World premiere at the Caravan Salon: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presents new "California" brand

• Vanlife by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: New VWCV brand "California" launches unique range of services, products and experiences for all aspects of travel
• "California" gets off to a strong start – with its own club, mobility service, thousands of adventure pitches, outdoor events, lifestyle accessories and the California app
• New California – the iconic California has become more spacious, smarter, more thoughtful and more versatile. A novelty is the efficient plug-in hybrid all-wheel drive
• Update of the Grand California – the large campervan series from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has been given a completely redeveloped cockpit landscape
• Caddy California with PanAmericana package – compact campervan debuts at the Caravan Salon with robust all-terrain equipment

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is igniting a firework of new products at this year's Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf (31.08. to 08.09.). The new vanlife brand "California" celebrates its world premiere. It expands the world of California campervans with a completely new range of services, products and experiences. "California" is tailored to the owners of all Volkswagen campervans – drivers of VW campers from other campervan manufacturers are therefore also welcome to this new California world. A novelty under the umbrella of the new "California" brand is the California Profi Service. It offers Europe-wide technical support from campervan experts. "California" starts with its own visual appearance including a new logo – a fascinating new brand world in which the VW vanlife community can now experience all topics related to travel on wheels. Of course, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also be presenting the latest campervans at the Caravan Salon: Visitors to the trade fair will be able to take a look at the newly developed California, the further developed Grand California and the Caddy California with an exclusive PanAmericana package for the first time at the VWCV stand in Hall 16.

"California" – World premiere of the new vanlife brand: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is integrating the California campervans into a new vanlife brand: "California". Lars Krause, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing: "We are establishing a new brand at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles called 'California', which goes far beyond our popular campervans. Through this new California world, the community of California drivers can now enjoy a unique range of services, products and leisure adventures. The point: With the new California World, we make it easier to plan your trip, travel yourself, buy accessories and accessories, rent or buy a campervan and experience exclusive events." Krause continues: "Technical support for California drivers on the road is particularly important to us. That's why we are the first campervan manufacturer in the California World to offer a Europe-wide mobility service by campervan specialists: the California Profi Service. So that every journey, from the first to the last mile, is and remains a fascinating experience."

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has developed its own visual identity for the new California world – which also includes the new California Club – as a distinguishing feature. The corporate identity of the Vanlife brand uses a new logo derived from the C of the California lettering. The C logo, reminiscent of a wave, a winding country road and topographical lines, has been integrated into three typical California environments: "Rugged Nature", "Elegant Urban" and "Atmospheric Coastline" – its design makes the new "California" brand experience visible. In the future, the three worlds will be found at trade fairs, in the new California app, on the California website and in the new California lifestyle articles, among other things.

"Rugged Nature" stands for camping in nature, in wide landscapes. The green and beige tones are coordinated with this, in which not only the CI is kept, but also matching accessories such as blankets or backpacks. Meanwhile, shades of blue and a light beige dominate the urban environment, in which the California and the Caddy California in particular are at home as multivariable vans. "Atmospheric Coastline", on the other hand, takes you to the maritime destinations of longing with its violet sunset tones. The California app offers interesting travel tips for these three worlds. Events can also be booked or ordered via the app, California campervans for rent (via roadsurfer), exclusive pitches and overnight stays in the "Hotel California" (including via Hinterland and Ritz Carlton Wolfsburg), sports activities such as surf training (including Surftown), the wide range of new "California" lifestyle accessories and various accessories for the campervans with the VW logo on the front and rear sections. Members of the new California Club will receive attractive discounts on many of these offers. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will accompany the launch of the "California" brand with a new song by Swiss musician and VWCV brand ambassador Pat Burgener: "Free".

The new California – trade fair premiere number 1:

It is the campervan icon par excellence: the California. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is now presenting the completely newly developed production version of the bestseller as a trade fair premiere at the Caravan Salon: the New California based on the state-of-the-art Multivan. It has become more spacious, smarter, more thoughtful, more versatile and more sustainable. At the same time, it ​ follows the concept of its iconic predecessors and thus seamlessly continues one of the great camper success stories.

