Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: new California specifications announced

• Prices start at £63,376 OTR¹ with first customer deliveries from Winter 2024
• Legendary campervan is available with a TDI or TSI drive, with an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid to follow
• The premium campervan is curated in three highly-specified trims: Beach Camper, Coast, Ocean

Milton Keynes, UK, 8 October 2024 – Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has today announced the UK specifications for the new California campervan. Available initially with a turbocharged diesel (TDI) or petrol (TSI) engine, prices start from £63,376¹ On the Road (OTR).

The most versatile and innovative version yet of the brand’s most popular campervan, every aspect of the new California has been redesigned, making it smarter, more spacious and sophisticated – all while remaining true to the spirit of its iconic predecessors.

Customers will be able to order the new California later this month, with first customer deliveries in Winter 2024.

The new California has been designed to cater for every lifestyle and travel scenarios, curated in three highly-specified trims: Beach Camper, Coast and Ocean.

Once again, the new California range will be available in the iconic two-tone exterior colour scheme. Three distinctive combinations available include: Mono Silver/Energetic Orange metallic, Deep Black Pearl/Fontana Red metallic and Candy White solid/Starlight Blue metallic.

In addition, there are 11 single-tone colour finishes to choose from, while the pop-up roof’s three-layer bellows can be configured in the three colours – Toffee Brown, Glacier Blue and Basalt Grey. There are seven different alloy wheel styles with 16-, 17-, 18- and 19-inch diameter options all available.

Exceptional flexibility, enhanced travel
The new California now comes with two sliding side doors as standard, making it more flexible for everyday life. The sliding door on the driver’s side ensures comfortable and easy entry and exit. The second sliding door, on the passenger side, together with the completely redesigned kitchen and an external folding table, enables greater versatility for cooking and outdoor eating.

With this second sliding door, the new California offers a three-zone concept for campsites – with its large interior and the outside spaces to the right and left of the sliding doors, the new California merges indoors and outdoors to create a living space surrounded by nature.

All versions of the new California feature a pop-up roof with a front window that can be fully opened, as well as two additional side windows, all with mosquito nets.

The new California comes with removable individual seats in the rear (each weighing 24kg) instead of a rear bench seat. These lightweight individual seats can quickly and easily be moved or removed to accommodate larger items – especially useful for those looking to quickly switch from mobile office mode to leisure.

The new California also features a new 5-inch portrait touch display campervan control unit mounted in the C-pillar on the passenger side. Owners can use this feature to adjust the climate control in the passenger area, heating of the interior via the auxiliary heater, control of the ambient light (all around roof lining), and much more. Alternatively, these features can be operated via a corresponding in-car app on the infotainment system or the California app on a smartphone.

Occupants also benefit from two 45-watt USB-C ports at the front, and four in the passenger compartment, to ensure that mobile devices never run out of power.

Cutting edge technology and powertrains
All new California vehicles are based on the Volkswagen Group’s innovative modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform, on the current long-wheelbase version of the Multivan. As a result, it benefits from a wide range of driver assist systems that provide additional safety and comfort, including oncoming vehicle braking when turning function to Travel Assist, which offers semi-automated driving assistance for greater long-distance driving comfort.

Initial powertrain options include an efficient 150PS 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine and a high-torque 204PS 2.0-litre TSI petrol on Coast and Ocean variants. Both these engines drive the front wheels, feature a DSG automatic gearbox as standard and have a maximum trailer weight of up to 2,000kg.

With its MQB architecture, the new California will soon be available with an eHybrid plug-in hybrid drive for the first time. Featuring a combined output of 245 PS, this powerful and efficient powertrain combines an electric motor with a high-tech 1.5 TSI petrol engine that enables fully electric running for everyday use as well as a longer overall range and a maximum trailer weight of up to 1,600kg. This is also one of the first MQB models from the Volkswagen Group to combine a plug-in hybrid drive with the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.

Generous level of standard equipment
The California Beach Camper features a generous level of standard equipment, including:

• 16″ “Syracuse” Alloy wheels in silver; 17″ “Dundrod” Alloy wheels for eHybrid (only)
• Sliding doors on the left and right passenger compartments
• Multifunction leather steering wheel with paddle shifters
• Ready 2 Discover Infotainment System with 10″ Display
• App-Connect including App-Connect Wireless for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Voice Control Plus
• 2 USB-C ports at the front, 4 USB-C charging sockets in the passenger compartment 45W
• 230V inverter with socket on driver’s seat
• Air conditioning system with manual control, with auxiliary heater for passenger compartment
• Auxiliary pre-heater
• Mini kitchen
• Awning in black (housing and rail) left
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Anti-theft alarm system with interior surveillance, back-up horn and towing protection
• “Front Assist” with pedestrian and cyclist detection and emergency braking
• “Lane Assist” and Adaptive Cruise Control
• Central locking system with keyless start system, with safe lock
• Charging cable Mode 2 Type 2 ²
• Driver’s compartment: opaque curtain for windscreen and magnetic curtains for side cab windows
• For darkening of interior, roller blinds on sliding doors & tailgate, storage pocket for recesses between the C-D pillar
• 5-seater / 4-sleeper

In addition, the California Coast variant adds equipment including:

• 17″ “Dundrod” Alloy wheels in silver as standard
• Climatronic 3-zone air conditioning system
• Rear view camera
• Coast kitchen with outdoor folding table for cooking
• Electro-hydraulic elevating roof, with three windows
• Driver’s compartment: thermal blinds for the windscreen and side cab windows
• Outdoor shower connection
• “Park Assist” with front and rear parking sensors
• Two additional camping batteries (40Ah LiFePo)
• 4-seater / 4-sleeper

On top of this, the flagship of the new California range, California Ocean, adds equipment including:

• 18″ “Toshima” Alloy wheels in silver as standard
• Discover Pro Navigation System with 10″ display
• IQ. Light LED matrix headlights with LED daytime running lights
• Illuminated strip between the headlights
• Interior lighting concept with lighting in the pop-up roof, tailgate, ambient lighting around the kitchen cupboard, apron lighting on the sliding door entry.
• Ambient lighting available in 30 colours
• Ocean kitchen with outdoor folding table for cooking and roof storage box
• Seat heating for both seats in the driver’s cab, left and right separately adjustable
• Camper parking heater for continuous operation, including heating and ventilation, with a radio remote control for windscreen de-icing
• Power latching for sliding door, left and right
• Power latching for tailgate
• Central locking with keyless locking and starting system “Keyless Advanced” with safe lock
• “Travel Assist”
• 4-seater / 4-sleeper

Prices for the new California start at £63,376 OTR¹, with full pricing, specifications and details available at www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk