Although it was a segment that had already been pushing hard, motorhomes began to experience a true golden age… thanks to the pandemic. The fear of physical contact turned many heads to a very different kind of vacation travel, but one that undoubtedly has great advantages.
On one of its sides, the Grand California has a large awning.
In this way, the ‘camper’ concept, which we can define as ‘series motorhomes’, or motorhomes produced by traditional brands, has become definitively established among those seeking the most self-sufficient vacations possible. In other words, traveling in our own car, or renting a vehicle adapted to our ‘somewhat wild’ way of life.
Enjoying our vacations with family and/or friends aboard a campervan is just the opposite of going to our apartment (almost always on the beach), to set up our summer camp between said accommodation and the sand on the beach. , where we will generally be lying for most of our vacations. With the camper/motorhome concept, our main objective is mobility, that is, not practicing a sedentary lifestyle, seeing the world, not always the same beach, enjoying the trip almost more than the final or partial destination of our summer vacation, divided into stages. .
But of course, this goes beyond, as many people continue to do, spending their holidays in a campsite. This is about moving family and/or friends and all the logistics that entails, in trips that can even be daily: individual clothes, household clothes, kitchen utensils, food, a multitude of objects (some more useful than others). ), etc. For this reason, the camper concept is becoming more attractive and successful, since sales (or rentals) of this type of vehicle are at the best moment in their history.
The ‘terrace’ that comes standard on the Grand California, assembled.
In this way, generalist brands are beginning to incorporate Camper versions in their larger vehicles, mainly vans, both for transporting people and purely commercial. We are talking, among others, of the Dacia Dokker Combi, the Volkswagen Caddy, the Citroën Berlingo XL or SpaceTourer or the Peugeot Traveler or the Rifter by Tinkervan, the Volkswagen California ‘just dry’, the Ford Transit Custom, the Mercedes Marco Polo, the Citroën SpaceTourer, Opel Vivaro, Renault Kangoo Camperiz, Toyota Proace Verso, Nissan NV200 and NV300, Ford Transit Custom or Tourneo by Tinkervan, Renault Trafic Camper, Fiat Ducato Camper Van, Iveco Daily Camper. A whole universe of possibilities, converted by specialized companies or by the brands themselves, which, unlike the Iveco, we can define as ‘compact’, that is, with space to sleep two or four people, comfortably, but with certain limitations. Of space.
The dining room, with the kitchen on the left, and in the background the WC and the lower room.
supermotorhome
And this is where our protagonist of today enters: the Volkswagen Grand California. And especially the 600 version. It is a camperization of the large Volkswagen commercial vehicle, the Crafter, with which we have a motorhome, with all the letters, in which we do not have to raise the roof to be able to mount a second double bed Because in the Grand California the roof is raised by itself at all times, with all that this means for the interior space.
And what do we have in this (big) house on our backs? Well, practically everything. We have a porch, living/dining room, two-burner gas cooker, 70-liter fridge with freezer, sink and running water tap, bathroom with sink, running water tap and shower, and two bedrooms with double beds, one on the ‘ground floor’, in the rear area of the vehicle, and another on the ‘first floor’, which is accessed by a portable staircase. And all this, how can it be otherwise, well seasoned with cabinets for clothes and kitchen utensils, and a large trunk, which never loses its space, located under the ‘room’ on the floor below.
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And how is all this possible? Thanks to a 110-liter clean water tank for the bathroom and kitchen, a 90-liter waste water tank, two gas cylinders to heat the water or even as part of the heating system, which is mostly electric. , air conditioning (optional) or even solar panels on the roof. And let’s not forget a huge awning on the right side of the Grand California, two folding chairs and an outdoor camping table, custom-made sunshades for all the glass surfaces, which provide privacy for a night’s rest, swivel front seats so that the interior dining room is for up to four people, and a decoration and materials based on the furniture of a yacht, with a floor covering that imitates wood, which provides extra comfort and a certain luxury at all levels.
Nothing is missing in the big Volkswagen, with a 90-liter fridge with freezer?
A ‘special’ model to drive
The Volkswagen Grand California is a ‘special’ model from several points of view. In addition to its many advantages as a true ‘house on wheels’, other vicissitudes that make it very special must also be taken into account. And we refer, mainly, to his driving. And we absolutely do not want to be scared when deciding on this supermodel from the German firm. What’s more, no matter how much respect its six meters at least in length and its two meters in height inspire, the Grand California drives like another car, with a very Volkswagen dashboard, with a normal steering wheel, not the of a Barreiros truck, and with a large number of driving aids.
What must be taken into account, although we have already advanced, is that it is a normal vehicle… six meters long, and in which we also cannot enjoy, for obvious reasons, the interior rear-view mirror. For this reason, novice drivers of a ‘tank’ like the Grand California just have to take into account, in addition to the safe driving that must always be done in any vehicle, that they drive a really ‘special’ vehicle… in all senses.
The Volkswagen Grand California 600, on the beaches of Normandy (France).
manual volkswagen
And although in a certain way driving a tome size can throw us back a bit, we are first and foremost a Volkswagen, a somewhat special vehicle, yes, but that incorporates most of the elements of any other vehicle from the German firm.
And we start with the engine, an efficient 2.0 TDI four-cylinder engine that delivers 177 horsepower and 410 Nm of maximum torque, more than enough thrust even on the rockiest or steepest roads. All this is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive in the case of the 600 model. The price of the ‘small’ Grand California, the undoubtedly most popular version of the great Volkswagen Camper, starts at 79,155 euros.
Grand California 600 and 680
Because, as we have said before, there are two versions of the Grand California. The 680 model, as its name indicates, goes to a stratospheric 6.80 meters in length, which requires a truck driver’s license, which gives a great clue about its exclusivity. This nearly three-foot gain translates to a much larger first-floor bed (although the 600’s bed size is more than enough for two adults), plus more space overall. The price of the Grand California 680 is 78,535 euros (front-wheel drive) and 82,615 (all-wheel drive).
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