present.

so my choices boil down to "Do I want a camper" and if yes, pay the price, which I think is the choice facing many. I do agree though there has to be a ceiling. I'm not sure that we have reached it yet.
 
I'd like them to fit an odour free night heater. I had a complaint about the smell from mine and had to turn it off. Took it to VW and they say there is nothing wrong with it and the smell is normal.
 
I think it's important that we remember that a pretty standard 204 DSG kombi highline is over 35k on the road and that's literally just a van.

Yes another 20k on top to make it a camper sounds like a lot but it does come with a good amount of extra 'stuff' for the money, with some of it being in the £1000s. Then factor in the specialist build production line costs etc, it all seems reasonably ok to me.

I still don't like the thought of the 3% price rise though!
Well as GJ has said my view on pricing is subjective. However, with those regular price rises nudging an Ocean closer and closer to the 70k mark. Will you still think that is reasonable?
 
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Maybe in the UK but not elsewhere. Here's a translation of a recent French article:

After a new record of delivery in 2016 (12 887 units), Volkswagen hopes to reach over 16 000 copies in 2017 and thus set a new record with more than 25% increase from one year to another.

VW has no reason whatsoever to lower their prices in the near future!
(Full French article: http://www.fourgonlesite.com/actualite-fourgon/1576-record-en-vue-pour-le-vw-california)
I agree that it is only the UK that has seen a recent reduction in car sales, maybe for the reasons that I have stated. However, IF they start to see a reduction in Cali sales in the UK, VW will have three choices:
1. Sit on their hands and do nothing.
2. Reduce prices or offer incentives like they did after the emissions crisis hit.
3. Stop selling Calis in the UK.
IMO, of the three options number two is how most businesses would approach a similar situation at least initially. It's only the principles of supply and demand in operation.

However, my views on current Cali sales and prices might turn out to be wrong.
 
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