- 2005: The first Beach made its debut as a Multivan-California crossover.
- The flexible all-rounder became the entry-level model in VWCV’s range of campervans
- 2007: The Multivan model originally known as the Beach then went on to become a California and could be equipped with a pop-up roof for the first time
- 2009: The T5 and, with it, the California Beach received a major visual and technical upgrade. The pop-up roof became a standard feature
- 2015 and 2019: With the T6, the second-generation California Beach made its debut. In 2019, the first Beach to have a kitchenette was launched on the basis of the T6.1
- 2024 and 2025: The current California was launched in 2024 – with the Beach coming in as many as three different versions.
Hanover, 26 August, 2025 – Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) is celebrating 20 years of the California Beach. The Swiss army knife of the VW Bus range is a Multivan-California crossover. Perfectly suited for both private and business life and permanently on standby for a weekend getaway or even a trip halfway round the world. The first generation of this all-rounder was launched in 2005 – originally known as the Multivan Beach, it has been marketed as the California Beach since 2007. And the third generation is now on the market.
2005 – Beach based on the T5
The feeling of an everlasting summer: In the summer of 2005, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles surprised the VW Bus community with the first facts and photos of the new Multivan Beach. The world-premiere vehicle’s striking look was unmistakable, even in the darkest of sunglasses: with bright Sundown Orange decals running all the way round the body’s Offroad Grey Metallic paintwork, it immediately got you craving a trip to the nearest beach. Designed to perfectly complement the colour scheme and general motif, two surfboards were transported in the roof carrier of the vehicle in the picture – a reflection of the automotive way-of-life that still runs through every VW Bus to this day. Another decisive factor back in 2005 was the fact that the Multivan Beach was actually and functionally able to deliver on its visual promise: With every last detail carefully planned out, the interior merged the features of an adaptable everyday car and a camper van to create a new model version with cult potential: the Multivan-California crossover as a flexible entry into the world of camper vans.
Modular space for travel: The series production model was preceded by two concept cars that Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented at Caravan Salon 2004: the California Beach and California Tramper – two camper vans that shared a conceptual affinity with the Multivan. During the trade fair and as part of further market studies, visitors and VW Bus drivers clearly voted in favour of the solutions installed on board the California Beach concept car. As Volkswagen explained in 2004: “This concept vehicle based on the flat-roofed Transporter builds on a design principle from the early days of mobile leisure. Even back in the early 1950s, the VW Bus – together with the removable camping box – became the epitome of mobile living”. The concept vehicle’s modular interior took this precise approach of taking a VW Bus and using clever solutions to expand it into a camper van and then reinterpreted it. The following year, the production version of the now-iconic camper van, known as the Multivan Beach as mentioned above, was launched onto the market – and became an out-and-out success.
Cleverly designed camper van: The Beach impressed from the outset with its consistently well-thought-out interior. A rail system in the interior floor behind the front seats provided the basis for the camper van’s modular design. This is where the rear bench seat with integrated kitchenette was locked in place, a feature already familiar from the California. To convert it into a comfortable bed for two people, the two-seater bench was pulled forward with a handle and the backrest folded down. This also converted the bench seat’s one-piece backrest into the load compartment cover, designed to be a bed extension. On the front passenger side, the ingenious engineers from Hanover had also integrated a stowage box, which was also equipped with an upholstered surface. This created a 2,000 mm long bed surface that could comfortably accommodate two people. The bedding and camping accessories were stored in the removable boxes in the storage compartment and rear bench seat. Also standard: the swivel function in the driver and front passenger seats, indispensable for life on the road. As an option, the Beach could be converted into a five-seater vehicle via a rear individual seat that could be integrated on the rail system.
Profile rails and privacy: The profile rails in the side walls and roof area were just as clever as the rails in the floor. For instance, they allowed a camping table to be anchored in the side wall (driver’s side). The table could also be used outdoors and two standard folding camping chairs meant that travellers could enjoy long summer nights outside, eating dinner next to the “Beach”. To keep the interior private, there were curtains that could be attached to the body with magnets, while fitted coverings were used in the cab. To ensure the perfect travel and camping experience, there were two side profile rails in the headliner, which could be used to hold two large multifunction bags for clothing and accessories. A luggage net in the rear headliner also accommodated other smaller items.
