VW’s Grand California - a new dimension to being “on the road”.
Someone was following them. Paul Gallagher and wife Kate were driving slowly down the main street of Whangamata in their Volkswagen Grand California when they noticed they were being stalked by another couple in a car.
“We found a park,” says Gallagher, 57, “and as soon as we stopped, they pulled in next to us. The husband jumped out almost before their car had fully stopped. He just wanted to examine our vehicle – so we gave him the royal tour.”
That’s the thing about a Volkswagen Grand California – it turns heads, says Gallagher, remembering that they were stopped by four other couples that same day, all curious about this campervan with character.
Actually, Gallagher says, it is a genuine luxury campervan – not a motorhome like the majority of the broad-beamed white fleet seen every year on New Zealand roads. The Grand California 680 is the campervan that drives like a car, albeit a 7m-long “car” with a queen-size bed in the back.
It has 4MOTION all-wheel drive, cruise control, hill descent, parking sensors, reversing camera – and a host of clever space-saving and ingenious details for comfort.
The Gallaghers began their love affair with VW campers back in the 90s when they performed a well-known New Zealand ritual – travelling overseas (Africa first) to London, where they bought a VW Kombi and travelled round southern Europe, Scandinavia, the UK and Ireland over four years.
“We loved it,” says Gallagher of the Kombi – the classic live-in vehicle that has carried generations of Kiwis on their OE. “It went just about everywhere we did and those travels, that time of life, are unforgettable. We can’t forget them anyway because Kate has cleverly made a collage of photographs from that time – and it hangs in the Grand California now.”
Gallagher thinks he and Kate bought the Kombi with 60,000 miles on the clock. They did another 20,000 before selling it and slowly travelling back to New Zealand via many other countries. So the Kombi heritage – and the warm feelings many Kombi owners retain for the vehicle – had a lot to do with their decision to buy a Grand California.
“The big difference is that the Grand California is luxury,” he says. “Oh, plus the fact that we never have to push the Grand California. The Kombi had a tendency to overheat and, when it did, it was very hard to start, so we had to push it.”
There’s a lot of clever designing involved. The Grand California’s dimensions give a sense of space and luxury inside. Both models contain kitchen, a combined shower/toilet and roof-mounted solar panels that gather electricity during the day to help support the vehicle’s internal battery which fuels the lights and other needs at night. That battery can also be charged as you drive or, third option, simply plug in at a camping ground.
There’s an additional heated outdoor shower which Gallagher says they use a lot, especially in remote areas where they have secluded privacy in some of New Zealand’s most beautiful spots: “Because the Grand California is much narrower than a motorhome, we can get to places others can’t – and the all-wheel drive is terrific. It makes gravel road driving a breeze and has got us out a few times when we might have been stuck.”
The 130kW 2-litre turbo-diesel engine has genuine grunt. Plus, the Grand California has a wide range of safety and driver aids - including Adaptive Cruise and Cross Wind Assist, which automatically resists body movements from big gusts. However it’s the attention to detail and clever use of space which also sets the Grand California apart:
- The exterior step folds out automatically as soon as the side door is opened and stays like that once the touchpad setting for Camping Mode is activated.
- It has a 70-litre fridge and freezer, a two-burner stove, a sink, a four-seater table. The awning is simple to erect in just a few minutes, while the outdoor table and folding chairs are ideal for camping. There’s a 110-litre fresh water tank.
- A wall-mounted digital touchpad control panel allows variations in things like water temperature to lighting.
“They are fantastic things,” says Gallagher. “We love it. We’ve been all over the southern part of the North Island – we live in Karaka so we tend to head south to miss the Auckland traffic.” These holidays, they will drive it in the South Island for the first time.
Scott Duggan, National Sales Manager for Volkswagen New Zealand says: “Grand California owners often report back to us that they find it gears them up for more adventurous holidays on roads less travelled – but still has the luxury if they just want to chill and relax.
“New Zealanders made more of their domestic travels during the pandemic,” he says. “Of course, the market is tougher these days as people are preparing for harder times – but we can say that 2022 saw an increase in our campervan market share and we hope to continue to expand what we can offer within the category.”
The last word goes to Gallagher: “We have a beautiful spot in Raglan we like to stay; it’s everything that is good about New Zealand. There’s the beach, there’s wining, dining, culture – it’s a special place.
“And every time we come home from work, we see the Grand California sitting there and that gives us another feeling. It’s a symbol of freedom.”