Volkswagen’s LWB ID Buzz to Take on the Classic Samba Bus

The more I look at the Volkswagen Buzz, the more I like what I see; it does seem to have grabbed that feel that the original Campervan had, while keeping it modern and new – much the same as the New VW Beetle managed to achieve, to a certain extent.

VW Buzz V Samba Bus

Being bold and going a step further, the rear-wheel drive VW Buzz is now taking on the iconic Samba bus, though it will never have quite so many windows of course. To do this, VW has launched a new electric 7-seater version of the ID Buzz, and the new incarnation will be the first VW to get a brand new 282bhp electric motor along with a larger 85kWh battery – users will be able to choose between a 77kWh battery or an 85kWh and top of the range gets 413lb ft of torque.

While nostalgia inevitably hits home here, it’s worth me remembering a time in Mawgan Porth during Cornwall’s Run to the Sun; as we sat higher above the bay at the bright blue Riviera Lodge (now that name will bring back some great memories) and enjoying the way that the classic VW Camper would negotiate the steep curling curves up to the Riviera – do you go at it optimistically in high gear failing halfway, or try to plan your climb… While such retro vehicles will not be lacking in quite so much torque or bhp, it’s a wise VW that still addresses these issues for those that used to drive a Campervan in the past.

And while it might be slightly risky to compare the ID Buzz LWB to the classic Samba bus, the addition of a new powertrain is indeed just as exciting.

Panoramic Sunroof

The new Samba Buzz, if VW are brave enough to call it that, will arrive in 2023 along with the largest panoramic sunroof that VW can offer – in glass of course, so maybe that does make up for not having quite so many windows. Equally intriguing is the potential of a VW logo at the front that can be illuminated – and while this is ok for the EU, this has not yet been given the go-ahead for the UK, so let’s hope some work can be done here.

The new LWB ID Buzz will be 250mm longer that the regular Buzz and will offer up a choice of three alternative interior options. The standard version will arrive as a 5-seater, with the extra seating as an option.

The inside is fairly spacious, and that includes a larger infotainment display too which is now 12.9-inches compared to 10-inches.

It looks like top speed will be limited to 99mph and it will take 7.9 seconds to reach from 0-62mph. Aside from that, it’s still too early to get full figures from VW though. Looking ahead, VW says that in 2024 the ID Buzz GTX will improve things a touch more by offering a 0-62mph of a decent 6.4 seconds and 355bhp.

The LWB ID Buzz will get its European premier at the VW Bus Festival from June 23-25 in Hanover. It’s a Samba bus for the modern age with a panoramic sunroof that is capable of electronically controlled tinting.

It will also be the first ID Buzz to get a release in Canada and the USA. So that’s VW’s spin on it so far – we look forward to finding out more.

Images: volkswagen-newsroom.com