VW's 21st-century Kombi

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Volkswagen has unveiled the spiritual successor to the carry-all Kombi, the van generations of young New Zealanders came to worship on their OE around Europe.

The six-seat concept Kombi was one of the main attractions at this month's Detroit motor show. It was styled by VW's design studio in California and could go into production within three years.

The carmaker is calling it the "bus of the future - a contemporary expression of personality and freedom."

"Its authentic styling and numerous innovations uphold a great tradition that began in 1950. But to build a slavish copy of the original would have been inappropriate," VW said.

"Instead, the aim has been to create a genuine Volkswagen that pays homage to a noble heritage of vehicles that have always pursued their own individual course."

The show model might have been inspired by the short overhangs, wrap-around windows, high waistline and front-mounted VW badge of the 50-year-old original, but it contains all the latest technology, including xenon headlights and push-button hydraulic sliding doors.

And it is bigger overall, measuring 4722mm in length and 1909mm in width. Its wheelbase is 3000mm.

The Kombi sits on a front-wheel-drive platform built for the next-generation commercial, called the T5 in VW-speak, due in 2003.

Inside, the three rows of sliding seats are fitted with controls for in-car entertainment. The individual middle seats can be swivelled to face the rear, and the benchseat third row can cope with three adults.

The concept model is powered by a 3.2-litre V6 engine first seen in the limited-edition Beetle RSi. It produces 170kW delivered to the front wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission.

Volkswagen launched the original four-cylinder Kombi van in Europe in 1949. It had a split windscreen, seating for nine, 21 windows, an air-cooled engine in the rear and was based on a 1947 design by Dutch VW importer Ben Pon. His concept was simple: he sketched a rectangle on top of the existing Beetle platform.

VW codenamed it the T1 but over the years it has been called everything from Kombi to Caravelle. VW launched it on the American market in 1950, where it was called the Microbus and sold as a station wagon to make it more palatable to consumers who never heard of using a van for every-day driving. The carmaker's advertising agency based its campaign on the success of the Beetle's legendary "Think Small" message. Only the Kombi ads told Americans to "Think Tall."

VW America sold more than 325,000 Kombis between 1950 and 1966, where they became popular transport for the hippie generation, either as a van, double-cab pick-up or flat-deck.

In 1967 the second-generation model, called the T2, appeared. It had a flatter front, one-pane windscreen, sliding side door and more powerful engine.

VW America sold 433,594 T2 models between 1967 and 1978. In 1979 the third-generation T3 appeared, called the Vanagon in America. It had better aerodynamics and offered optional four-wheel-drive.

In 1983, VW replaced the air-cooled engine with a water-cooled powerplant. Americans bought 191,158 models of the Vanagon before it was replaced in 1992 by the all-new fourth-generation T4, which came with an engine in the front. Updated versions of the T4 range, including the Kombi and workhorse Transporter, will be unveiled in New Zealand in March.

The VW group - which includes Audi, Seat and Skoda - goes into 2001 on an international high. It built 5.06 million vehicles last year, a production increase of 3.9 per cent for a 12.2 per cent share of the worldwide market.

The group was particularly successful in North America, South America, South Africa and the Asia-Pacific.

Sales of VW passenger vehicles last year were up 2.3 per cent to 3.13 million vehicles and commercials increased 5.8 per cent to 328,000. Audi boosted sales by 3 per cent to more than 650,000, Seat lifted 6.9 per cent to about 515,000, while Skoda was up 13 per cent to 435,400.

VW was the leading European brand in New Zealand in 2000 with passenger sales of 1253 vehicles, including 526 Beetles, a 97 per cent jump over 1999. Without the Beetle factor, sales were up 18 per cent.

"It is by far the largest annual number of new cars sold by a European manufacturer in the New Zealand market in recent years," said Volkswagen manager Dean Sheed.

"Although doubling sales again in 2001 is probably unlikely, Volkswagen is confident of continuing growth in New Zealand.

"We now have the critical mass to be a significant player."