Volkswagen will reveal a stretched, three-row model of its new electrical ID. Buzz this yr.
Automobile & Driver experiences phrase from the German model that the long-wheelbase ID. Buzz will debut in June 2023 earlier than occurring sale within the US subsequent June as a 2025 mannequin yr automobile.
Volkswagen Australia has mentioned introducing the LWB model regionally is a “no brainer”, whereas it’s additionally placing its hand up for the additionally yet-to-be-revealed, dual-motor all-wheel drive GTX.
The 2-row ID. Buzz and its load-carrying ID. Buzz Cargo counterpart are being focused for a mid-2024 launch in Australia, with the model bringing an instance of every Down Below final yr to indicate media.
The LWB model has been beforehand spied sporting virtually no camouflage, revealing there shall be few, if any, styling modifications to distinguish the SWB and LWB fashions past the clearly longer physique.
The rear overhang additionally seems to be unchanged, so all the LWB’s additional size comes from its stretched wheelbase. Along with the LWB’s huge rear sliding doorways we will additionally see a 3rd row of seats, boosting seating capability past the SWB’s five-person restrict.
At the start of 2023, Volkswagen confirmed the ID.Buzz will seat as much as seven folks with two middle-row captain’s chairs that may swivelled round 180 levels to face the three-person rear bench.
A few of these seats may be folded and even eliminated to enhance cargo carrying functionality.
The corporate has additionally confirmed the LWB can have a 3148mm wheelbase, a 250mm improve over the present SWB model. If our expectation in regards to the rear overhang is appropriate, the ID. Buzz LWB shall be 4962mm lengthy.
Designed primarily for the North American market, the ID. Buzz LWB seems to be more likely to be a good bit shorter than the Chrysler Pacifica, Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, and Kia Carnival, that are all 5.16m or 5.17m lengthy.
Whereas it could be 5 to 37mm shorter than these rivals, the ID. Buzz LWB will boast a considerably longer wheelbase than any of these automobiles, which vary from 3.0m to three.09m.
As for motivation, the ID. Buzz LWB shall be obtainable with an twin-motor all-wheel drive structure, though outputs have but to be introduced.
It would share the 195kW setup with the ID.4 Professional 4Motion crossover, or the 220kW system from the sportier ID.4 GTX.
Whereas Volkswagen has confirmed there shall be a 250kW ID. Buzz GTX, we’re not sure if this drivetrain shall be provided in each SWB and LWB guises.
At current, the ID. Buzz SWB is bought in Europe solely with a 150kW/310Nm motor driving the rear wheels and related to a 77kWh battery pack.
So geared up, the ID. Buzz takes a leisurely 10.2 seconds to finish the 0-100km/h normal.
It’s been an extended, lengthy highway getting a Kombi-inspired, three-row folks mover to market.
Australia has been lucky in having constant entry to automobiles just like the Multivan and Caravelle, that are real successors to the Kombis of yore.
In 2001, Volkswagen revealed the Microbus idea with extra overt Kombi-esque design cues, very a lot focused on the US market, however plans for a manufacturing model have been cancelled a couple of years later.
Volkswagen final provided a Transporter-based folks mover within the US market in 2003, and hasn’t provided any folks mover there since 2014.
The corporate stuffed the folks mover void from 2009 to 2014 with the Routan – a restyled Chrysler City & Nation/Voyager.
MORE: Every little thing Volkswagen ID.Buzz