VW California
The VW California is a motorhome based on the VW bus , which was introduced in 1989 based on the T3 . Up to and including the following version based on the T4 , Westfalia was responsible for upgrading the vehicles. Since 2004, Autovision's California production facility in Hanover, a wholly owned subsidiary of VW, has been expanding the California itself based on the T5 .
history
At the caravan salon in Essen in 1988, VW presented a motorhome that was no longer sold under the Westfalia fit-out brand. VW has been practicing this successfully for several years on the US market; The basis was the Joker model from Westfalia, which was called Vanagon Camper in the USA . The relationship to the Vanagon Camper is also documented in the use of the Vanagon logo on the rear of the California models. Volkswagen's idea was to save costs with a major order from Westfalia. Production took place at Westfalia in Rheda-Wiedenbrück .
After the introduction of the T5 and the takeover of Westfalia by DaimlerChrysler , VW-Nutzfahrzeuge decided to develop and produce a new motorhome itself. VW set up a production facility in Hanover-Limmer for production . There, the basic vehicles from the Volkswagen factory in Hanover are equipped with the mobile home equipment. The plant has a maximum capacity of 5000 vehicles per year. The California has been on the market since 2004 and, along with the rest of the T5, was given a facelift at the end of 2009.
The VW California XXL study based on the VW Crafter was presented at the IAA 2017 . The 6.2 m long vehicle has a standing height of 2.2 m. It offers sleeping space for four people and is equipped with underfloor heating. The production model VW Grand California went on sale in early 2019.
Furnishing
California (T3)
The vehicles were available with all the optional extras from the Transporter price list and with those from the separate California optional extras, provided that they did not collide with one another: The standard equipment features of the Westfalia Joker conversion were available for an extra charge on the first-generation California. The California was optionally equipped with a fixed high roof or a pop-up roof. Only pastel white and marsala red could be chosen as colors . The only upholstery material was lattice point velor in the color light gray , which was also available in the Vanagon Camper .
Due to the success of the California pilot project, other model series based on the same principle were also sold. For example the LT Florida , which emerged from the Sven Hedin , and the T3 Atlantic , which was further developed from the Club Joker .
Engines
| Displacement | power | transmission | fuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 l | 51 kW | 5-speed manual transmission | diesel |
| 1.9 l | 57 kW | 5-speed manual transmission, 3-speed automatic transmission | petrol |
| 2.1 l | 70 kW | 5-speed manual transmission, 3-speed automatic transmission (only 1990) | petrol |
| 2.1 l | 81 kW | 5-speed manual transmission (1989 only), 3-speed automatic transmission | petrol |
California (T4)
The motorhome was manufactured from 1991 to 2003. In general, there were different roof shapes. The most common were the high roof with a “nose” and the folding roof. These two versions had a total of four beds: two each in the roof area and two each in the living area, for which the rear bench seat had to be folded down. In addition, there was the so-called compact roof . This offered storage space and headroom in the vehicle, but no additional sleeping space. California with a compact roof are around 2.4 m high, California with a pop- up roof around 2 m.
In addition to the normal vehicle dimensions, there was also the variant with a long wheelbase. The Exclusive is the most common today . It was based on the extended wheelbase and had a fixed high alcove roof. The Exclusive replaced the California Club , which also had a long wheelbase and a fixed high roof. The club only existed with the short (older) front car (bonnet) and therefore not with TDI engines. In addition, there was also the California Tour with a long wheelbase for a short period of time , which, however, has a similar structure to a normal California.
Engines
| Displacement | cylinder | power | transmission | fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 l | 4th | 62 kW | 5-speed manual transmission | petrol |
| 2.5 l | 5 | 81/85 kW | 5-speed manual transmission, 4-speed automatic transmission | petrol |
| 2.8 l | 6th | 103 kW | 5-speed manual transmission, 4-speed automatic transmission | petrol |
| 2.8 l | 6th | 150 kW | 4-speed automatic transmission | petrol |
| 2.4 l | 5 | 55/57 kW | 5-speed manual transmission, 4-speed automatic transmission | diesel |
| 2.5 l | 5 | 65 kW | 5-speed manual transmission | diesel |
| 2.5 l | 5 | 75 kW | 5-speed manual transmission, 4-speed automatic transmission | diesel |
| 2.5 l | 5 | 111 kW | 5-speed manual transmission | diesel |
California (T5)
The California T5 was introduced in the Beach and Comfortline series, both models with the shorter wheelbase of the series. The Beach is more simply equipped and available for a lower basic price. A pop-up roof, in which a bed with slatted frame is housed, costs extra for the Beach . In the meantime, special models Biker , Sonora and NoLimit have been offered.
