Bulli for you: VW reinterprets its compact bus

Geneva International Motor Show

Ten years ago, Volkswagen won plaudits for the Microbus Concept it revealed at the Detroit motor show. That particular design study didn't spawn a production-ready vehicle, but now the company has had a renewed crack at the theme via the Bulli concept wheeled out at the Geneva show.

Why did the Microbus concept not become a showroom reality? According to VW, it's because "some visions need to mature before they yield something new. Now, the time is right for this vision."

The six-seater Bulli is said to be more compact and affordable than the decade-old concept, and it's a greenie-friendly proposition as its propulsion comes via an electric motor and fitted with six seats. There's also an iPad infotainment control system.

The 'Bulli' name dates back to the 60-year-old origins of the VW bus, as this is the moniker by which Germans referred to it, even though it was known as the Microbus or Kombi elsewhere.

According to the company's press blurb, the new concept recaptures the space and spirit of its ancestor, although the edgy styling is obviously rooted in the present.

VW says the concept "has the potential to establish a new, fifth brand of people carrier next to the Caddy, Touran, Sharan and its large counterpart -- the Caravelle", so it's clearly not just a pie-in-the-sky exercise.

In fact, the Wolfsburg manufacturer suggests "the Bulli could even become an icon like the T1 Samba that still trades at extremely high prices today -- one of those few vehicles that simply do not fade with time."

Housed within the Bulli's boxy confines is an electric motor that puts out 85kW and 270Nm, with the peak torque figure on tap from standstill.

The silent motor is supplied with energy from a lithium-ion battery with a maximum storage capacity of 40kWh, and this combination is said to provide a range of 300km -- not bad at all for an electric vehicle.

What's more, the Bulli's battery can allegedly be recharged in less than one hour at an "electric refuelling station" specially designed for electric vehicles.

VW quotes a 0-100km/h split of 11.5sec for the Bulli, while its top speed is electronically governed to 140km/h (electronically limited). The company says the Bulli's range and performance make it the ideal device for inner-city commuting.

That said, the concept is also said to be capable of accommodating the latest-gen direct-injection petrol and diesel engines with 1.0 or 1.4-litre displacement.

Inside, there are six seats: three on a front bench seat (which can be split and folded) and three on the rear bench which can be folded flat to maximise loadspace -- or turn into a bed in the true spirit of the iconic campervan.

When all six seating locations are occupied, a 370-litre loadspace is available, but this swells to 1600 litres with the seats folded.

A removable iPad in the centre console serves as a multifunctional touchscreen, providing Internet-based applications, as well as phone and navigation functions.

There is no tachometer (unnecessary with an electric motor) nor a centre console, nor gear lever. The latter is replaced by a rotary switch to the right of the driver, which is used to select forward and reverse gears. A push button in the same switch is used to activate and switch off the motor.

Such high-tech equipment is, of course, a far cry from the original Volkswagen bus, the design for which came from Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon in 1947.

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