The Microbus Is Coming Back
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The Microbus Is Coming Back
I know this has been in the rumor mill for a while but this finally got the go ahead. Sounds pretty interesting.
A little something for you flower children (Porsche Guy
).
The Microbus is coming back!
Get ready for a trip back to the '60s: The VW Microbus is slated to make a 2005 comeback. Groovy!
Volkswagen announced this summer that it will introduce a modernized version of the German carmaker's pre-minivan minivan in 2005. The original went into production in the early 1950s but really made a splash in the fab 1960s.
The new version
The new Microbus, introduced as a concept vehicle in January 2001, has a few features that should make it a big improvement over the earlier versions. The concept Microbus, for example, features a 230 horsepower V6 engine and a 5-speed automatic with Tiptronic clutchless shifting.
Then there's the onboard movie multiplex theater, something I definitely would have remembered if we'd had it in ours. The concept has a 7-inch screen in the center console and four other 8-inch screens in the backs of the first and second-row seats. The middle seats can swivel for a better view of a DVD/game console screen. Folded down, the back of the DVD/game screen functions as a small table.
The interior of VW Microbus concept. The lever is the Tiptronic shifter.
The seats on the concept are covered in "Cotton White" nappa leather. The second row is a pair of bucket seats that swivel 180 degrees, while the third row is a bench with two contoured seats. Both the second and third rows can be moved around on a set of rails.
The floor is covered with a semitransparent rubber mat that's easily removed so it can be hosed off. Underneath that is an aluminum floor. The combination adds a glow to the inside of the Microbus concept. Our old bus also had removable rubber flooring and, underneath that, the floor was semitransparent thanks to a material called rust.
Instead of opening outward, as the doors on our old Microbus did, the concept vehicle has powered sliding doors. And the door handles retract via remote control so they stick out only when you need them.
It remains to be seen, of course, which of the fancy features from the concept vehicle will make it to the final production version. Not everything the VW design team in California came up with likely will be practical for a real production vehicle. If anyone's asking, I'd like see the old round headlights comeback. It just not a Microbus without them. The DVD screen that doubles as a snack tray is a nice touch, though.
A little something for you flower children (Porsche Guy
).The Microbus is coming back!
Get ready for a trip back to the '60s: The VW Microbus is slated to make a 2005 comeback. Groovy!
Volkswagen announced this summer that it will introduce a modernized version of the German carmaker's pre-minivan minivan in 2005. The original went into production in the early 1950s but really made a splash in the fab 1960s.
The new version
The new Microbus, introduced as a concept vehicle in January 2001, has a few features that should make it a big improvement over the earlier versions. The concept Microbus, for example, features a 230 horsepower V6 engine and a 5-speed automatic with Tiptronic clutchless shifting.
Then there's the onboard movie multiplex theater, something I definitely would have remembered if we'd had it in ours. The concept has a 7-inch screen in the center console and four other 8-inch screens in the backs of the first and second-row seats. The middle seats can swivel for a better view of a DVD/game console screen. Folded down, the back of the DVD/game screen functions as a small table.
The interior of VW Microbus concept. The lever is the Tiptronic shifter.
The seats on the concept are covered in "Cotton White" nappa leather. The second row is a pair of bucket seats that swivel 180 degrees, while the third row is a bench with two contoured seats. Both the second and third rows can be moved around on a set of rails.
The floor is covered with a semitransparent rubber mat that's easily removed so it can be hosed off. Underneath that is an aluminum floor. The combination adds a glow to the inside of the Microbus concept. Our old bus also had removable rubber flooring and, underneath that, the floor was semitransparent thanks to a material called rust.
Instead of opening outward, as the doors on our old Microbus did, the concept vehicle has powered sliding doors. And the door handles retract via remote control so they stick out only when you need them.
It remains to be seen, of course, which of the fancy features from the concept vehicle will make it to the final production version. Not everything the VW design team in California came up with likely will be practical for a real production vehicle. If anyone's asking, I'd like see the old round headlights comeback. It just not a Microbus without them. The DVD screen that doubles as a snack tray is a nice touch, though.
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Re: The Microbus Is Coming Back
Originally posted by "FordMan"
Then there's the onboard movie multiplex theater, something I definitely would have remembered if we'd had it in ours. The concept has a 7-inch screen in the center console and four other 8-inch screens in the backs of the first and second-row seats. The middle seats can swivel for a better view of a DVD/game console screen. Folded down, the back of the DVD/game screen functions as a small table.
The interior of VW Microbus concept. The lever is the Tiptronic shifter.
The seats on the concept are covered in "Cotton White" nappa leather. The second row is a pair of bucket seats that swivel 180 degrees, while the third row is a bench with two contoured seats. Both the second and third rows can be moved around on a set of rails.
Instead of opening outward, as the doors on our old Microbus did, the concept vehicle has powered sliding doors. And the door handles retract via remote control so they stick out only when you need them.
The DVD screen that doubles as a snack tray is a nice touch, though.
Then there's the onboard movie multiplex theater, something I definitely would have remembered if we'd had it in ours. The concept has a 7-inch screen in the center console and four other 8-inch screens in the backs of the first and second-row seats. The middle seats can swivel for a better view of a DVD/game console screen. Folded down, the back of the DVD/game screen functions as a small table.
The interior of VW Microbus concept. The lever is the Tiptronic shifter.
The seats on the concept are covered in "Cotton White" nappa leather. The second row is a pair of bucket seats that swivel 180 degrees, while the third row is a bench with two contoured seats. Both the second and third rows can be moved around on a set of rails.
Instead of opening outward, as the doors on our old Microbus did, the concept vehicle has powered sliding doors. And the door handles retract via remote control so they stick out only when you need them.
The DVD screen that doubles as a snack tray is a nice touch, though.
its pretty similar to the nissan concept car: Chappo
the microbus has been around longer than the Chappo
so its cool to see nissan and vw reinventing themselves
one coming out with an updated version
one coming out with a twist of it
Self described as a "living room on wheels"
information on it:
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/STORY/0,1299,SI9-CH123-LO3-TI216-CI228-IFY-MC109,00.html
some shots:
interior
exterior
some kids enjoying it
