60 Years of VW Leisure on the Move
– Record in Anniversary Year
• Customer deliveries of the California up by 33 percent in the first seven month of 2011
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles at the Caravan Salon 2011 with campers and mobile homes for every purpose
Düsseldorf / Hannover, It was exactly 60 years ago when it all began – the first VW bus with a Camping Box marked the start of a new breed of vehicle. Now, in the anniversary year, the best-selling California has set a new record. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is taking advantage of this year’s Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf (27 August to 4 September 2011) to show the entire product range of campers and mobile homes, from the Caddy Tramper, to the California, and on to the Amarok and Crafter.
It was in 1951 that a customer first placed an order for a VW bus from the firm of Westphalia for what was known as the Camping Box, which uprated the van to a proper camper. The “Volkswagen Camper“, as it was soon officially known, became an all-time best-seller, and mobilized whole generations of globetrotters. To date, more than 600,000 campers have been converted and extended on the basis of the VW bus.
From January till July 2011, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 3,770 California Beach and California Comfortline all over the world – a sales increase compared to the same period of the previous year (Jan – July 2010: 2,820) of 33.7%.
In 2011, forecasts are for 6,000 campers to be delivered by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles – a new sales record for the Camper based on the T5 (2010: 4,100).
“We’re really pleased that the anniversary year is going to be a new all-time high for the California – it’s a two-fold reason for us and the dealers to be happy”, emphasises Harald Schomburg, member of the Brand Board of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for Sales and Marketing. “This success shows that we are still winning over more and more customers with our campers, campers that can meet the demands placed on them every day, that are comfortable, and that can be used at any time of the year at all.“
This is also reflected in this year’s range on display from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles at the Caravan Salon 2011, with the concept of different vehicles which really show off the range of requirement profile for the Volkswagen Camper.
As the entry model in the camping segment, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are presenting the Caddy Tramper. This is an economically priced camper with a great range of everyday capacities. No other camping vehicle can equal the Caddy Tramper when it comes to space for the entire holiday in one compact vehicle space. A bed for the night is always on board, ready for use with just a few movements of the hand, and the surface also serves as the luggage compartment cover. The price of Caddy Maxi Tramper starts at 23,740.50 Euro.
The California Beach has more living space to offer, a multi-talent on the move when there are longer distances to cover. At the same time, in the style of a Multivan it also provides everything for everyday private and business needs. The basic model is ideal for sporty people who love the great outdoors, looking for a roomy van with integrated sleeping capacity. Fitted as standard with a manually-activated extension roof, and an interior with full cladding, the Beach once again emphasises its core skills in the sector of individual travel. As well as this, the Beach is being shown at the Caravan Salon with a supplement. A camper from Knaus known as the Tourer in the form of the current Multivan completes the array of campers on show. Prices for the California Beach begin at 37,199.40 Euro.
The California Comfortline offers even more elevated standards of comfort, with its electro-hydraulically extendible aluminium roof. On board, all the essentials for flexible and spontaneous use are immediately available. Core elements of the high-quality interior include as standard a kitchen range, which includes a basin, 42-litre cooler and two-flame gas cooker. The cupboards are pleasing with their clever use of space. When not in use, the fold-away interior table is stowed neatly between the refrigerator and the rear bench seat. The outdoor table, as in the California Beach, is located in the sliding door, once again saving space. Another touch of genius is provided by the folding chairs, stored in the hatchback. The price of the California Comfortline starts at 52,532.55 Euro.
When it comes to travelling away from asphalted roads, the Amarok is the one to choose. Only recently it underwent one of its baptisms by fire on the “Move the World Tour 2011“.The challenges facing it included swamp and desert wilderness in the Congo, closed borders in Africa, minefields, floods, and no fuel filling stations. There was hardly any hardship that the team based around Joachim Franz did not have to confront during the tour. The Aids-Awareness Expedition mounted by the HIV activist from Wolfsburg crossed 54 countries on five continents in just 111 days, covering a total of 64,452 km in the process. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles supported the project with five Volkswagen Amarok units, and a vehicle true to the originals from the awe-inspiring tour is on display on the stand in Hall 16.
And there is even more: The Crafter is making headlines with its facelift. Its new and extremely economical engines make it even more interesting for individual extensions and developments.