2007 – The Beach becomes the California BEACH
Pop-up roof for the all-rounder: When Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles renamed the Multivan Beach as the California Beach in 2007, it was simply the next logical step. From that moment on, the camper van was available with an optional large pop-up roof including bellows and the 1,200 x 2,000 mm roof bed. The pop-up roof offered (and still offers) countless advantages: If you were travelling as a two, all you had to do was climb up when it was time for bed. Families with two or three children could now all sleep in the Beach together. And when the roof was folded up along with its integrated bed, the living area was tall enough to stand in – usually something that would only be possible in larger camper vans.
2009 – special Globetrotter model and a major facelift
Cape-2-Cape with the California Beach: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented the special California Cape2Cape model based on the T5 in 2009 at Automobil International (AMI) in Leipzig. The model was inspired by an expedition by German extreme athlete Joachim Franz, who in 2008 – accompanied by five California Beaches with yellow paintwork – covered the 24,000-kilometres from the North Cape in Norway to Cape Town in South Africa in just 60 days. The special model, painted in striking yellow and with a particularly robust design, was a tribute to this transcontinental journey and also easy to recognise thanks to its large “cape2cape” logos on the side panels. Outlines of the parts of Europe and Africa crossed by Franz were also integrated here. Designed for active recreational athletes and globetrotters, the California Cape2Cape was optionally available with all-wheel drive, differential lock, raised suspension, all-terrain tyres and an engine air filter for particularly dusty regions.
Major update for the jack of all trades: As more and more customers opted for the optional pop-up roof and were won over by its advantages, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles decided to include it in the standard equipment package for the California Beach as part of a major product update. The aluminium pop-up roof opened and closed manually as standard, but could be operated with an automatic electro-hydraulic system as an option. Full paneling on the side walls and integrated roller blinds refined the interior. Customers now also had the choice between the 3-seater bench seat from the Multivan or the 2-seater bench seat from the California Trendline. These two versions were also the originators behind the Beach’s clever concept of camping chairs stowed in zip compartments on the tailgate. In terms of the drive system, quieter and more economical common rail turbodiesel engines (TDI) replaced the previous direct injection engines with pump injectors. At the same time, automatic dual clutch gearboxes (DSG) replaced the torque converter automatic transmissions. A new generation of 4MOTION drive ensured even better on- and off-road properties. What’s more, there was a new generation of Infotainment system on board, too.
2015 – New generation of the Beach based on the T6
Beach Generation 2 based on Generation 6: Ten years after the first Beach, the second generation of the California Beach made its debut in summer 2015 based on the extensively enhanced sixth-generation Transporter (T6). Visually, it was distinguished by its redesigned front end, even more straight lines throughout the rear end as well as new headlights and taillight clusters. The California Beach also benefited from the new design as well as the new drive, assist and Infotainment systems and a new cockpit landscape. One new feature was purely visual in nature, but immediately became a bestseller: for the first time in decades, two-tone paint finishes were available again – a tribute to the T1 and T2. The bellows for the pop-up roof also had a new feature: instead of cotton, they were now made of a synthetic material that was more waterproof and resistant. From the following year, the bellows were also available in red (Strawberry Red) and blue (Glacier Blue) as an alternative to grey (Alpine Grey).
2019 – in the T6.1, the Beach is available with an optional kitchenette
Maximum configuration package with kitchenette: The California Beach took a huge step forwards in 2019 with the debut of the visually and technically enhanced Transporter, the T6.1. For the first time, the Beach was now available in two versions: as the Beach Camper with camper van registration and the Beach Tour with passenger car registration. The highlight of the new California Beach Camper equipment package was a brand new kitchenette. To use the kitchen, it is simply pulled up and out of the left side panel between the B- and C-pillar and folded out. The stainless steel element offered a single-ring gas cooker on the left and a work and storage area on the right. Over the gas cooker there was also a cover plate, which served as a splashback when lifted up for cooking. Under the hotplate and worktop against the side wall was a large, open storage compartment and an enclosed compartment for a 1.8 kg gas bottle. While the Coast and Ocean were generally offered with a two-seater bench seat in the living area due to the wider kitchen unit (including two-ring gas cooker, refrigerator and sink), the new California Beach Camper could also be ordered with a three-seater bench seat thanks to the kitchenette – a bonus for families with three children. Alternatively, the Beach was also available as the Tour version without the kitchenette. In this case, it was not only possible to equip the van with a sliding door on the right, but also on the left as well for the first time.
