In conclusion, it appears that bringing the California to the United States would be an expensive venture for VW that would almost certainly not yield a profit. In other words, there hasn’t actually been a chance to miss, despite how it appears from our vantage point. To answer the question of why VW appeared to be courting America with it by allowing the automotive press to drive it across California, the answer is simple: VW corporate intended to introduce the California in the state it was named after.
According to Mark Gillies, chief of communications for VW of America, “Germany wanted to unveil the car in California because of the “California” nameplates, so they had their PR effort here.” “When they were finished, we asked if we could keep the cars for a while and, just for fun, we put some journalists inside. That’s all there is to it; we made a point of emphasizing that there were no plans to import the car.”
The California 6.1 is clearly not coming to America, but things don’t have to be hopelessly gloomy. Given that the largest obstacle has been overcome and VW has confirmed that its electric van, the ID Buzz, will be sold in the United States, there may yet be hope for pop-top electric vans.
In This Article...
A VW van is available in the US.
In other words, you can’t buy a VW camper van in the United States because Volkswagen doesn’t believe its cars have a strong enough market. They don’t believe they could make enough money from the sale of camper vans to pay for the expense of bringing them here.
It would take a long time to go through the lengthy process with the federal government and there are no manufacturing facilities set up to construct their camper vans. Volkswagen now finds it to be unprofitable to manufacture camper vans here in the United States.
How long will it take to get a brand-new VW California?
Those of us who have lived in California for a while are well aware of the lengthy wait periods for a Cali. It’s the subject that gets the most discussion on the boards. Nearly every day, worried clients compare the dates of their orders in an effort to determine when they will ultimately accept delivery. In an effort to estimate how much of their agonizing wait is left before it shows up at the dealership for eager customers, some even follow the shipping channels and argue over how high or low the container ships are sitting in the sea.
The pandemic-fueled massive interest in the VW California range has increased lead times and wait times for the vehicle to previously unheard-of levels. Now, it is reasonable to anticipate a 12-month wait time or longer for your just ordered VW California.
VW does appear to be addressing this problem, but it sounds very much like a backup plan!
In an announcement in September 2021 VW made a press release which covers their production roadmap.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ works council chair, Bertina Murkovic, stated: “We have now decided on the investment for a future of high utilization levels in Hannover and good strategic prospects for the VWCV brand after being disappointed by Porsche’s rejection of the Hannover site.
Says Dr. Carsten Intra “We are expanding Hannover into a multi-brand, high-tech location while also expanding our own line of commercial vehicle models. Additionally, we’re making investments in the long-term growth of our popular California model line, ensuring the jobs of the men and women who work at the Hannover plant.
Our success is Porsche’s loss. Hopefully, VW will follow through on these statements by increasing production of the VW California line, at the very least the models that are presently produced in Hannover, the Ocean and Beach. Recently, the Coast model was eliminated from the lineup. Sorry for anybody who has been patiently waiting for their 600s and 680s; the Grand California is now being manufactured in Poland.
A VW California camper may be purchased in Canada.
One of the rare automakers that has succeeded in making icons both inside and outside the automotive industry is Volkswagen. Since its introduction in 1947, the VW Type II van has come to represent any nomadic tribe of independent people as both a vehicle and a place to call home. Its independent spirit and straightforward construction have enabled it to not only endure but also solidify itself as a representative of the counterculture movement of the 1960s and a legendary camping item. These German vans, which offer what seems like limitless possibilities, have evolved into symbols as well as functional vehicles. And that legacy is still present today.
Your humble scribe recently spent three days in Canada driving the brand-new Volkswagen camper van, the T6.1 California Ocean, around the southern half of Nova Scotia. During this trip, he traveled over 400 miles of countryside and rustic shoreline with pine trees lining the coastlines. Despite the fact that VW sent us to this coastal province in Canada to test drive a van named after the son of the state famous for its boxy Vee-Dubs, neither Canadians nor Californians may own one because it isn’t available in the region. It appears like Volkswagen merely wanted us to be aware of what we were lacking.
Will the VW T7 California be produced?
After the T6 Transporter was introduced in 2015, a new model of the VW California was introduced to replace the T5 model. The grille, headlights, and wing mirrors have all undergone significant redesigns on later generations. The T6 Ocean, the T6 Coast, and the T6 Beach were the three equipment tiers in this lineup.
The VW California T6.1 was released in September 2019 as part of ongoing updates by VW. This had newly designed internal cabinets and a front. The earlier Ocean & Coast versions’ delicate concertina-style tambour doors were swapped out with more durable solid doors. The steering saw the most significant alterations. VW fully replaced the system with an electronic fly-by-wire installation, giving the steering a lighter feel and enabling the introduction of more driver assistance functions like lane assist and cross-wind aid.
