Not sure why the author or this article from South Africa has chosen this particular title for the article. It seems ludicrous to compare a modern vehicle with it 50yo predecessor but that's what they've gone with.....
Full credit for this article goes to the original publisher:
http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2016/02/02/vrroom-with-a-view-new-caravelle-miles-ahead-of-old-volkswagen-kombis
" One of the not-exactly-tragic byproducts of writing a column on cars is that sometimes there are too many cars — one can blend into the next and they won’t all feature in a weekly column.
This Christmas, I had the use of a new Volkswagen Caravelle for the duration of my two-week stay near Durban and, given that it was a family holiday at the beach, we might have made a reasonably good stab at being that middle-class South African family piling into a Kombi in the famous advertisements.
Those ads featuring David Kramer have been playing on my mind. They’re awkward because they’re from the 1980s, which wasn’t a happy time for most South Africans, but they’re also an indication of how the automotive landscape has changed.
Obviously the cars have changed, but the idea that an ordinary, solidly middle-class family might be able to afford such a thing is no longer the case — a half-decent one costs more than R700,000.
There are a good few reasons for that price. The Kombi is now fully imported as opposed to locally built, which adds to the cost significantly. Since the 1980s, Volkswagen — the brand, not "AG" — has been consolidating itself as a producer of quality family cars thin on luxury fripperies, but heavy on weapons-grade engineering and build quality.
That’s an expensive game, and these days Volkswagen will always have a competitor that will undercut on price, if not quality.
Also, of course, the rand has depreciated considerably against the major currencies since the days of those adverts.
All of which means the new-generation Kombi is priced in at a luxury level, especially when it comes in Caravelle form.
Eagle-eyed readers might remember that about a year ago I reviewed the runout version of the previous ("T5") Caravelle.
I looked back on my experience with that car, which I enjoyed immensely on a long road trip with all three kids, towing a trailer and generally doing the full Kramer.
My conclusion was that, yes, that’s a fine, spacious, reasonably frugal and fun family bus, but these new Caravelle prices are simply too much.
The "T6" latest-generation Caravelle we drove comes in at a hefty R825,000 — the kind of money that’s just about enough to buy a BMW X5, a new Volvo XC90 or a Mercedes E-Class.
These are all serious luxury vehicles and not a van in sight.
...
I CLIMBED up into this latest Caravelle thinking it would probably be rather like the last one, which is to say (at the risk of repeating myself) a fine, spacious, reasonably frugal and fun family bus.
It was certainly all that but, to borrow from Verimark, there’s so much more. The exterior of the Kombi has been tautened and sharpened up.
It’s as though the old car commissioned a suit from a better tailor — it’s instantly recognisable and yet fundamentally smarter.
That familiar face hides a 70% entirely new car. In SA, sadly, the one new bit we won’t be getting is Volkswagen’s shiny new Euro 6-compliant 150kW two-litre diesel. Owing to our increasingly crappy diesel quality, the local Caravelle will have to make do with the old 135kW Euro 4 motor. No matter what the marketers at the oil companies tell you, there’s nothing "low sulphur" about our diesel.
That’s not a tragedy, as 135kW is enough to make the Caravelle more than keep up with the traffic, but it is worth noting that we are now unable to keep up with the best automotive technologies that would reduce our consumption and our emissions of dangerous carcinogenic particulates and gases.
And despite it’s recent travails, this is categorically not Volkswagen’s fault.
The car we drove came with a DSG gearbox — a duel-clutch affair that in the old car was magnificent on the open road and at times jerky and indecisive in town.
I can’t find any material to suggest exactly what they’ve done, but the gearbox seems improved in stop-start traffic, it is less likely to "grab" and feels generally smoother. It’s as brilliant as ever when on the move, selecting gears as quickly as the blink of an eye.
The new Caravelle’s greatest trick, however, is in the ride. Vans-turned-multipurpose-vehicles have, for as long as I’ve been doing this, suffered from the seemingly inevitable side effects of the laws of physics. They’re big boxes and no matter what the car companies seem to do, they flex a bit and have a peculiar resonance when it comes to the acoustics.
