Bus offers bedding for four adults and a fully equipped kitchenette complete with table.
VW’s top-of-the-range camper van, the California Coast, has a sticker price of R1 720 700. But because the van is in runout, there are bargains on offer. And VWSA are knocking off a full R200 000 on this price.
With us South Africans loving the great doors and having a camper van that offers the best of both worlds through comfortable and clever touches, this might just be the bargain you are looking for.
Our intrepid, globetrotting department head Jaco van der Merwe had the following to say about the VW California Coast when he spent some time figuring the ins and outs of this bespoke camper van.
For those preferring the old-fashioned way of setting up their home away from home there will always be caravans and tents. These days though, there are also plenty of alternatives ranging from roof tents fitted to almost any vehicle or trailer to seriously kitted out bush-ready camping trailers.
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VW California excellent alternative
Yet there is another alternative in the camper van you see here. As this option is not as popular in South Africa as elsewhere in the world, pickings are slim though. The ones that do exist, were built as standard vans and then modified afterwards. The VW California Coast is comes fully equipped from the showroom floor with manufacturer warranty intact.
Based on the VW Caravelle, this isn’t just a run-of-the-mill standard specification van with some additional fittings for camping. The Coast offers all the goodies from the plush T6.1 Caravelle, and the same 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine that produces 146kW of power and 450Nm of torque. The goes to all four wheels via seven-speed DSG transmission.
Now for the part that sets the VW California Coast apart from any other production camper van in South Africa. The camping-ready equipment. The van offers bedding for four adults: two on top of the roof and two in the cabin.
This camper van’s pop-up roof tent is quite unique too. The tent is entirely concealed when flat. In fact, you’ll have trouble differentiating between the roof of the California Coast and a standard Caravelle or Kombi.
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Easy conversion
The roof tent opens through a roller shutter positioned like a sunroof in the roof above the front seats. After releasing the two safety clips, the tent is so easy to erect via extending hydraulic arms that a child can do it. Stowing it via a strap handle attached to a steel beam on top is just as easy.
In the morning, the cabin can be quickly converted into a kitchen along with dining room for four in just a few minutes. This happens by lifting the rear bench seat’s backrest and sliding the seat back, swivelling the front seats around and folding out the table.
Food can be prepares on the left side equipped with all the kitchen essentials and is closed off. The Caravelle features another sliding door on its left-hand side.
The VW California has a built-in fridge/freezer, two-burner gas stove and basin with tap with a cupboard below the sink for storage. Water and gas inlets feature outside the van alongside the standard external power socket. The stove and basin covers also act as spray screens for the side window.
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One loo-ming problem
Even though equipped with four-wheel-drive to wander into the unknown, the VW California Coast isn’t a complete bushwhacker in terms of living quarters. You would still require external ablution facilities and the various external sources to provide electricity, water and to a lesser extent, gas. To make this ride a self-sustainable camper would require additional equipment which takes up space and will probably require the use of a trailer.
Many old school campers might argue that you can buy a double cab bakkie and caravan/camping trailer for less than the camper van’s price tag. But not everyone wants to camp or experience the outdoors in the same way and albeit very niche, the VW California Coast offers an enticing alternative.
It is a true get-in-and-go camper which requires no towing, levelling, tent pitching or any other of the usual hassles associated with camping. Setting it up is ridiculously easy and quick, while you have the comfort of a serious machine getting you to your destination and back.
