Ultimate Kombi

New Caravelle miles ahead of old Volkswagen Kombis

2016-02-21T13:16:00.001+11:00

Not sure why the author or this article from South Africa has chosen this particular title for the article. It seems ludicrous to compare a modern vehicle with it 50yo predecessor but that's what they've gone with.....

Full credit for this article goes to the original publisher:
http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2016/02/02/vrroom-with-a-view-new-caravelle-miles-ahead-of-old-volkswagen-kombis

" One of the not-exactly-tragic byproducts of writing a column on cars is that sometimes there are too many cars — one can blend into the next and they won’t all feature in a weekly column.

This Christmas, I had the use of a new Volkswagen Caravelle for the duration of my two-week stay near Durban and, given that it was a family holiday at the beach, we might have made a reasonably good stab at being that middle-class South African family piling into a Kombi in the famous advertisements.

Those ads featuring David Kramer have been playing on my mind. They’re awkward because they’re from the 1980s, which wasn’t a happy time for most South Africans, but they’re also an indication of how the automotive landscape has changed.

Obviously the cars have changed, but the idea that an ordinary, solidly middle-class family might be able to afford such a thing is no longer the case — a half-decent one costs more than R700,000.

There are a good few reasons for that price. The Kombi is now fully imported as opposed to locally built, which adds to the cost significantly. Since the 1980s, Volkswagen — the brand, not "AG" — has been consolidating itself as a producer of quality family cars thin on luxury fripperies, but heavy on weapons-grade engineering and build quality.

That’s an expensive game, and these days Volkswagen will always have a competitor that will undercut on price, if not quality.

Also, of course, the rand has depreciated considerably against the major currencies since the days of those adverts.

All of which means the new-generation Kombi is priced in at a luxury level, especially when it comes in Caravelle form.

Eagle-eyed readers might remember that about a year ago I reviewed the runout version of the previous ("T5") Caravelle.

I looked back on my experience with that car, which I enjoyed immensely on a long road trip with all three kids, towing a trailer and generally doing the full Kramer.

My conclusion was that, yes, that’s a fine, spacious, reasonably frugal and fun family bus, but these new Caravelle prices are simply too much.

The "T6" latest-generation Caravelle we drove comes in at a hefty R825,000 — the kind of money that’s just about enough to buy a BMW X5, a new Volvo XC90 or a Mercedes E-Class.

These are all serious luxury vehicles and not a van in sight.

...

I CLIMBED up into this latest Caravelle thinking it would probably be rather like the last one, which is to say (at the risk of repeating myself) a fine, spacious, reasonably frugal and fun family bus.

It was certainly all that but, to borrow from Verimark, there’s so much more. The exterior of the Kombi has been tautened and sharpened up.

It’s as though the old car commissioned a suit from a better tailor — it’s instantly recognisable and yet fundamentally smarter.

That familiar face hides a 70% entirely new car. In SA, sadly, the one new bit we won’t be getting is Volkswagen’s shiny new Euro 6-compliant 150kW two-litre diesel. Owing to our increasingly crappy diesel quality, the local Caravelle will have to make do with the old 135kW Euro 4 motor. No matter what the marketers at the oil companies tell you, there’s nothing "low sulphur" about our diesel.

That’s not a tragedy, as 135kW is enough to make the Caravelle more than keep up with the traffic, but it is worth noting that we are now unable to keep up with the best automotive technologies that would reduce our consumption and our emissions of dangerous carcinogenic particulates and gases.

And despite it’s recent travails, this is categorically not Volkswagen’s fault.

The car we drove came with a DSG gearbox — a duel-clutch affair that in the old car was magnificent on the open road and at times jerky and indecisive in town.

I can’t find any material to suggest exactly what they’ve done, but the gearbox seems improved in stop-start traffic, it is less likely to "grab" and feels generally smoother. It’s as brilliant as ever when on the move, selecting gears as quickly as the blink of an eye.