The end result has always been rattles and squeaks from the flexing of the vehicle and a headache-inducing "booming" quality to the road noise — and that has applied to big MPVs from Mercedes, Peugeot, Hyundai and Citroën too.
But the latest Benz V-Class and Caravelle have addressed this somehow. The car feels notably stiffer and there’s much less rattling than in the older car. The upshot is an exceptionally refined and quiet ride, with even wind noise (inevitably problematic in a bus with a large frontal area) notably better controlled than in the old car.
Part of that will be a result of the car’s expensive and complex (multilink independent, for the car geeks) rear suspension, which is often a place some manufacturers save a whack of cash by installing a more crude system.
But the result is a truly cosseting and smooth ride and decent roadholding for what is still a van. Inevitably, it rolls around a bit in the corners, but to complain about that seems silly.
...
THE accommodation is a big step up too. The middle two seats can face backwards or forwards and our car came with a fun foldaway table the kids loved.
The rear bench seat can slide around too, which means you can make best use of passenger space or boot space, depending on the journey’s requirements.
Up front, there’s a fully redesigned fascia with incorporated satnav, and a classic van driving position that’s comfortable nonetheless.
Aircon is ducted to all passengers and the people in the back can adjust the temperature.
I had to be impressed. You get a lot more room than in sports utility vehicle and it all seems much more fun, especially for the under-10 demographic in our household, who simply adored their time in the car.
It is unashamedly a victory of function over form, but it is such a good rendition of this idea that one sees great luxury in this effortless competence.
A final thought is this: much of the excellence of the T6 Caravelle is in its basic engineering, not the nice-to-haves such as satnav and so on. That’s why a base-model 75kW manual Kombi, yours for R486,000, is probably a bit of a bargain.
Run through the spec lists to be sure, but a big family eight-seater this well-engineered for this kind of money in this day and age feels like pretty good value. "
Truck Trend Legends - Volkswagen Transporter: The World’s Most Famous Van
Truck Trend Legends - Volkswagen Transporter: The World’s Most Famous Van
Whilst I don't agree with some of the observations regarding the old bus, this is an interesting read about the Kombi found on an unlikely site. Full credit goes to the original author for this article.
It’s probably the most famous van in the world. It helped a war-torn German economy get back on its feet and subsequently became an iconic mode of transport for surfer dudes half a world away. Steve Jobs once had one but sold it to finance his little computer company.
Jerry Seinfeld still owns one. He even used a rusted-out pickup version in the Michael Richards episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. In 2000, an American couple—Amanda and Rich Ligato—left their jobs, bought and modified a ’78 VW camper van, and then clocked 60,000 miles driving it around Central America, South America, and Africa. And they’re far from being the only couple to have undertaken epic trips in VW vans.
The rarest version, a barndoor Samba with 23 windows, including those little ones in the roof, can now sell at auction for around $200,000. Not bad for a vehicle range with dodgy electrics and a steering wheel angle guaranteed to hurt your wrists. Plus, it won’t go up hills or brake all that well either.
The Type 2 came about after a Dutch car importer, Ben Pon, visited VW’s Wolfsburg plant in 1947 looking to buy some Type 1 cars (also known as the original Bug). Pon noticed that the workers often used flatbed runabouts adapted from the Type 1 to move various car parts from one area of the factory to another. Light bulb moment.
He starting sketching what a commercial vehicle based on the rear-engined Bug might look like, with the front end influenced by trolley cars (trams) that were popular in Europe at the time. As it happened, the Type 1’s platform wasn’t strong enough, so VW created a one-piece body based on a ladder frame but using the Bug’s engine and axles. By 1949, VW had a panel van and a minibus ready for production and officially introduced the Type 2 at that year’s Geneva Motor Show.
