Looking to resurrect its iconic T1 Kombi Microbus as a minivan for the electric age, VW will be taking the wraps off a conceptual version at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January 2017.
At the Paris motor show in September, Volkswagen unveiled the I.D. concept car complete with next-generation eclectic vehicle capabilities and autonomous tech, and promised that more was to come.
True to the firm's words, a second I.D. concept will be making its world debut in Detroit. And while the first car was a re-imagining of a VW Beetle or Golf for the next decade, the second car in the I.D. portfolio is a resurrection on a larger scale.
The original VW Kombi with its completely flat front (thanks to an air-cooled engine mounted in the rear) and generous glazing gave VW a cult following in the US and beyond. Over its official 30-year lifespan the car was turned into everything from camper vans to surf and safari wagons.
Even when production of the second-generation model officially ended in Germany in 1979, the car lived on in South America, being built in Brazil, right up to December 2013. And even then, the production line was silenced not because of waning demand but only because the vehicle could no longer meet safety regulations.
VW says the electric car will boast a "pure form, honest character, authentic emotionality -- and, of course, an ideal spatial concept." And while some might accuse the company of simply rebooting a much-loved vehicle (think the current Beetle or the Fiat 500) as a retro homage, rather than actually being innovative, the move is very smart.
Owners build a relationship with their cars (and their manufacturers) and put great faith in their capabilities. And as cars go from gasoline to electric power and from fully manual to fully autonomous, car companies will have to start building these relationships from scratch. But if they start with a vehicle that once represented fun, freedom and adventure as well as practicality, much of the hard work is already done.
As well as a long electric-powered range, VW says that when the I.D. is unveiled in concept form, it will feature the latest autonomous driving technology in the company's arsenal. One touch on the VW emblem on the steering wheel will switch the car over to full self-driving mode and cause the steering wheel to retract into the dashboard.
The NAIAS opens its doors to the public from January 14, 2017.
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