"I would not be doing my job at Volkswagen properly if I was not thinking of bringing back the Camper" said Volkswagen's design chief Klaus Bischoff, in an exclusive interview with Auto Express at the LA Auto Show.

Bischoff also revealed that plans to launch the Microbus concept, revealed at the 2001 Detroit Motor Show, were called off on cost - rather than a lack of public demand.

"At the feasibility stage, it was decided not to do the project on cost."

Plans are now back on the drawing board, but key questions remain to be answered before a concept is shown publicly.

"The key question is 'what sort of car should we build?' It could be a traditional MPV, with a conventional interior, or we could be much bolder, designing a more flexible, versatile machine - perhaps one that is closer in spirit to the original model. It is not yet decided."

"However, this is very much a European project, and we are working with our design teams in California and across the rest of the world to help us build a car with global influences."

Details on the car's engineering remain scarce, but news that the model is still at an early stage means that it's unlikley any concept will be shown before 2012.

However, this is very much a European project

The Volkswagen Transporter, or Microbus (if you’re American), or Bulli (if you’re German), was only the second-ever model to come from the automaker, even though it helped create the van segment with its introduction in 1950. This small van has soldiered on for over six decades, selling on continents across the globe – but the design is quite dated, and Volkswagen believes it has created a replacement suitable for a vehicle with such a rich heritage.

Some of you may recall that VW actually introduced a concept known as the Microbus in 2001, but the automaker says that the timing and technology wasn’t right then, but it believes the time is now and the new Bulli concept is the answer for today.

Just as the original Microbus appealed to the Earth-loving crowds in the 1960s, the latest take on the people mover will likely do the same, thanks to the fact that it is an electric vehicle with zero tailpipe emissions. VW says the Bulli concept is capable of traveling up to 186.4 miles on a single electric charge thanks to a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery.

In terms of output, the Bulli concept produces 114 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque from an electric motor, allowing it to scoot up to six people around at speeds up to 87 miles per hour. Acceleration isn’t exactly brisk, but it isn’t terrible either given the context, with zero-to-62 miles per hour taking 11.5 seconds.

VW also realizes that the mass adoption of electric vehicles is still some time away, so it developed the Bulli to be capable of accepting gas or direct-injected diesel engines, with either 1.0- or 1.4-liter displacements.

Bulli dimensions
The VW Bulli concept measures 156 inches in total length, with 68.4 inches of width and a height of 66 inches. VW points out that the original Microbus was longer and taller, but was also narrower than the modern interpretation. While we’re covering measurements, note that the wheelbase comes in at 102 inches, with the track width coming in at 54 inches.

If there is one thing that the original Transport/Microbus/Bulli had going for it, it was its iconic, tried-and-true style that literally carried on virtually unchanged for decade after decade. When VW decided to recreate and revive this bus, it realized the homage it must pay to the original design, and created a vehicle that is as decidedly modern as it is classic.

For example, the Bulli example shows off the two-tone paint found on many of the original vans, with the “V” of the front fascia clearly in-tact. While the totally flat front has been axed in favor of a safer, more aerodynamic shape, the Bulli does as faithful a job as one could to still deliver that original, simple design, albeit with more defined and sharp modern lines.

From the side, the Bulli shares an uncanny resemblance to the latest-generation Scion xB, although the Scion has a notably longer hood.

Up front and out back VW utilizes low-energy consumption LED lighting, and decidedly simplistic designs.

What about the interior?
For starters, the Bulli uses a seating arrangement that technically allows up to six occupants, but realistically will seat four large adults, and possibly two children. The overall interior design is particularly simplistic, although VW did decide to go a bit high-tech and utilized an Apple iPad (removable) for its touch-screen to control functions like the Bluetooth hands-free phone functions and the navigation system.

Running the distance of the roof is a panoramic glass sunroof, along with a trick audio system with branding by Fender – a common partner in recent VW products.