Of course, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles stuck to California details such as the pop-up roof. And of course, the New California is also the VW bus for everyday life and – from one moment to the next – the camper for life's travel adventures. All of this is now even more successful with the latest drive, assistance and infotainment systems and a new campervan architecture. For the first time, all California models are available ​ as standard with two sliding doors and three drive types: TDI (turbodiesel), TSI (turbo gasoline) and eHybrid 4MOTION (plug-in hybrid). A novelty is the plug-in hybrid all-wheel drive: As an efficient eHybrid 4MOTION, the all-wheel-drive camper temporarily becomes an electric car, which at the same time enables very long total distances.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles offers the New California as "Beach", "Beach Tour", "Beach Camper" (with mini kitchen in the rear) as well as "Coast" and "Ocean" (each with kitchenette on the driver's side). The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles stand in Hall 16 will feature the California models "Beach", "Beach Camper", "Coast" and "Ocean". They are all connected, among other things, by a new camper control unit in the living room. They can be used to control and check the camper functions. Alternatively, many camper functions can also be operated via an in-car app of the infotainment system and via the California app on the smartphone.

The big update of the Grand California – trade fair premiere number 2:

The Grand California 600 (lateral sleeper) and 680 (longitudinal sleeper) campervans, based on the advanced Crafter, will also be making their debut in Düsseldorf as further trade fair premieres for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Both versions of the Grand California received a far-reaching hardware and software update, making the panel vans, which are available with front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive, the most modern campervans in their class. New features include a redesigned cockpit landscape with next-generation infotainment systems. Striking: the now optically free-standing touchscreen of the infotainment system. Depending on the version, it is between 10.4 inches (26 cm diagonal) and 12.9 inches (32 cm diagonal) in size. Also new: the standard digital instruments ("Digital Cockpit Pro") and the optional voice assistant IDA with "ChatGPT" integration.

Other new details: an electronic parking brake with auto-hold function (more space in the step-through and easier turning of the driver's seat), the gear lever of the 8-speed automatic transmission, the controls of the light functions, the keypads in the area of the center console and all air vents. In addition, both Grand California received a new camper control panel in the living area, for example to control the parking heater and to call up information about the fill levels of the water tanks and the on-board batteries. Many camper functions can also be controlled alternatively via the California app and the infotainment system.

A look at the new range of assistance systems shows how deep the Grand California update goes. Now generally on board are the "Front Assist" (emergency brake assistant including cyclist and pedestrian detection), "Lane Assist" (lane departure warning), traffic sign recognition, a speed limiter and an acoustic parking aid (rear). For the first time, "Travel Assist" is offered as an option for the Grand California, which enables assisted longitudinal and lateral guidance, thus increasing comfort and safety on long journeys. Both body versions of the Grand California are powered by a now 120 kW (163 hp) turbodiesel, which is coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will show both the Grand California 600 and the Grand California 680 in Düsseldorf.

Caddy California with PanAmericana package – trade fair premiere number 3:

In another trade fair premiere, the new Caddy California with PanAmericana package will make its debut at the Caravan Salon. Until now, the all-terrain look of the PanAmericana package was only available for the Caddy without campervan equipment. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has now transferred the concept to the Caddy California for the first time. Pre-sales of the Caddy California with PanAmericana package will start during the Caravan Salon. The Caddy California with PanAmericana package can be recognized on the outside by its gray, robust bumpers and visually matching wheel arch linings. Also tuned to the all-terrain look: high-sheen 17-inch "Colombo" alloy wheels with matt black interior surfaces.

The two-tone interior was designed exclusively for all Caddy PanAmericana in the design "Soul Stitching Madras Brown / Soul Soul Black". It also refines the trade fair vehicle. In addition, the camper is equipped with the optional mini kitchen known from the Caddy California. Always with you: camping table, camping chairs and the possibility of darkening the interior. The exclusive PanAmericana package also includes a significant expansion of the standard equipment. These include the reversing camera ("Rear View"), a parking aid in the front and rear areas, chrome trim strips on the sides and tailgate, pedals in aluminium, the keyless start system "Keyless Start", the "Digital Cockpit Pro" (digital instruments), front door sills in silver, LED main headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights and the 2-zone automatic climate control "Air Care Climatronic".

ID. Buzz and #BULLILOVEstories:

In the outdoor area in front of Hall 4, the ID. Buzz will also be on display as a towing vehicle in front of a T@b caravan at the Caravan Salon. The electrifying team is known from numerous #BULLILOVEstories videos (YouTube, Facebook and Instagram channels of VWCV) and the book "Europa Elektrisch" from Delius Klasing Verlag – a travel story with the ID. Buzz. Until 02.09., the original
​ID. Buzz of the #BULLILOVEstories and the book will be in front of Hall 4. From 03.09., the new ID. Buzz Pro with a long wheelbase1 and large 86 kWh battery will take over the parking space in front of Hall 4; the new model enables WLTP ranges of up to 485 kilometres.

Hints:

1. ID. Buzz Pro, long wheelbase, with 210 kW (286 km): combined energy consumption 21.0-19.5 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 0 g/km;
   ​CO2 class: A