The new Caravelle’s greatest trick, however, is in the ride. Vans-turned-multipurpose-vehicles have, for as long as I’ve been doing this, suffered from the seemingly inevitable side effects of the laws of physics. They’re big boxes and no matter what the car companies seem to do, they flex a bit and have a peculiar resonance when it comes to the acoustics.

The end result has always been rattles and squeaks from the flexing of the vehicle and a headache-inducing "booming" quality to the road noise — and that has applied to big MPVs from Mercedes, Peugeot, Hyundai and Citroën too.

But the latest Benz V-Class and Caravelle have addressed this somehow. The car feels notably stiffer and there’s much less rattling than in the older car. The upshot is an exceptionally refined and quiet ride, with even wind noise (inevitably problematic in a bus with a large frontal area) notably better controlled than in the old car.

Part of that will be a result of the car’s expensive and complex (multilink independent, for the car geeks) rear suspension, which is often a place some manufacturers save a whack of cash by installing a more crude system.

But the result is a truly cosseting and smooth ride and decent roadholding for what is still a van. Inevitably, it rolls around a bit in the corners, but to complain about that seems silly.

...

THE accommodation is a big step up too. The middle two seats can face backwards or forwards and our car came with a fun foldaway table the kids loved.

The rear bench seat can slide around too, which means you can make best use of passenger space or boot space, depending on the journey’s requirements.

Up front, there’s a fully redesigned fascia with incorporated satnav, and a classic van driving position that’s comfortable nonetheless.

Aircon is ducted to all passengers and the people in the back can adjust the temperature.

I had to be impressed. You get a lot more room than in sports utility vehicle and it all seems much more fun, especially for the under-10 demographic in our household, who simply adored their time in the car.

It is unashamedly a victory of function over form, but it is such a good rendition of this idea that one sees great luxury in this effortless competence.

A final thought is this: much of the excellence of the T6 Caravelle is in its basic engineering, not the nice-to-haves such as satnav and so on. That’s why a base-model 75kW manual Kombi, yours for R486,000, is probably a bit of a bargain.

Run through the spec lists to be sure, but a big family eight-seater this well-engineered for this kind of money in this day and age feels like pretty good value. "

Truck Trend Legends - Volkswagen Transporter: The World’s Most Famous Van

2015-11-23T12:10:00.001+11:00

Truck Trend Legends - Volkswagen Transporter: The World’s Most Famous Van

Whilst I don't agree with some of the observations regarding the old bus, this is an interesting read about the Kombi found on an unlikely site. Full credit goes to the original author for this article.

It’s probably the most famous van in the world. It helped a war-torn German economy get back on its feet and subsequently became an iconic mode of transport for surfer dudes half a world away. Steve Jobs once had one but sold it to finance his little computer company.

Jerry Seinfeld still owns one. He even used a rusted-out pickup version in the Michael Richards episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. In 2000, an American couple—Amanda and Rich Ligato—left their jobs, bought and modified a ’78 VW camper van, and then clocked 60,000 miles driving it around Central America, South America, and Africa. And they’re far from being the only couple to have undertaken epic trips in VW vans.

The rarest version, a barndoor Samba with 23 windows, including those little ones in the roof, can now sell at auction for around $200,000. Not bad for a vehicle range with dodgy electrics and a steering wheel angle guaranteed to hurt your wrists. Plus, it won’t go up hills or brake all that well either.

The Type 2 came about after a Dutch car importer, Ben Pon, visited VW’s Wolfsburg plant in 1947 looking to buy some Type 1 cars (also known as the original Bug). Pon noticed that the workers often used flatbed runabouts adapted from the Type 1 to move various car parts from one area of the factory to another. Light bulb moment.
He starting sketching what a commercial vehicle based on the rear-engined Bug might look like, with the front end influenced by trolley cars (trams) that were popular in Europe at the time. As it happened, the Type 1’s platform wasn’t strong enough, so VW created a one-piece body based on a ladder frame but using the Bug’s engine and axles. By 1949, VW had a panel van and a minibus ready for production and officially introduced the Type 2 at that year’s Geneva Motor Show.

