MOTORS: VW campervan is something to Buzz about

One of my bitter memories of camping goes back to a soaking week on the shores of Loch Ness.

From my very damp tent I looked enviously at a campsite neighbour enjoying the warm and dry comfort of a VW campervan. While I spent my time wringing out my wet clothes, they only had to deal with the condensation on their windows from the interior heat battling with the torrential rain.

The experience accounts for my soft spot for the classic Type 2 campervan, much-loved by enthusiasts since it burst onto our roads in the 1950s, taking second place only to the iconic Beetle.

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I’ve driven a few of them and while the experience behind the wheel didn’t quite match the brilliant styling, it didn’t put me off.

Many years on, I was excited at the prospect of getting hold of the latest incarnation on the model, which the designers have created on the retro theme similar to what they did with the Beetle.

The ID Buzz has stunning looks, especially in the Candy White and Lime Yellow two-tone paintjob of the test vehicle, an almost £3000 option which pushed the final on-the-road price to almost £71,000, compared to the less-than £2000 price of the hippie-favoured microbus of the ‘60s..

That’s not the only difference. While the original split-windscreen model used a noisy air-cooled petrol engine under the floor at the rear, the latest model is all-electric with a large 77 kWh battery providing current to a 150 kW electric motor which drives the rear wheels.

The set-up helps stability on the road, thanks to the heavy low-mounted battery so there’s none of the rolling and wallowing you’d expect on the twists and turns of country roads. The suspension gives a comfortable ride and when you take it into town, the tight turning circle of 11 metres means it’s easy to manoeuvre.

Like every electric vehicle, there’s no power lag when you set off and it’ll happily cruise along on the open road, hopefully covering around 200 miles before you have to find a charger.

If you’re lucky to find a DC quick-charging station it’s possible to refresh the battery from five to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes.

If you select the B mode, the regenerative braking adjusts its strength according to conditions which allows pretty near one-pedal driving, without having to use the brake.

Gear changes through the auto box are seamless once you select D on the steering wheel stalk drive selector and you can enjoy a superbly quiet drive, a contrast to the original version.

The Buzz is just as dramatic inside too with the exterior colour scheme repeated on the seats and trim, much of which is made from recycled material, such as old plastic bottles.

The driving position is high giving good visibility all round.

Beneath the 10-inch touchscreen is a control bar with digital buttons and touch sliders for the interior temperature and infotainment volume while the buttons control the air conditioning, the assist systems and the driving profiles.

The seats are equal to what you’d find in luxury executive SUVs, even down to the adjustable arm-rests on the front seats, and there’s a host of other features such as dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging and no fewer than seven charging ports along with 30-colour ambient and footwell lighting making life inside this Teutonic tourer a very nice place to be.

The powered tailgate gives access to the sizeable boot space while the sliding side doors make it easy for passengers to get in and out. There’s plenty of space for five adults while the rear bench can be folded down completely and moved backwards or forwards.

There are only two versions, Life and Style and although you’ll have to dig deep, you do get something very stylish for your money and it’ll certainly keep you dry.

CAR: Volkswagen ID Buzz Style SWB

PRICE: £62,844 (£70,920 as tested)

ENGINE: Electric motor Lithium-ion battery, 1-speed auto rear-wheel drive

POWER: 204 PS

TORQUE: 310 NM

TOP SPEED: 90mph.

0-62mph: 10.2 secs

RANGE: 250 miles

CHARGING TIME: 7hrs 30mins (11kW 3-phase) 30mins (170kW rapid)

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