Back in the day, during the 60s and 70s, the hippie movement meant drugs, sex, and rock and roll. But one iconic image from this odd era was the VW Microbus. It was ugly, under-powered, but affordable, had lots of cargo and people space, and was very anti- establishment, man.
The days of the VW Microbus are over and fans of this reliable clunker can only dream about a rebirth of this ugly duckling. Or can they? At the moment there are rumors circulating the car industry that the Microbus will rise again.
The old Microbus had a air cooled engine in the rear, believe it or not, and was famously known for its easy accessibility and maintenance without a lot of complicated parts or tools. But this time around, if it comes, there will be some major changes in this hippie van.
And Now For Something Completely DifferentOK, so the phrase above may mean nothing to you if you’re not a fan of the old Monty Python comedy reruns. But there
are some differences for the possible release of the new Microbus.
The old Microbus was designed so that the passenger and driver’s legs were actually located ahead of the front wheel axel. Due to modern safety rules, this is a no-no. As a result the nose of the Microbus won't seat the passenger or driver this way.
There won’t be a rear engine configuration this time around, but will feature a front-wheel drive with an electric motor up front as well. The electric range is rumored to be at least 200 miles per charge, and gas and diesel versions will be available later.
Looks Are EverythingThe new design for the Microbus is very easy on the eyes and has very pleasant styling. Instead of the old oblong look of the old bus, the new one will have sleek lines, a wide center section, and four doors.
In some ways it resembles a stretched out Scion xB without the extended hood. And this may be a good thing because the xB is a very popular model among hipsters and young families. If this is any indication of how well the new Microbus will be received by the public, VW may have a winner on its hands. That is, if they release it.
VW RulesToyota has always ruled the roost when it came to being the most popular car maker in the world, but VW has recently surpassed Toyota as the world’s favorite cars in several industry studies.
This is in no small part to the vast troubles Toyota has been experiencing the past few years with quality control, numerous recalls, and a PR disaster concerning the car maker’s role in covering up faults in its accelerator assembly, which led to several deaths.
As VW’s fortunes rise and Toyota’s start to slide, a re-release of the popular Microbus for a new demographic of buyers that are looking for something different, the new Microbus may be another product that will further solidify Volkswagen as the number one car maker in the world.
Source:
MSN Autos