The Volkswagen T6.1 Multivan is not the type of vehicle you’d expect to see speeding down the autobahn. It’s a rig for hauling people, not a high-velocity cruiser. Nevertheless, seeing one going as fast as possible is quite a spectacle.
This one has a 2.0-liter turbodiesel making 201 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. It has a seven-speed automatic. The setup lets the van reach 62 miles per hour in 10.0 seconds.
The VW van spends most of the video in the fast lane. After lots of high-speed cruising, the vehicle achieves a max speed of 126 miles per hour (202 kilometers per hour). The run is drama-free, and the Multivan looks stable even at high speeds.
VW is currently preparing to launch the ID.Buzz van for North America on June 2. It features styling akin to the classic Transporter and an electric powertrain. The US is getting the long-wheelbase version that’s a bit bigger than the European version but has the same overall styling.
Powertrain specs for the version coming to the US aren’t yet available. The existing variants are available single motor making 201 horsepower. North America might get a dual-motor version producing 300 hp and packing a 111-kilowatt-hour battery. There’s already a GTX trim with 335 hp.
Upfitters in Europe are already building camper conversions for the ID.Buzz. There’s space for amenities like a cooktop, sink, and a place to sleep.
VW predicts it could make 44,000 examples of the ID.Buzz in 2023. The Hannover plant plans to stop building the Transporter T6.1 in mid-2024 and focus on assembling the ID.Buzz. This could boost production to over 150,000 units a year.
VW hasn’t had a van available in the United States for several years. The Routan was the last one available. It shared underpinnings with the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country.
Before that, there was the Eurovan. It was a version of the T4 Transporter from Europe.
