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VW considers
future of Microbus |
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The Volkswagen Microbus concept may not possess the instant lovability that helped launch the New Beetle in the USA in 1998, but it clearly exhibits design features reminiscent of the original model. Volkswagen AG unveiled the Microbus concept at this month’s North American International Auto Show. VW gauged public opinion in Detroit, and will do the same during auto shows in Geneva and Tokyo. Only then will the automaker decide whether to build a modern version of the old Microbus, said Jens Neumann, the VW board member in charge of North American strategy. Bringing a Microbus concept to Detroit was a difficult task. The 1960s and ’70s-era Microbus, with its rear engine and nearly flat nose, presented safety issues that designers had difficulty over- coming. "I have been tenacious on this subject," Neumann said. After at least three design studies, VW reached just the right combination of new and old, he said. "We now have the nose that I wanted," Neumann said. "We will pursue this if the public acceptance is there. We are now just trying to grasp opinions. We want to know such things as what price people would be willing to pay." The nose of the Microbus concept is a compro mise the bottom half recalls the original flat nose. The windshield, however, is sharply raked, a move apparently necessary to provide room for a front engine compartment and safety crumple zone. The concept’s shallow side windows and over- sized doors and side body panels also capture the flavor of the original model Gerd Klauss, president of Volkswagen of America Inc., likes the idea of adding a Microbus to the North American product lineup. "It’s a whole segment we really are not playing in now," Klauss said. The automaker does sell the EuroVan in the USA, but it is a niche product with sales of only 2,714 in 2000. "It is a very interesting study because we do not have many icons in the industry," Klauss said. The concept was created in the VW design studio in California with the US market specifically in mind. The Microbus concept - 4725mm long, 1920mm wide and 1890mm high - features doors that open electronically and three rows of seating. The two middle seats rotate 180 degrees so passengers in the middle and third rows can face each another. The concept is equipped with a front-mounted 3.2-1iter V-6 engine that generates 231hp. It has a five-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic, a feature that allows the driver to be in automatic mode or shift gears manually without a clutch. The concept is packed with video equipment. The center console houses a 175mm screen. Four large monitors are positioned in the backrests of the first and second rows. There are two extend- able monitors that pop out of the rear bench seat that can double as a conference table. |