The Type 2 was cheap and simple. Its basic form meant it could be square one for so many uses, like a mobile shop or delivery van, or even a fire engine, ambulance, or ice cream van. The side door was another little stroke of genius. By 1954, there were 30 variants (including the famous Microbus) and 100,000 units had already rolled off the production line. As such, the Type 2 went beyond the purpose of commercial vehicle. It was the post-war economic boom, and the first time in history where working-class people could afford personal transport for leisure pursuits.
Remarkably, this boxy shape was refined in the wind tunnel of Braunschweig Technical University to achieve a lower drag coefficient than the Type 1—0.44 compared to 0.48. The engine, of course, was that famous air-cooled flat-four. It displaced 1.1 liters and made all of 24 hp.

The first Type 2 (also codenamed T1, confusingly) had a two-piece windshield (or split screen). When generation two (codenamed T2) debuted in 1968, it came with a one-piece windshield and soon had the “bay window” nickname attached to it. Out back was the Beetle’s now-1,600cc engine making 47 hp. From 1972, North American-spec vehicles had the 1.7L engine that developed 75 hp and 94 lb-ft of torque. A revised rear suspension deployed a double-joint rear axle with semi-trailing arms, freeing up some more interior space.

The T2 was made in a few countries, like Mexico and Brazil, and total production runs varied from place to place. The last T2 to ever roll off a VW assembly line was a Kombi bus in Brazil, in 2013.
Generation three (with a water-cooled boxer-four) is better known in the United States as the Vanagon, while the front-drive fourth and fifth generations are usually referred to as Transporters, although the fourth generation was sold here as the EuroVan. The T6 debuted this year for markets outside North America.

Transporter was a name used when the Type 2 first appeared, but one nickname that has stood the test of time is “Bulli,” which appears to be a contraction of two German words meaning bus and delivery truck. Believe it or not, those early vehicles used on the VW factory floor—and the inspiration for Ben Pon—proved so reliable that the last one wasn’t taken out of service until 1994.

Kombi Last Wishes

2014-04-17T20:11:00.001+10:00

One can't argue with history. Without question, the Kombi has to be one of the most iconic vehicles ever built. Even if you're not into cars, everyone knows what a Kombi looks like. Its a privilege to own and drive a rare example of this legendary vehicle.

Kombi Trivia

2014-04-16T20:40:00.001+10:00

Ferdinand Porsche is synonymous with Volkswagen, however he actually had nothing to do with the development and production of the Transporter even though it was powered by his flat four engine.

VW unveils its CrossBlue concept

2014-04-16T20:19:00.001+10:00

VW unveils ist CrossBlue SUV Hybrid concept

2014-02-26T20:24:00.001+11:00

Cross Blue update:

Volkswagen is still very much dead-set on meeting its goal of selling 800,000 vehicles in the United States by 2018. And while the company has said on several occasions that it will not be expanding its lineup to models smaller than the Golf, there's certainly room for expansion elsewhere in its portfolio. At the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen debuted its CrossBlue concept – a three-row, midsize crossover designed specifically with the US market in mind. And during a roundtable discussion at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this month, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America Jonathan Browning told us that a midsize CUV is the company's "top priority" in the US.

But let's be clear: The CrossBlue is not a replacement for the Touareg, or any other vehicle in the company's US lineup (except maybe the Chrysler-supplied Routan minivan). This will be an all-new offering built on Volkswagen's scalable MQB architecture – the same platform that underpins the Mk7 Golf, among other products. To give us a better idea of exactly what's in store for the new CrossBlue, Volkswagen flew us out to Germany's Siegerland Airport the day before the Frankfurt show to give us an up-close-and-personal look at its all-important new crossover.

The CrossBlue measures in at 196.3 inches long, 79.3 inches wide and 62.2 inches tall. Compared to the Touareg, the concept is longer and wider, though is a full six inches shorter in height – more appropriate dimensions for a true seven-seat crossover. Volkswagen has fitted the CrossBlue with 21-inch alloy wheels at all four corners, wrapped in 235/45-series tires, though we're sure smaller rollers will be offered on base models when the production vehicle is launched.