The Type 2 was cheap and simple. Its basic form meant it could be square one for so many uses, like a mobile shop or delivery van, or even a fire engine, ambulance, or ice cream van. The side door was another little stroke of genius. By 1954, there were 30 variants (including the famous Microbus) and 100,000 units had already rolled off the production line. As such, the Type 2 went beyond the purpose of commercial vehicle. It was the post-war economic boom, and the first time in history where working-class people could afford personal transport for leisure pursuits.
Remarkably, this boxy shape was refined in the wind tunnel of Braunschweig Technical University to achieve a lower drag coefficient than the Type 1—0.44 compared to 0.48. The engine, of course, was that famous air-cooled flat-four. It displaced 1.1 liters and made all of 24 hp.
The first Type 2 (also codenamed T1, confusingly) had a two-piece windshield (or split screen). When generation two (codenamed T2) debuted in 1968, it came with a one-piece windshield and soon had the “bay window” nickname attached to it. Out back was the Beetle’s now-1,600cc engine making 47 hp. From 1972, North American-spec vehicles had the 1.7L engine that developed 75 hp and 94 lb-ft of torque. A revised rear suspension deployed a double-joint rear axle with semi-trailing arms, freeing up some more interior space.
The T2 was made in a few countries, like Mexico and Brazil, and total production runs varied from place to place. The last T2 to ever roll off a VW assembly line was a Kombi bus in Brazil, in 2013.
Generation three (with a water-cooled boxer-four) is better known in the United States as the Vanagon, while the front-drive fourth and fifth generations are usually referred to as Transporters, although the fourth generation was sold here as the EuroVan. The T6 debuted this year for markets outside North America.
Transporter was a name used when the Type 2 first appeared, but one nickname that has stood the test of time is “Bulli,” which appears to be a contraction of two German words meaning bus and delivery truck. Believe it or not, those early vehicles used on the VW factory floor—and the inspiration for Ben Pon—proved so reliable that the last one wasn’t taken out of service until 1994.
Whilst I don't agree with some of the observations regarding the old bus, this is an interesting read about the Kombi found on an unlikely site. Full credit goes to the original author for this article.
It’s probably the most famous van in the world. It helped a war-torn German economy get back on its feet and subsequently became an iconic mode of transport for surfer dudes half a world away. Steve Jobs once had one but sold it to finance his little computer company.
Jerry Seinfeld still owns one. He even used a rusted-out pickup version in the Michael Richards episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. In 2000, an American couple—Amanda and Rich Ligato—left their jobs, bought and modified a ’78 VW camper van, and then clocked 60,000 miles driving it around Central America, South America, and Africa. And they’re far from being the only couple to have undertaken epic trips in VW vans.
The rarest version, a barndoor Samba with 23 windows, including those little ones in the roof, can now sell at auction for around $200,000. Not bad for a vehicle range with dodgy electrics and a steering wheel angle guaranteed to hurt your wrists. Plus, it won’t go up hills or brake all that well either.
The Type 2 came about after a Dutch car importer, Ben Pon, visited VW’s Wolfsburg plant in 1947 looking to buy some Type 1 cars (also known as the original Bug). Pon noticed that the workers often used flatbed runabouts adapted from the Type 1 to move various car parts from one area of the factory to another. Light bulb moment.
He starting sketching what a commercial vehicle based on the rear-engined Bug might look like, with the front end influenced by trolley cars (trams) that were popular in Europe at the time. As it happened, the Type 1’s platform wasn’t strong enough, so VW created a one-piece body based on a ladder frame but using the Bug’s engine and axles. By 1949, VW had a panel van and a minibus ready for production and officially introduced the Type 2 at that year’s Geneva Motor Show.
The Type 2 was cheap and simple. Its basic form meant it could be square one for so many uses, like a mobile shop or delivery van, or even a fire engine, ambulance, or ice cream van. The side door was another little stroke of genius. By 1954, there were 30 variants (including the famous Microbus) and 100,000 units had already rolled off the production line. As such, the Type 2 went beyond the purpose of commercial vehicle. It was the post-war economic boom, and the first time in history where working-class people could afford personal transport for leisure pursuits.
