New Volkswagen California Camper Van Revealed

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off the new California camper van that brings a home away from home for the traveller in you. The VW California gets its name from the East Coast state in the US, though, for now it will only be sold in Europe. It gets a host of seating configurations, additional features, and a pop-up roof, making it the ideal modern-day camper van.

The new Volkswagen California 6.1 gets a boxy design with sliding rear doors to maximise space. The model is offered in five variants - Beach, Beach Tour, Beach Camper, Coast and Ocean. The base variant gets a six-seater layout with a 2+2 configuration in the second and third rows. Move to Beach Tour and above and the camper van gets swivelling front seats, lighting in the pop-up roof, and sliding windows in the rear doors. There’s also a 5-inch control screen on the C-pillar that will give you all the information including the camping functions, heating and lighting systems, and water levels.

For those who like adventure on the move, the Beach Camper knocks off the last row in favour of an extremely compact mini kitchen that comprises a single gas burner, a cutlery drawer, and additional storage space. The Coast variant builds on this further with a four-seater layout and adds a larger kitchenette comprising cabinets, a sink, a refrigerator, and a single-burner stovetop. Finally, the Ocean variant makes everything fancier with more premium materials, heated front seats, more storage space on the roof and an auxiliary heater.

The new California is based on the long-wheelbase Volkswagen Multivan. It’s now 269 mm longer and 41 mm wider than its predecessor, liberating more cabin room. There are several engines available right from the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol to the 2.0-litre diesel. A plug-in hybrid option that uses the 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor has also been added.

The new California will go on sale in Europe from June 2024. Chances are slim that the camper van will make its way to other markets, especially India.