Inside, there isn't anything remarkable in terms of design or packaging, with a modern, forward-thinking cabin that incorporates all of the basic infotainment and driver convenience functions into an airy, spacious cockpit. The sloping center stack features control knobs that are flush with the main surfacing, and raise up when the vehicle is started – just like the gear selector on modern Jaguar products.

All credit for this info goes to Autoblog.com and author Steven J. Ewing
The full article can be found here.

Volkswagen rolls out Cross Blue SUV Concept

2013-01-15T21:29:00.001+11:00

Full story credit to myfoxdetroit.com:
Volkswagen rolls out Cross Blue midsize SUV concept - Fox 2 News Headlines

Could this be the Amarok wagon alternative??! Let hope so. And lets hope that hope that VW decide to build it for more than just the Nth American market as its sure to have loads of appeal all around the world as a solid competitor to the lucrative midsize SUV market.

VW Amarok Wagon??

2013-01-03T13:09:00.000+11:00

Has anyone been able to confirm if VW will produce the Amarok in a 7 seater? Over the past 18mts automotive websites and forums all over the world have mentioned the possibility of an Amarok wagon for various international markets however as yet there appears to be no word of the Amarok wagon from VW.

Certainly there are a number of international markets that the Amarok would be well suited to, the US would probably be head of that queue however there is also strong demand in South Africa, Australia and Asia. Toyota have a strong grip on most 4x4 segments, however they are less popular in the European markets due to the stricter emission regulations which as left the manufacturer on the back foot trying to improve the efficiency of its vehicles. The lead from the European markets is starting to make traditional buyers of Japanese 4x4 and commercial vehicles rethink their purchase as fuel prices continue rapidly increase with the cost of supplying the gogo juice being a substantial influence in overall purchase price.

As a 4x4 the Amarok has already shown that it is more than comfortable off road and despite its smaller
engine capacity and shows no sign of giving anything away to the more established brands. The accessories market ramping up is supply Amarok accessories and over time drivers will be able to purchase just about any accessory they desire.

So it remains to be seen if the Amarok Wagon will become a reality. Lets hope so, as there is a huge market out there of VW drivers who really want one of these in their driveway.

2012-06-15T13:20:00.001+10:00

Check out my new super cool mobile phone case!

Volkswagen Offers Authentic Restoration Services for Vintage Microbuses

2012-04-28T19:09:00.001+10:00

Volkswagen Offers Authentic Restoration Services for Vintage Microbuses
— Volkswagen fans who favor the vintage models have something new to be excited about. Volkswagen has announced that they are now providing restoration services to the general public. Now collectors and nostalgic drivers can have their microbuses reworked to reflect all their original glory. Volkswagen began restoring vintage Transporters back in 2007. However, all the [...]

300 VW fans come together after getting bug

2012-04-28T18:58:00.000+10:00

300 VW fans come together after getting bug

Shared from www.odt.co.nz
by Debbie Porteous

What is it about Volkswagens that would attract 300 people in 140 vehicles to Dunedin for a weekend of V-dub-love?

According to those parked up at the VW Nationals car show, held at the Forsyth Barr Stadium yesterday, there were many reasons the German people's car remained all sorts of people's car.

Wellington Kombined Club member Paul Bonsey said enthusiasm for Volkswagens was actually an infectious disease.

He managed to pass it on about eight years ago to mate Gary Manley, who then bought a 1980s Kombi van, (known as "the Flat", because there was basically a whole household inside), similar to Mr Bonsey's.

The pair now travelled together to Volkswagen club events across the country.

"It's a social thing really," Mr Bonsey said. "It's a big worldwide club. We are all people getting together to share a common interest."

Mr Manley said people often modified their vans, and it was interesting to attend shows and see what people had done to vehicles.

"You don't want to start a conversation on what is better though," Mr Manley warned.

