5 Reasons you should buy a Volkswagen Grand California
- As with all VW camper products, the residual values will be excellent; good news for you when you’re thinking of moving on to a new one!
- The first VW factory-built campervan based on the Crafter van – NOT an aftermarket conversion.
- Less of a campervan and more of a fully-fledged Motorhome.
- Let the adventure begin, with a wet room there’s no need to stick to campsites.
- Superb drivability, based on the class-leading Volkswagen Crafter.
Is a VW Grand California for me?
If the open road is calling your name and the spirit of adventure is running through your veins, then you need to take a serious look at the new Motorhome from Volkswagen.
The German brand has been synonymous with living your best Campervan life since 1950 and with the Grand California, VW have taken the leap from Campervan to Motorhome and done so with some style.
If you want to make memories off the beaten track, but with all your creature comforts at hand the Grand Cali is made for you; you can forget the sea of fake wood and woven fabrics which campers and caravanners often have to contend with, in its place is a sleek, contemporary interior with ambient lighting, a plethora of USB ports and appliance sockets, it’s all far more reminiscent of a boutique hotel than your childhood camping or caravanning experiences.
This latest model not only has the usual VW touchscreen system which syncs with your Apple or Android device, it also boasts a touchscreen which allows you to control all the camping mode features, including the temperature, ambient lighting and indeed the temperature of the water in your shower!
If you’ve decided the VW Grand California is for you, now all you need to decide is whether it’s the 600 or 680 that you need.
Which is the best for me, the VW Grand California 600 or 680?
The 600 and 680 numbers refer to the length of the vehicle; the 600 is 6 metres in length and the 680, rather cunningly, is 6.8 metres long. That’s a decent size whichever one you go for, which may well have you worrying about how you’re going to drive such a large a machine and whether you’ll need an arm workout in order to be able to haul it around corners!
You needn’t worry, based on the VW Crafter van the Grand Cali drives just like a car and with its electrically assisted power steering, you won’t have to put in that extra effort at the gym! As standard the Grand Cali is front-wheel drive, but is available in 4-wheel drive 4Motion guise if that’s what you’re after.
This of course applies both to the 600 and 680 versions...
So what is the difference then?
Strangely the difference comes in the number of people each version can carry and there’s a surprise in store here, as the larger 680 version only takes 2 passengers, whilst the smaller 600 version has a raised roof space and can take two passengers tucked up in beds above the cab.
Either way those sleeping in the rear double bed of the Grand Cali can starfish to their hearts content with a bed that’s not only large but also comfy. Parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles, who want to take kids on an adventure need to go with the 600 with upper beds fitted; couples can luxuriate in the 680, without fear of passengers wanting to stay the night!
The addition of the wet-room takes away the need to pitch up at an organised campsite and the clever VW design means that despite having a sink, shower and loo, all in a small space, each element works well and is a world away from the portaloo days of old.
Clever design details mean there’s plenty of kitchen prep space, along with oodles of great storage with airplane type overhead lockers adding to more traditional, lower level storage solutions.
The kitchen boasts a 70-litre fridge, sink and gas hob, whilst heating can be by electricity or gas; everything has been thought of to make adventuring far afield as simple as possible.
There’s plenty of options on offer too, including a satellite system for TV reception; solar panels for the roof as well as roof-mounted air conditioning units.
So, are you a couple who wants to set out on an adventure, or perhaps two friends who want to see the world? If so, you couldn’t make memories in a better thought out Motorhome that the Grand Cali 680.
If you want to take your family on a never-ending journey of adventure, fun and discovery, then the Grand Cali 600 is waiting to welcome you aboard.
Go and take a look at these vehicles close-up, they’re the next generation of Motorhomes and you’ll be amazed at the attention to detail that’s gone into the design of these motoring memory makers.