Camper control panel for the T6.1 Camper: Another new feature on board all new California models was the brand-new camper control panel with a touchscreen in the roof console. For the first time in a Beach model, this screen enabled users to control all camping-relevant functions such as the electro-hydraulic pop-up roof, the auxiliary heater, the shore power supply or the living area lighting, depending on the equipment. In addition, the camper control unit contained an electronic spirit level, which could be used to align the California on its parking space so that it is exactly horizontal. Other general highlights in the T6.1 included new assist systems such as Cross Wind Assist or Trailer Assist (trailer maneuvering system) as well as a brand-new dash panel, which could be ordered with digital instruments (Digital Cockpit) for the first time. Another new feature was a large front opening for the bellows, which could be fully opened with a zip. In the California Ocean, this new pop-up roof included three windows as standard; for all other versions, the panoramic roof feature was available as an option.
2024 – Most cutting-edge Beach of all time based on the MQB
Beach based on the new Multivan: In 2024, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles launched the California, every last detail of which had been redeveloped. Since then, it has been based on the long version of the current Multivan – a seventh-generation VW Bus. The new California will be offered as the Beach, Beach Tour, Beach Camper with a kitchenette in the rear as well as Coast and Ocean versions (the latter of which was equipped with a full kitchen). The California models based on the innovative modular transverse matrix (MQB) have now become more spacious, smarter, more sophisticated and more versatile. It goes without saying that Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has kept classic California details such as the pop-up roof. And of course, the latest version of the Beach is also a VW Bus for everyday use and a camper van for travelling. All this is now achieved even more successfully with the latest powertrain, assist and Infotainment systems and a new camper van architecture. In addition, for the first time ever, all California vehicles are equipped with two sliding doors as standard – opening up even more versatile ways to use the vehicle. Furthermore, the California Beach can be temporarily transformed into an electric vehicle thanks to the first new optional plug-in hybrid all-wheel drive (eHybrid 4MOTION) in this class; this drive enables the vehicle to achieve long total distances. Twenty years after its debut, the 2025 Beach model range is as follows:
California Beach: The California Beach with passenger car type approval is the entry level model in the current range. In design terms, it is essentially a Multivan with a manual pop-up roof. The California Beach offers six seats (2+2+2). The removable individual seats in the second and third rows are significantly lighter than their counterparts in the predecessor. Another standard feature is the two beds in the pop-up roof, which can be opened and closed manually using an easy-to-operate mechanism. The roof bed measures 2,054 x 1,137 mm and is equipped with a comfortable base with dished springs.
California Beach Tour: The second specification level is the California Beach Tour. This version is equipped as standard with rotating and height-adjustable driver and front passenger seats, two camping chairs in the tailgate, a camping table, lighting in the pop-up roof (incl. gooseneck lamp and 45-watt USB ports), sliding windows in the left and right sliding doors and a brand new camper van control unit (screen) in the C-pillar on the front passenger side. The Beach Tour also has an additional camper battery on board (40 Ah LiFePo). The five-seater California Beach Tour is equipped with three individual seats in the rear; the backrests of the two outer rear seats can be folded back completely – unlike in the Beach and Multivan. This creates the conditions needed to create two additional sleeping spaces in the living area. For this purpose, the California Beach Tour has an additional fold-out mattress (1,980 x 1,330 mm) on board, which rests on the folded-down individual seats and can be fully folded into a luggage shelf in the boot when not in use. The Beach Tour also has type approval as a passenger car.
California Beach Camper: The California Beach Camper has classic camper van type approval. Like the Beach Tour, it is a five-seater, but is also equipped with an extremely compact mini-kitchen and a 230-volt shore power connection. The kitchen with single-ring gas cooker, cutlery drawer and additional storage space is located in a permanently installed module in the load compartment. For use, the kitchen unit is pulled out to the rear when the tailgate is open (which also provides protection against the rain). The rest of the equipment package corresponds to the California Beach Tour.