Volkswagen will release two new California models in 2025. The first is the new T7, which was introduced in the middle of 2021 and is marketed as the Multivan in Europe. However, Volkswagen declared that the California version will not be produced because it is too short. Instead, it will be built on the ID Buzz, a brand-new all-electric people carrier based on the original T1 minivan. Long wheel base, or LWB, vehicles are the only ones available for the ID Buzz California. The Buzz will be available in the same forms as the California Beach, California Coast, or California Ocean variants from earlier.
What factory makes VW California?
According to Eckhard Scholz, chairman of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, “We could barely write or continue this story of a legend’s achievement in any other way: since 100,000 vehicles also imply 100,000 clients enjoying their goal of independence, travel, and fun with the California.” The California is the most well-known and successful mobile home of its kind, making it a classic among camping and recreational vehicles.
Around 300 people work in three shifts at the nearly 13,000 square meter Hannover facility where Volkswagen manufactures the California. The common T6 vans are transported to Limmer by truck and hand-fitted with popular Californian customization options on the inside and outside, including pop-up roofs.
Ironically, although the California costs 39,651 to purchase on the road in the UK, purchasers who really reside in California are unable to purchase the camper because it is not sold there. The car itself won’t see any alterations from VW during the next couple of years, but an electric variant based on the ID Buzz concept will be made available in 2022.
Will the VW California be hybrid?
A brand-new Volkswagen California camper van will be built using the newest T7 Multivan as its platform.
However, don’t anticipate this to appear significantly different from the typical T7 Multivan. It will have the same headlamps, bumpers, and possible two-tone paint scheme, as shown in these exclusive illustrations, but will undoubtedly gain from a new pop-up roof and side-mounted awning.
Volkswagen might install the same plug-in hybrid technology in the upcoming T7 California as it does in the T7 Multivan.
What Car? says…
Given that it can be traced back to adaptations of the original 1950 Type 2 Transporter, it should come as no surprise that the Volkswagen California is the first type that comes to mind when camper vans are mentioned.
Naturally, since then, a few things have changed, and the current T6 California has advanced internationally. It now only has an automatic transmission, but buyers who wish to be prepared for the customary Glastonbury mud bath can choose four-wheel drive.
A VW California coast is what?
The brand-new Volkswagen T6.1 California Coast is every bit the contemporary compact motorhome you would hope for. The T6.1 California Coast, a more opulent variation of the Beach, can accommodate four persons for seating and sleeping. has a larger kitchen and a lifting roof that is manually controlled.
You will find a haven of peace while driving the California Coast. All the elements that make driving and traveling even more comfortable and safe are visible at a glance. With the California, the holiday mood is present from the very first kilometer. With a novel technique, the windshield can be totally obscured at night.
Prepare a great lunch quickly after a thrilling ride. You can do it in the Coast of California’s upscale kitchen. It has a lovely “Whitewood” appearance and includes a two-burner stove with piezo ignition and a lovely glass cover, 35-liter solution and recovery tanks, a 42-liter compressor chiller that cools when it’s hot, and more. A sandwich structure made of aluminum was used to build the kitchen. Strong, lightweight material that doesn’t ratchet when being driven.
The T6.1 California’s architecture and space utilization are the result of a decade’s worth of motorhome construction expertise. Living and storage space are balanced in the ideal way.
The comfort dashboard is included with the California Coast T6.1. More rest is guaranteed on board thanks to beautiful materials and better insulation. Armrests and lumbar support are features of the comfort seats. The windows of the cabin also have blackout curtains, excluding the living area.
The procedures used in the California Coast and all other Volkswagen campers like the Beach and Ocean are just one aspect of a Volkswagen’s longevity. Environmental protection and energy conservation are given top importance during the production process.
offered from38.457 (excl. VAT). Our beginning costs assume a 5-speed manual transmission with 110 horsepower. All costs include delivery fees; you can opt for pick-up near a Dutch airport with insured license plates or have it delivered to your house. The car can then be registered in your nation after paying any applicable local sales taxes and registration fees.
Will the VW ID buzz be sold in the United States?
The VW ID.Buzz electric minibus’s beginning price in Europe has been announced by Volkswagen, and it is far higher than anticipated. In the UK, it starts at 57,115 pounds, or $72,000 USD.
The production version of the VW ID.BUZZ, a new take on the legendary VW minibus reinvented as a more opulent electric van but with hints at the old classic, was eventually shown by VW in March after years of expectation.
It has a sizable 82 kWh battery pack that provides a range of more than 200 miles with a variety of seat arrangements. The primary omission following the March launch was the cost.
It was quite encouraging to read claims that the electric minibus could be started for less than $50,000, but it turns out that those estimates were unreliable.
VW has announced that pre-booking for the ID.Buzz in the UK begins at 57,115:
It is equivalent to around $72,000 in US dollars. If taxes are included in the price, which they probably are, the cost would be closer to $60,000 before taxes. In either case, it exceeds expectations in a big way.
The ID.Buzz’s first deliveries are anticipated in Europe during the third quarter; deliveries to North America won’t start until 2023.