Finding a blend between form and function, VW also designed the interior to accommodate the transport of cargo, as much as 1,600 liters worth, with the rear bench seat stowed and the front seats folded down with the 2/3rds split.

As expected, the modernization of the Transporter has forced the end of some key aspects of the original car, such as the flat front fascia and rear-engine and rear-wheel drive, but overall VW seems to have down a faithful job as modernizing a classic design to properly incorporate modern safety and technology.

The overall interior design is particularly simplistic, although VW did decide to go a bit high-tech and utilized an Apple iPad (removable) for its touch-screen to control functions like the Bluetooth hands-free phone functions and the navigation system.

Volkswagen Microbus 2015 is ready to show its new model of microbus until the last 10 years ago VW shows off microbus segment. This car will be built in Europe and would become the competitor of Honda Adyddey, Nissan Quest, and also Toyota Sienna. The final motivation for this New VW Microbus is to maximize the investment in the group MQB “matrix” platform.

Volkswagen Microbus 2015 price will start from $25,000, but we expect it to be closer to $35,000.
Volkswagen Microbus 2015 Release Date is held in the fall of 2014 with sales beginning in 2015.

Interior, it is design in minimalist concept on 2015 Volkswagen Microbus. There are gauges and control group around the steering wheel and also pair of slim-section 3-passenger bench seats which can be folded to create a makeshift bed.




Volkswagen Microbus styled under VW Geoup design, Walter deSilva and also VW brand deputy, Klaus Bischoff. New VW design will show its characteristic, such as, a basic box with rounded lines, a bulldog nose with oversize VW logo, a gently curved windshield, a space-efficient wheels-at-the-corners stance, and 4 conventionally hinged side doors instead of rear sliders or the original T1 s dual French rear doors.

Volkswagen Microbus 2015 would be available with turbocharged, four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines; a hybrid is a strong possibility. VW said that the 2015 Volkswagen Microbus will be 3,200 pound curb weight would be running from 0 to 62 mph in 11.5 seconds with the power of 199 pound feet of torque. Further, 170 h 2.5 liter in five-cylinder, 200 hp 2.0 liter turbo-four and 140 hp 2.0 liter TDI turbodiesel-four will equipped by Front wheel Drive. The six-speed manual and six-speed automatic function are both available.

The Volkswagen Microbus will return as an electric vehicle, debuting at the CES tech extravaganza before heading into production, Autocar reports.

Volkswagen has teased various versions of the Microbus, or Kombi as it is known in its home market, dating back to the start of the century but has never pulled the trigger on a production version despite very favorable reactions to the concepts at auto shows. Until now.

According to Autocar, the concept that VW will exhibit at CES will be a close preview of the production version, which be built at the automaker's facility in Puebla, Mexico, starting in 2017. The production version is expected to use the battery tech from the Audi Q6 E-Tron quattro and the Audi R8 E-Tron, giving it a range of 250 to 310 miles on a full charge.

The Microbus is expected to feature all of the familiar design cues of the original model with one obvious departure: a slightly longer nose due to crash and pedestrian safety requirements. VW plans to keep the A-pillars on the production model as close to the front of the cabin as possible, while the driver and passenger may sit a little further back. In terms of size the Microbus will be smaller than the Mutivan, something that was expected with the debut of the Bulli concept which was said to be a close preview of a production version; VW will position the Microbus as a "lifestyle" vehicle rather than one focused on a high passenger (interpret that as you wish) count. Other than that, the Microbus is expected to keep its boxy design and use plenty of classic design features.

VW won't abandon gas or diesel engines: The production model is expected to be offered with fossil-fuel burning powerplants as well, for late adopters. Expect to see turbocharged four-cylinder engines powering the more authentic versions of the new MPV.

The new Microbus is also expected to serve as a platform for VW's latest connectivity and autonomous driving features -- hence its debut at CES -- though the automaker is keeping a tight lid on those features.

News of the Microbus' return as an electric vehicle date back to this year's New York Auto Show, where VW execs hinted that the Bulli concept would come back with the company's EV tech.