Remarkably, this boxy shape was refined in the wind tunnel of Braunschweig Technical University to achieve a lower drag coefficient than the Type 1—0.44 compared to 0.48. The engine, of course, was that famous air-cooled flat-four. It displaced 1.1 liters and made all of 24 hp.
The first Type 2 (also codenamed T1, confusingly) had a two-piece windshield (or split screen). When generation two (codenamed T2) debuted in 1968, it came with a one-piece windshield and soon had the “bay window” nickname attached to it. Out back was the Beetle’s now-1,600cc engine making 47 hp. From 1972, North American-spec vehicles had the 1.7L engine that developed 75 hp and 94 lb-ft of torque. A revised rear suspension deployed a double-joint rear axle with semi-trailing arms, freeing up some more interior space.
The T2 was made in a few countries, like Mexico and Brazil, and total production runs varied from place to place. The last T2 to ever roll off a VW assembly line was a Kombi bus in Brazil, in 2013.
Generation three (with a water-cooled boxer-four) is better known in the United States as the Vanagon, while the front-drive fourth and fifth generations are usually referred to as Transporters, although the fourth generation was sold here as the EuroVan. The T6 debuted this year for markets outside North America.
Transporter was a name used when the Type 2 first appeared, but one nickname that has stood the test of time is “Bulli,” which appears to be a contraction of two German words meaning bus and delivery truck. Believe it or not, those early vehicles used on the VW factory floor—and the inspiration for Ben Pon—proved so reliable that the last one wasn’t taken out of service until 1994.
Kombi Last Wishes
One can't argue with history. Without question, the Kombi has to be one of the most iconic vehicles ever built. Even if you're not into cars, everyone knows what a Kombi looks like. Its a privilege to own and drive a rare example of this legendary vehicle.
Kombi Trivia
Ferdinand Porsche is synonymous with Volkswagen, however he actually had nothing to do with the development and production of the Transporter even though it was powered by his flat four engine.
Cross Blue update:
Volkswagen is still very much dead-set on meeting its goal of selling 800,000 vehicles in the United States by 2018. And while the company has said on several occasions that it will not be expanding its lineup to models smaller than the Golf, there's certainly room for expansion elsewhere in its portfolio. At the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen debuted its CrossBlue concept – a three-row, midsize crossover designed specifically with the US market in mind. And during a roundtable discussion at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this month, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America Jonathan Browning told us that a midsize CUV is the company's "top priority" in the US.
But let's be clear: The CrossBlue is not a replacement for the Touareg, or any other vehicle in the company's US lineup (except maybe the Chrysler-supplied Routan minivan). This will be an all-new offering built on Volkswagen's scalable MQB architecture – the same platform that underpins the Mk7 Golf, among other products. To give us a better idea of exactly what's in store for the new CrossBlue, Volkswagen flew us out to Germany's Siegerland Airport the day before the Frankfurt show to give us an up-close-and-personal look at its all-important new crossover.
Inside, there isn't anything remarkable in terms of design or packaging, with a modern, forward-thinking cabin that incorporates all of the basic infotainment and driver convenience functions into an airy, spacious cockpit. The sloping center stack features control knobs that are flush with the main surfacing, and raise up when the vehicle is started – just like the gear selector on modern Jaguar products.
All credit for this info goes to Autoblog.com and author Steven J. Ewing
The full article can be found here.
Volkswagen rolls out Cross Blue SUV Concept
Full story credit to myfoxdetroit.com:
Volkswagen rolls out Cross Blue midsize SUV concept - Fox 2 News Headlines
Could this be the Amarok wagon alternative??! Let hope so. And lets hope that hope that VW decide to build it for more than just the Nth American market as its sure to have loads of appeal all around the world as a solid competitor to the lucrative midsize SUV market.
Volkswagen rolls out Cross Blue midsize SUV concept - Fox 2 News Headlines
Could this be the Amarok wagon alternative??! Let hope so. And lets hope that hope that VW decide to build it for more than just the Nth American market as its sure to have loads of appeal all around the world as a solid competitor to the lucrative midsize SUV market.
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