Work, dream, chat or have a picnic: Multivan calls its new Bulli – it fits! Since the T1 from 1959, better known as the Bulli, the VW vans have been regarded as space giants and masters of variability. “The T series is practically our Swiss Army Knife,” says Lars Krause, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. “It can do practically everything, but only a little bit.”
That should change with the seventh edition of the Multivan. Up until now, the Bulli was technically a delivery van that was refurbished into a passenger transporter. That is why the predecessor T6 was also subject to limits in terms of comfort, technology and assistance systems.
No more Büezer
Now VW is separating the vans and the California campers from the family van. The former will remain commercial vehicles and will continue to use the T6 architecture for the time being. The T7, on the other hand, is for the first time on a PW architecture – ready Büezer. “This makes the Multivan a sharper and more precise knife for passenger transport. At the same time, we can continue to deliver commercial vehicles tailored to the trade, ”explains Krause. For example with 4×4, which is not available for the T7.
New with head-up display
The new Bulli now shares the technology with the current Golf. This can be seen most clearly in the cockpit thanks to the same digital instruments. Unfortunately, it also has the same somewhat slow-reacting multimedia system with the inconvenient touch controls for volume and temperature. There is now a head-up display in the T7. Only the projection could be positioned a little higher, even for a rather small adult, for bigger ones it might be too deep.
Otherwise, the cockpit pleases with pretty details such as wood-like inlays. Of course, a lot of hard plastic is used to save costs, but that doesn’t bother the T7. The gear selector lever of the standard automatic is integrated in the dashboard. Great: So there is a consistently flat surface from the pedals to the tailgate.
Rails of Possibilities
The level floor and the rails sunk into it are the secret of the variability of the T7. Up to seven individual seats can be installed – all of which are heated. They have become 25 percent lighter and weigh between 23 and 29 kilograms, depending on the equipment. With the six-seater, lounge seating is also possible, in which the rear passengers sit opposite each other.
Cool: the center console can be pushed from the cockpit to the trunk and can also be converted into a height-adjustable table. Since there is no longer a continuous back seat, the seats can only be removed on one side, for example to transport a bicycle. The feeling of space is generous as usual and we don’t even notice that the T7 has become nine centimeters flatter. The load volume ranges from 469 to 4053 liters, depending on the version.
Almost electric
The T7 also benefits from the Golf platform in terms of drives. The Multivan is now also available as a plug-in hybrid with a system output of 218 hp and a maximum torque of 350 Newton meters. According to the WLTP measurement cycle, the electric range is just under 50 kilometers – now rather little for a plug-in. Charging times of three at the wallbox to five hours at the socket are okay for families, but quite long for shuttle services. With juice in the battery, the plug-in drives the Multivan very confidently. When the battery is empty, the 150-horsepower gasoline engine with the 2.1 tonne and 4.98 or 5.18 meter long T7 is latently overwhelmed.
That costs the Bulli
At the start in January 2022, there will also be two petrol engines with 136 and 204 hp (100 and 150 kW). The smaller engine with a displacement of 1.5 liters sounds a bit strained under load with three occupants and should reach its limits when fully loaded. The more powerful two-liter petrol engine, on the other hand, is almost a pleasure to drive. The new aerodynamic design ensures surprisingly little wind noise for a car of this size.
The prices for the new T7 Multivan start at 47,840 francs. The plug-in hybrid costs from 55,400 francs. The longer version with the same wheelbase but more overhang is available for CHF 1,400 more. In the course of the next year, a 150 hp (110 kW) diesel will be added to the range. And the electric Bulli ID.Buzz will follow in 2024.