We have already seen the production version of the VW ID. Buzz thanks to spy photographers and readers that share pictures of the prototypes with us. However, those paying attention to the live presentation of the VW ID.5 were rewarded with an official glimpse of what the electric version of the VW Bus will be.
6 photos

We have seen it thanks to Lei Xing, one of the journalists behind the “China EVs & More” podcast (you can listen to it on Spotify). Xing shared the picture above on Twitter, and it seems it has gone unnoticed by most media outlets so far.

The prototype presents the same sort of disguise that previous ID family members presented. With the ID. Buzz, the psychedelic camo reminds us of the 1960s that gave the original car its fame and part of its good fortune in the American market.

With such a short hood, nobody will complain about the fact that the ID. Buzz will not have a frunk: that was more than expected. The rear-view mirrors and the lateral sliding doors show it will be way more conventional than the concept car that made many people drool at IAA 2017.

Considering it will be built over the MEB platform, we would expect it to have the same battery packs as other vehicles, especially the larger ones. We’d bet the ID. Buzz will have the 77-kWh unit of usable capacity (82-kWh total) that the ID.4 and the ID.5 present. It could even be more significant than that, but Volkswagen would probably prefer to keep the exact sizes to reach higher production scales.

When the ID. Buzz starts to be produced in Chattanooga in 2022, it will also be manufactured in Hannover, Germany. Sales in the U.S. alone should make Volkswagen more than happy if the chip shortage does not postpone the plans, as it has been doing with multiple manufacturers and models.

Volkswagen is testing its ID.Buzz electric minivan in the arctic circle this week, as evidenced by these new spy photos of a prototype wearing virtually no camouflage. While this is not the first time we've seen an ID.Buzz prototype without its front or rear ends covered, this passenger model sports windows for the second and third (we assume; more on that below) rows, giving us a glimpse of what to expect from the family variant of VW's spiritual successor to the Microbus.

Unfortunately, despite the visible rear greenhouse on this prototype, we can see only two rows of seats, so there's nothing here to clue us in as to how the ID.Buzz's passenger cabin will be arranged. Previous rumors have pointed to some potentially wacky seating arrangements (potentially including a rear-facing row) but a lot of that will ultimately be determined by which wheelbases Volkswagen chooses to offer in each of the ID.Buzz's eventual markets.

Early rumors suggested that the United States will get only a long-wheelbase version to be positioned as a premium vehicle with some rugged pretensions. Whether we'll get an eight-passenger version out of it remains to be seen. Regardless of how long VW chooses to cut this particular sausage, it is expected be sold in rear- and all-wheel-drive variants, likely making 201 and 295 horsepower respectively. The commercial version we've seen previously is not expected to be sold in the U.S. Additional details, like driving range and pricing information should be revealed closer to the EV's unveiling in 2022.

Volkswagen is testing its ID.Buzz electric minivan in the arctic circle this week, as evidenced by these new spy photos of a prototype wearing virtually no camouflage. While this is not the first time we've seen an ID.Buzz prototype without its front or rear ends covered, this passenger model sports windows for the second and third (we assume; more on that below) rows, giving us a glimpse of what to expect from the family variant of VW's spiritual successor to the Microbus.

The production VW ID.Buzz electric van will be officially revealed in just over a month. But we're getting an early peek at the inside of the Buzz, since it appears someone was snapping photos of the van from earlier teasers (the one with the rainbow-stripe camouflage). The photos come to us from the forum VW ID Talk, and they give us an impressively clear look at the cabin. We definitely approve of the color scheme.

The standout feature of this van is the orange and off-white upholstery. It's all cloth, and the orange inserts are further highlighted by geometric top stitching. The seats also have "ID." embroidered in the backs in the contrasting white hue. There's also orange trim on the dashboard and the doors.

