Hey look, a manual transmission in a camper! :devil:
VW California XXL Concept Is Big Camper Van For Globetrotters
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VW has taken the concept of the California camper van to the next level with their latest California XXL Concept.
Based on the new Crafter, the new VW California XXL Concept was revealed at this year's Caravan Salon Düsseldorf featuring an innovative interior architecture and all the latest tech features.
The California XXL Concept comes with a fixed panoramic roof, an extended rear section that allows the formation of an enormous bed, an alcove for the children, all-wheel drive for year-round use and pneumatic suspension among other.
The modern interior architecture is planned down to the last detail, featuring a retractable wet room, a heated and cooled bed, an extendible work surface, underfloor heating and a wide range of functions that can be controlled via a mobile app.
The latest VW camper van concept is 102mm higher than a Crafter panel van with the 'Super High Roof', allowing for a standing height of up to 2,2m. Between the front and rear bumpers, the VW California XXL is 5,986mm long but the overall length reaches over 6,2m if you consider the extended rear section.
Power is provided by a 177PS Euro 6 turbodiesel engine that's paired to VW's 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Having a pneumatic suspension optimizes the ride comfort as well as simplifies horizontal alignment of the camper van when parked.
Link: http://www.carscoops.com/2017/08/vw-california-xxl-concept-is-big-camper.html
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Heated bed and floors? Sounds like a waste of energy.
Quote from: giant_mtb on August 28, 2017, 09:17:17 AM
Heated bed and floors? Sounds like a waste of energy.
I wonder if this thing probably has solar cells on the roof which store energy in batteries for these features.
Quote from: cawimmer430 on August 28, 2017, 03:48:56 PM
I wonder if this thing probably has solar cells on the roof which store energy in batteries for these features.
I doubt it, given the massive amount of glass up top. I feel like the marketing wank would say something about solar cells on the roof if they were there since being eco is all the rage. Probably has a small generator or something...or you just plug it in at the RV park.
"XXL", lol. I wonder what an average European would say at the sight of a North American "Class A" motorhome.
Quote from: 93JC on August 28, 2017, 04:11:02 PM
"XXL", lol. I wonder what an average European would say at the sight of a North American "Class A" motorhome.
Those make me sick. It's not fucking camping when you need a thousand square feet worth of stuff and two "toy" vehicles towed along for the ride.
I don't think many people will call it camping...it's usually "traveling." Or "traveling the country." Why pay for hotels when you can spend $120k on a used motorhome that you use for two summers before you break your hip or your glasses stop working and have to get rid of it?
Quote from: cawimmer430 on August 28, 2017, 06:45:55 AM
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So much FUN!
Quote from: Laconian on August 28, 2017, 04:24:49 PM
Those make me sick. It's not fucking camping when you need a thousand square feet worth of stuff and two "toy" vehicles towed along for the ride.
The most fucked up thing about it in my opinion is that there's no additional testing whatsoever in order to drive one, and most are driven by old farts with failing depth perception and reaction times.
Quote from: 93JC on August 28, 2017, 08:03:08 PM
The most fucked up thing about it in my opinion is that there's no additional testing whatsoever in order to drive one, and most are driven by old farts with failing depth perception and reaction times.
Definitely the scariest part of it. I know I would not feel comfortable driving something the size of a tour bus with no additional training.
https://youtu.be/vZFCHk1XCDY?t=4m30s
Quote from: giant_mtb on August 28, 2017, 03:56:30 PM
I doubt it, given the massive amount of glass up top. I feel like the marketing wank would say something about solar cells on the roof if they were there since being eco is all the rage. Probably has a small generator or something...or you just plug it in at the RV park.
At 8:30 the guy basically shows us where you plug in the power adapters. I guess this answers the question.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4oKF6RXuo4
Quote from: 93JC on August 28, 2017, 04:11:02 PM
"XXL", lol. I wonder what an average European would say at the sight of a North American "Class A" motorhome.
They will wonder why an American family of four/five needs a motorhome the size of a small castle. :devil:
Quote from: 93JC on August 28, 2017, 08:03:08 PM
The most fucked up thing about it in my opinion is that there's no additional testing whatsoever in order to drive one, and most are driven by old farts with failing depth perception and reaction times.
:hesaid: :hesaid: :hesaid: :hesaid: :hesaid:
Rich people and their toys. You should've seen the hue and cry of yacht owners when they started administering licensing tests to boat owners. :facepalm: They still DUI all the time, too.
seems really really open and airy (nice) but you'd have to have curtains for all those windows?!?!
And really really plasticky, and gimmicky.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on August 30, 2017, 04:53:37 AM
seems really really open and airy (nice) but you'd have to have curtains for all those windows?!?!
And really really plasticky, and gimmicky.
It looks to have screens or shades you can pull up from the bottom of the windows?
(in the pictures. I didn't watch the video)
Quote from: Laconian on August 28, 2017, 04:24:49 PM
Those make me sick. It's not fucking camping when you need a thousand square feet worth of stuff and two "toy" vehicles towed along for the ride.
Two? I saw one with 4 things being towed a couple months ago. Truck, golf cart, and two Vespas.
I'd much rather rent hotels or cabins. For the price and hassle of a motorhome you can stay in a hotel for years.
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Constantly cleaning the ass prints from the glass would be tiresome.
Quote from: Rockraven on August 31, 2017, 07:10:13 AM
Constantly cleaning the ass prints from the glass would be tiresome.
But the woman is slim and... wait... you're talking about...
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:lol:
I love the emergency dew. In case of low blood sugar, break bottle seal.
Quote from: Rockraven on August 31, 2017, 07:10:13 AM
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Constantly cleaning the ass prints from the glass would be tiresome.
I imagine it getting quite toasty up there on a sunny day.
Even with the stretch, this still seems too small.
This past NYIAS, I 'walked' around in a 15 passenger, high-top Transit van. That seems (to me) to be the smallest comfortable size for one of these conversions.
I'd love to own one and hit up a bunch of smaller, less accessible camp sites in close proximity to locales like the one pictured above.
Quote from: Laconian on August 31, 2017, 09:51:00 AM
I love the emergency dew. In case of low blood sugar, break bottle seal.
I think that's a Schweppes's ginger ale.
The potential appeal for me of having an RV for long road trips is you don't have to check in/check out at certain times, deal with bed bugs, pack and unpack luggage every other day, and mostly being able to cook your own food. I could see myself owning something of this size in the future.
Quote from: veeman on August 31, 2017, 11:01:47 AM
The potential appeal for me of having an RV for long road trips is you don't have to check in/check out at certain times, deal with bed bugs, pack and unpack luggage every other day, and mostly being able to cook your own food. I could see myself owning something of this size in the future.
Agreed. First I would like to make Taco into a self-contained camping vehicle by getting a bed topper cap and putting a shelf and mattress in the bed. But that requires buying a cap, and they're not cheap and hard to find used. :cry: