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Volkswagen’s Signature Camper Van Becomes More Lust-Worthy with Some Powerful Gains

The Grand California now offers greater off-the-grid capabilities.

White and gray Volkswagen camper van with open side door and awning on a sandy beach.Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
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By Chris Chin

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Volkswagen’s iconic Transporter California is already chock-full of what camper van dreams are made of. But the Wolfsburg-based automaker seems to have just made one of its newest variants even better.

In the latest development, Volkswagen’s commercial division just rolled out some worthy updates for the flagship Grand California.

They piggyback off VW’s other van updates, some of which went to our own North American-spec ID. Buzz, as well as Europe’s latest Transporter and Caravelle. Now, the bug caught up with VW’s grandest factory-built camper van ever.

An even grander Grand California

Dark gray Volkswagen camper van with black wheels parked on grass with trees in the background.
Just when you thought the Transporter California was epic enough, there’s an even more epic version called the Grand California.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

For some, the VW Transporter California may already be a familiar name. If you’ve never heard of the Grand California, it’s an even larger and more luxurious version of the famed camper van.

Introduced in 2018, VW created the bigger and more opulent California based on the more sizable Volkswagen Crafter multi-purpose vehicle. Naturally, the result is an even more deluxe camper van.

Interior of a camper van with gray cushioned bench seating, a foldable wooden table, and a kitchenette in the background.
As expected from a larger camper van, there’s much more space and far more amenities in the Grand California.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

The standard Transporter-based California already comes with everything, including the kitchen sink. The Grand California really just amps everything up.

As such, rather than a portable wash station based out of the rear cargo area, the Grand California is large enough to house a standalone bathroom, complete with a sink, toilet and shower combo.

White ladder leading to a loft bed with wooden slats and black safety netting inside a camper van.
With more space comes more room for accommodations.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

It makes for more interior space. The larger proportions also enable bigger kitchenette setups with more amenities, more versatile storage and sleeping options and other perks that come along with benefits of more room.

Now, VW updated the Grand California for more off-the-grid capabilities.

Power when you need it

Black solar panel mounted on the white roof of a vehicle with an antenna and a roof vent.
The Grand California vans benefit from auxiliary power boost, thanks to upgraded photovoltaic solar cells for the recharge system.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

To bolster the Grand California’s nomadic purposes, VW upgraded the van’s onboard auxiliary electrical system across the range. Both the Grand California 600 and the bigger 680 now benefit from rooftop-mounted photovoltaic solar panels.

The standard 600 model gains a 104-watt panel while the larger 680 gets a more powerful 174-watt panel. Along with the solar panels is a new dual 40-ampere/hour battery system, which is a part of the van’s new optional Self-Sufficiency package.

Compact white bathroom with a small sink, mirror cabinet, and a toilet in a confined space.
Unlike the standard Transporter California, the Grand California comes with a stand-up interior bathroom.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

Helping to retain electrons is a larger 92-ampere/hour AGM battery, which can be used to power all of the van’s onboard features without running the internal combustion engine.

VW says the switchover to a heavier-duty AGM battery boosts the amount of useable electricity charge by almost 40%. It also improves the battery’s longevity, as constant charging and discharging significantly affect overall lifespan and charge capacity.

2027 Volkswagen Grand California

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It’s all thanks to advancements in battery technology itself. Other benefits include more efficient, faster and more powerful charging from the solar panel.

As a result, drivers can now go longer distances and spend more time at rural campsites rather than being tethered to an area with power hookups for additional charging.

Availability and pricing

White and gray Volkswagen camper van with extended awning and outdoor table and chairs on a sandy beach.
The Grand California make Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based camper vans look amateurish.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

Like the standard Transporter California, the Grand California is unfortunately only available to European and select Asian markets. But that doesn’t keep us from lusting over it from across the pond.

If you’re lucky enough to be in a market where you can buy a Grand California 600, prices start at €83,508 (or around $95,700 USD). This new Self-Sufficiency power package, complete with the battery upgrade, adds around $3,000 USD to the price.

The larger 680 commands more, around $100,000 USD.

Two white Volkswagen camper vans parked on grass under a clear blue sky, one with an open side door showing the interior.Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

2027 Volkswagen Grand California

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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