The seats are laid out with typical captains' chairs up front, and a three-across bench in the rear. Interestingly, this particular van appears to be a two-row model, as there are no seatbelts for a third row, and the rear platform doesn't seem to be hiding seats. Those rear platforms allow for a flat load floor with the second-row seats folded. It's not clear if the second-row seats are removable. The second row does at least slide and recline. They also have little van silhouettes molded in the side plastic. The rear platforms appear to be removable so that taller items can fit upright. We imagine that with the platforms in place and the rear seats down, this would be a great layout for setting up some kind of mattress for camping.

The dashboard looks extremely similar to the design used in the ID.4. There's a hexagonal instrument cluster ahead of the steering wheel that houses a screen for information. A large touchscreen stands proud of the dash in the center. The extra height of the van is put to use by incorporating flip-out cupholders below the air vents. The pedals have the pause and play symbols for the brake and throttle, just like the first editions of the ID.4. That, as well as the power seat controls, leave us thinking this is a fairly high-spec Buzz.

These interior shots also give us a hint at the exterior. The door jambs reveal that this Buzz has a two-tone paint scheme. The top is white, and the lower half is metallic orange.

We think this color scheme is really going to pop and show off the Buzz in the best possible way. We can't wait to see it, but indeed, we must. At least we'll only be waiting until March 9.

Volkswagen is betting big on nostalgia with the upcoming ID. Buzz. We knew it way back in 2017 when it pulled the cover off the two-tone concept car with a California beach as the backdrop. Five years on, I’m finally getting the chance to get behind the wheel of a pre-production ID. Buzz. Above all, I hoped to figure out if this electric van that we’ve heard so much about will actually tug at American heartstrings like the company thinks it will.

A 45-minute driving stint with a shrouded interior and minimal specs was not enough to answer that looming question, unfortunately. But with new information and a day up close with this pre-pro model, it seems like the Buzz may be more of a utilitarian product than an emotional one.

Anyone with even the smallest sense of humor can appreciate a giant rainbow-wrapped van running around narrow British roads in broad daylight. Volkswagen elected to let me drive the Protobuzz (unofficial name) at its UK headquarters in Milton Keynes, about an hour outside of London. This quaint town apparently has more roundabouts than any other in all of Europe – a fact that became much less exciting when I realized I would be driving a German-spec car on the “wrong” side of the road. At least fellow motorists could see me coming.

After a few gentle reminders from my passenger/chaperone to please make it back in one piece, the van and I silently set out on a series of tight rural roads before hitting the highway. The first thing that hit me was just how unique the driving position is in the Buzz. Two tall windows behind the A-pillars and a long windshield overlooking a silly-short front overhang make for a wild view of the road. It’s fun – and it just might invoke some association with Buzz's gas-powered ancestor.

However, that kinship ends with one prod of the go pedal. There’s enough potential energy to make me utter the phrase “Hey, not bad for a van.” In more precise terms that means 204 horsepower and 221 pound-feet from a 77.0 kilowatt-hour battery – figures that match the ID.4.

Acceleration from zero starts strong and tapers off quickly as the torque wave starts to run out. But for anyone getting into the Buzz from a lifetime of driving a combustion-powered vans, this should be a happy upgrade. I’m curious to see how much a full passenger load will negatively affect the Buzz’s desire to move, but that remains to be seen.

On-site engineers confirmed that the US version will have unique suspension tuning, so take it with a grain of salt when I say the Buzz felt a bit stiffer than it should. While there was a healthy amount of travel over speed bumps, the damping could use a tweak to make the ride quality more comfortable for a family vehicle. That said, it’s not uncommon for a Euro-spec car to feel stiffer than its American counterpart.

In the last few miles of the drive, I tried to test out the brakes and regeneration with different amounts of force. There are D and B modes just like in the ID.4 to dictate how much regen takes place, with the latter mode working as the one-pedal driving solution. I prefer aggressive regen in an EV, so it was pleasing to feel the Buzz slow down rapidly the moment I lifted off the accelerator. The few times it was necessary to engage the actual brakes, they felt more than up to the task, even with drums at the rear.