The Comfortline has a mobile home facility with several cupboards and storage compartments, a cool box, a cooking area with two-burner stove, a sink and a seating area. The two-seater bench can be folded down to form another bed. A table can be folded out and combined with the rotating front seats to form a seating group for four people. A camping table is stowed in the sliding door, which can be used outside of the vehicle with the two camping chairs in the tailgate. In contrast to its predecessor, the furniture is no longer made of MDF, but of an aluminum sandwich material that is finished with wood veneer. The pop-up roof with bed is part of the standard equipment of the Comfortline .
With the facelift of the T5 (T5-GP), the California also got the changed front from September 2009 (current VW family face), new engines and an optional 7-speed dual clutch transmission as well as the special model Europe .
California Europe (2009-2015)
Rear view
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Engines
Based on the T5 (2003-08 / 2009)
| Displacement | cylinder | power | transmission | fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 l | 4th | 85 kW | 5-speed manual transmission | petrol |
| 1.9 l | 4th | 75/77 kW | 5-speed manual transmission, automatic transmission | diesel |
| 2.5 l | 5 | 96 kW | 6-speed manual transmission, automatic transmission | diesel |
| 2.5 l | 5 | 128 kW | 6-speed manual transmission, automatic transmission | diesel |
Based on the T5-GP (09 / 2009-2015)
| engine | power | transmission | fuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 TDI | 75 kW | 5-speed | diesel |
| 2.0 TDI BlueMotion | 84 kW | 5-speed | diesel |
| 2.0 TDI | 103 kW | 6-speed (4MOTION), 7-speed DSG | diesel |
| 2.0 TDI | 132 kW | 6-speed (4MOTION), 7-speed DSG (4MOTION) | diesel |
| 2.0 TSI | 150 kW | 6-speed, 7-speed DSG (4MOTION) | petrol |
California (T6)
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Engines
| engine | power | transmission | fuel | consumption
[l / 100km] |
CO 2
[g / km] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0l TDI EU6 SCR BMT | 62 kW | 5-speed | diesel | 6.3 | 164 |
| 2.0l TDI EU6 SCR BMT | 75 kW | 5-speed | diesel | 6.3 | 164 |
| 2.0l TDI EU6 SCR BMT | 84 kW | 5-speed | diesel | 6.5 | 170 |
| 2.0l TDI EU6 SCR BMT | 110 kW | 6-speed (4MOTION), 7-speed (4MOTION) | diesel | 6.3-6.8 | 164-179 |
| 2.0l TDI EU6 SCR BMT | 146 kW | 6-speed (4MOTION), 7-speed (4MOTION) | diesel | 7.3-8.5 | 191-211 |
| 2.0l TDI EU6 SCR BMT | 150 kW | 6-speed (4MOTION), 7-speed (4MOTION) | diesel | 6.7-7.4 | 175-193 |
| 2.0l TSI EU6 BMT | 110 kW | 6-speed | petrol | 9.5 | 216 |
| 2.0l TSI EU6 BMT | 150 kW | 7-speed (4MOTION) | petrol | 9.3-9.6 | 214-219 |
- Valid for the equipment variant "Beach"
Equipment variants
The VW T6 California is available in the three versions "Beach", "Coast" and "Ocean". The main distinguishing features are the kitchen, the raising mechanism of the lifting roof and the glazing in the passenger compartment.
| variant | kitchen | Pop-up roof | glazing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beach | No | manually | Single glazing |
| Coast | Yes | manually | Single glazing |
| Ocean | Yes | electro-hydraulic | Double glazing |
Individual evidence
- ↑ YouTube - VW Volkswagen California XXL comes into production ?, September 16, 2017, accessed on September 28, 2017
- ↑ Dominic Vierneisel, Sophia Pfisterer, Lisa Geiger, Thomas Gerhardt: VW Grand California (2019): First photos and information about the production model. In: promobil.de. August 7, 2018, accessed August 7, 2018 .
- ↑ a b Information material <California <Models <Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Retrieved June 6, 2017 .
- ↑ Configurator <Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Retrieved June 6, 2017 .