2021 VW California Beach Camper

Pack up your bags and get away for a nice long vacation.  Sounds great doesn’t it?  To see the best Australia has to offer there is no better way than getting in amongst it and visiting the locals and seeing the sights at your own time and leisure on the ground.  The best tool for the job would have to be a motorhome like the new 2021 VW California Beach campervan.  These are especially designed for roaming the big continent in comfort and style.

Volkswagen’s re-creation of the iconic Kombi campervan arrived as the T6.1 Transporter-based limited-edition VW California Beach.  Here is the deal: you can have the quality camper in two variants – one has a TDI motor with 340 Nm and the other has a TDI motor with 450 Nm.  The version with 110kW and 340 Nm of torque is a sweet motor that happily pulls the camper along at motorway speeds efficiently and with little fuss.  The larger 146 kW TDI motor boasts 450 Nm of torque and adds a lot more punch for overtaking and hauling up hills, all rather effortlessly mind you.  FWD is for the 340 Nm version, while the bigger motor also comes with AWD – giving you the option of trekking across less-travelled terrain – should you feel the need to do so.

For both engines the action is sent through a rather sweet seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.  Both variants also provide excellent fuel economy, with less than 9 litres/100 km a regular highlight.

With the mechanics out of the way, let’s take a closer look at the camper as a unit.  You are able to sleep up to four people, and the versatile Volkswagen California Beach campervan boasts an electronic-hydraulic pop-top roof, swivelling front seats, a bed extension with a comfort sleeping mat, a two-chair camping table, a secondary battery, a programmable parking heater, a silver awning, a power-latching tailgate, and powered sliding doors on both sides of the van.

You’ll find that the new California Beach boasts typical VW high build quality standards, so there’s none of the cheap carpet lining, cheap plastics and veneers that you get in so many other forms of campervans. Instead, you can enjoy the solid workmanship and the knowledge that you’re sleeping in one of the better made campervans in its class.  Furniture construction and quality mouldings go a long way to making you feel like you’re roughing it but in comfort and a bit of luxury all at the same time – a bit like glamping!

2021 VW California Beach Camper

There are a lovely set of exterior colours to choose from: Mojave Beige, Starlight Blue, Copper Bronze, Copper Bronze 2, Bay Leaf Green, Bay Leaf Green 2, Indium Grey, Ascot Grey, Ascot Grey 2, Fortana Red, Reflex Silver and Candy White.  There are various options you can add into the mix to set your California Beach camper just the way you want it.  Things like an awning, front and rear parking sensors, a Light and Vision Pack, privacy glass, and a removable towbar are all sensible options you can have for quite reasonable money.  The lovely VW camper still boasts the neat slide-out internal table on its rail.  There’s a second table that stows discreetly inside the sliding door, which is all ready for use outside the camper – along with the twin camping chairs that have their storage space in a zipped canvas bag on the tailgate.  These are all superb design features that have been well thought out and make the new VW California Beach camper so enjoyable to live with.

Other highlights include a handy heating system that has a remote control and a timing feature.  Then there is the really cool electrically-operated elevating roof that effortlessly raises and lowers the roof by simply holding a switch down.  Oh so easy!  There is a decent washing-up area which is made of quality materials and not cheap plastics, and the glass cover for the two-ring hob stove and sink combination unit looks classy.  The 42-litre top-loading fridge offers good food storage and there are useful storage spaces about the camper.

One big advantage of getting yourself into a VW California Beach campervan is that you can tow up to 2.5 tonnes braked or 750 kg unbraked, which is really useful when you need to carry your bikes, canoe and other odds and ends.

On the safety front, these vans are solidly built and come with loads of ADAS features.  ABS (Antilock Brakes), Brake Assist, Electronic Stability, Traction Control, Alert/Warning – Collision Forward, Blind Spot Sensors, Crash Avoidance with Braking, Pedestrian Avoidance with Braking, Cross Traffic Alert – Rear, Driver Attention Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping – Active Assist, Parking Assistance – Graphical Display, Warning – Driver Fatigue, EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution), automatic lights, DRLs, rain sensing wipers and a Hill Holder system are all standard.

2021 VW California Beach Camper

Satellite navigation, Voice Recognition, an Aux Input Socket (MP3/CD/Cassette), an Aux Input USB Socket, a Memory Card Reader, an MP3 Decoder, a WMA Decoder, Bluetooth, a Multi-function Control Screen, a six-speaker stereo, an infotainment screen in the centre of the dash, a Colour Display Screen in the rear, an Auxiliary Heating system with Remote Control, a Cargo Cover, Cargo Tie Down Hooks/Rings, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Cup Holders – 1st Row, Distance Control, a very comfortable Drivers Seat, illuminated Vanity Mirrors for the driver and front passenger, Map/Reading Lamps – for 1st Row, a Storage Compartment – in Dash, a Storage Compartment – Overhead Console in the 1st Row, and a Tool Kit are all standard features on-board a 2021 VW California Beach camper.

2021 VW California Beach Camper

The new Volkswagen California Beach camper van is designed to be able to sleep four in reasonable comfort.  So, with a drop the headrests, a release and pulling forward of the whole seat, then a tug on the backrest strap and the lower bed folds out flat with space for two adults.  The roomier double is found above.  If it was just the two of you travelling together, then you would likely consider this as the main bed.  It’s a bit of an effort to clamber up into but it is bigger and more comfortable than the lower bed.

Buy one of these VW campers new, and you get a 5 year/unlimited km warranty, and a handy 1 year roadside assistance package.  VW recommend a service every 12 months or 15,000 km – whichever comes first.

2021 VW California Beach Camper

The 2021 Volkswagen California models include the:

• California Beach TDI340
• California Beach TDI450

For any more information on the new VW California or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181.  If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Volkswagen dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours.  Private Fleet – car buying made easy!