After the driving stint and a brief walkaround tour for our YouTube channel, VW provided a tech debrief on the Buzz. There are still big questions to be answered, but for anyone who has followed this project closely over time, there is new information to report.

I mentioned that the battery specs for this prototype aligned exactly with the base ID.4, prompting the question of what comes next for ID. Buzz. As for dual-motor and bigger battery options down the road, Volkswagen engineers chose not to speculate, but they didn’t rule out the possibility of either happening at some point. Given their coy gestures, a bigger battery Buzz seems all but certain, as does a more powerful version with all-wheel-drive.


We can expect the initial Buzzs on offer in the states to mirror the ID.4’s peak charging rate of 135 kilowatts on a level two charger. VW will also offer plug and charge capability at Electrify America stations, eliminating the need to use your phone to set up the charging session upon arrival. Or as a VW rep put it more simply, “just plug it in and walk away.”

Official charge times and EPA-rated range will come months from now, and nobody from the company dared to make a concrete prediction on either. Given the ID.4’s 249-mile range, the Buzz pulling off something over 200 doesn’t feel outrageous.
Considering how long it’s been since we saw that initial concept car, it’s funny to think that the ID. Buzz is still in its early stages. As confirmed by VW CEO Herbert Diess, our first chance to see the production van sans camo will happen on March 9th. That will also be the first time we see the long wheelbase version, which is the only configuration headed to the US. Volkswagen reps didn’t have an exact timeframe but said that the ID. Buzz will go on sale in the US in 2024, after Europe gets it.

A play on nostalgia is potentially a good thing, but my hope is that VW leans all the way in. Bring us a camper van version, bring us all the two-tone paint schemes, bring us glass skylights and panoramic sunroofs (canvas or otherwise). And while the company is at it, make sure the ID. Buzz’s EV credentials and dynamic behavior are top-notch. If those dream specs become reality, it seems to me that the Buzz will have a much better chance at connecting with customers.

Volkswagen is creating a buzz around the production version of the I.D.Buzz concept, which is called ID.Buzz (minus the concept part, get it?). After showing camouflaged prototypes for months, the Wolfsburg-based company has released the first official images of what the van looks like on the inside.

In its standard configuration, the Buzz will offer room for up to five passengers and about 40 cubic feet of cargo space. Buyers will have seven single-tone and four two-tone color options to choose from. We're told that some draw inspiration from the upholstery choices that were available on the split-window Bus that entered production on March 8, 1950. And, the two-tone options will match the paint; vans ordered in, say, orange and white will be available with orange and white upholstery. It's not full-on retro, but it's a nod to heritage.

Volkswagen chose not to make the ID.Buzz available with leather. It replaced the material with other fabrics, including a type of cloth made from recycled products that's fitted to the seat covers, the floor coverings, and the headliner. The steering wheel's rim is polyurethane.

Several Easter eggs are scattered throughout the Buzz, including outlines of its silhouette etched into some of the interior plastics (like on the trim at the base of the second-row seats). Designers also integrated an ice scraper and a bottle opener into the cabin. On a secondary level, Volkswagen's photos also suggest that the Buzz will be as spacious as you'd assume considering its box-like proportions. It looks like five passengers can travel aboard in relative comfort. The list of tech features that the van will be available with hasn't been released yet, but leaked images published in January 2022 show a small, digital instrument cluster and an infotainment screen not unlike the ID.4's.

Autoblog recently traveled to England to spend time behind the wheel of a pre-production prototype. Built on the modular MEB platform, the ID.Buzz rides on an 82-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that zaps a rear-mounted electric motor rated at 201 horsepower. It stretches 185.5 inches long, 80 inches wide, and 76.3 inches tall, and its driving range checks in at around 250 miles on the European testing cycle.

Volkswagen will unveil the ID.Buzz and the ID.Buzz Cargo online on March 9. Keep in mind that neither model will be sold in America; we'll get a long-wheelbase variant of the people-carrying Buzz that will make its debut in the coming months. Deliveries should begin in 2024.