VW Transporter California 6.1 Camper Teased With Lots More Tech

The Volkswagen California is the camper variant of the brand's highly adaptable Transporter van, and these new teaser images are the first look at an upcoming 6.1 update. The full debut happens at the Caravan-Salon show in Düsseldorf, Germany, at the end of August.

The California 6.1 gains an optional digital instrument panel, marking the first time for this tech to be available on this model. The multifunctional camper control unit also now has a digital display. An updated infotainment system features an integrated eSIM that allows for connecting to online services. The driver assistance tech gets a major update, too, with features like lane assist, side-wind compensation, and trailer assist.

The California 6.1 will be available with multiple tunes of VW's 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder, and the top trim will offer 196 horsepower (146 kilowatts). Electro-mechanical power steering will replace the previous hydraulically assisted system.

On the outside, the updated California will get the fresh nose from the Transporter 6.1. The revised design includes slightly sharper styling and LED headlights. The rest of the styling retains the van's familiar look.

Like with the pre-refresh model, don't look for the California 6.1 to be available in America, despite carrying the name of one of the country's most populous states. Folks in the U.S. wanting a van from VW need to wait for the production I.D. Buzz to arrive in 2022.

VW touts the California as the world's bestselling camper model thanks to deliveries of over 18,000 units per year. In 2018, the company celebrated producing the 100,000th unit at the Hannover-Limmer factory. Production of the whole family of Transporter variants has totaled roughly 12 million units since the van's introduction in 1950.