Invercargill woman Jo Dennis, who bought a 1968 Beetle eight months ago, said she liked Volkswagens because they were "cute and round and made such a cute noise ...".

Her friend Brenley Marshall (23), also from Invercargill, who owned a Beetle and a Golf, said he liked Volkswagens for their mechanical simplicity, although he admitted he missed out on showing his Beetle at the Nationals this year after he pulled it apart and did not have it back together in time.

After spending 30 hours a week for three years fixing up his 1964 Beetle, including installing leather Peugeot seats and a modern sound system, Lyttelton man Clive Argyle, who intended to use the car as an everyday runabout, said he had been forced to buy a bicycle to get about on instead, because he did not want to get the Beetle wet or dirty.

"I just like the style. They're just better than Japanese junk. And it's nice to have a classic car with modern things in it."

The Hopkinson family, of Christchurch, said they loved the community around Volkswagens and enjoyed family holidays in their 1961 Kombi van with friends who also had a Kombi van.

Their van still had many of its original fittings, although dad Neil, a longtime Volkswagen fan, had lowered it a little for "a better ride" and a "cooler" look.

There had been a few roadside repairs, he said, "but other vans don't have the personality".

The Vehicle of the Show prize was awarded to a car 16 years in the refurbishing - and not quite finished yet - a bright yellow 1973 Beetle belonging to Dunedin couple Ken and Margaret Berry.

But maybe it was Mr Bonsey who summed why they all loved VWs so much. "We're just VW nuts," he observed.

Kombi catches peoples' hearts

2012-04-28T18:49:00.001+10:00

Kombi catches peoples' hearts
Shared from www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz
Winning four awards would have done nothing but fuel Dean Farr's obsession for Volkswagen vehicles.

Taking out the Best Interior, Best Bus Modified, Best Bus Overall and People's Choice awards at the VW Nationals in Dunedin left Mr Farr "satisfied" after four years of blood, sweat and tears put into his 1964 VW Kombi Van.

With what Mr Farr thought would be a straight-forward revamp of the van he bought in Sydney, it soon turned into a big job for the joiner with rust and other problems arising with further inspection.

"But winning those awards made it all worthwhile," the 40-year-old said.
Mr Farr and his partner Lisa Scammell said the People's Choice award meant the most to them as it was one of the most recognisable prizes over the national event involving more than 140 contestants.

"It was nice to know that people appreciated the work put into it," Ms Scammell said. "We never expected to win any awards and by the time we went up to get the fourth award it got a bit embarrassing," she said. Buying his first VW when he left school Mr Farr admitted he has always had a soft spot for VW vehicles, something he blames on his brother Wayne.

He said he was unsure how much he had spent on his prized van and he wanted it to stay that way.
"I'd hate to think how much money has been spent on it," he said while Ms Scammell smirked behind him.
For now, Mr Farr said he was looking to keep his van long term but if a substantial offer came his way he would have to think about it.

Pictured: Dean Farr (left) along with daughter Matilda Farr, 1, and Lisa Scammell were stoked with winning four awards for their 1964 Volkswagen Kombi Van at the VW Nationals in Dunedin during the Easter break.

Photo Johnny Houston

Kombi Art

2012-03-16T22:15:00.001+11:00

Have a look at the awesome artwork on this Kombi in Australia!!!

Ultimate Cake

2012-02-18T15:28:00.001+11:00

The Ultimate Kombi Birthday Cake!!!!

Volkswagen may conclude takeover of Porsche

2012-01-26T22:08:00.001+11:00

Volkswagen says it could conclude takeover of Porsche this year - Autoblog

Camper Jam - A Family Volkswagen Bus Event for All Types

2012-01-24T19:30:00.000+11:00

Camper Jam - A Family Volkswagen Bus Event for All Types: "Camper Jam is Volkswagen Camper & Commercial magazine's very own show. Aimed at owners and lovers of the VW bus of all models and types, the show is designed to offer a chilled, laid-back family weekend in a beautiful parkland setting. Let's get back to what VW shows are all about – people and buses getting together for a relaxing weekend of friendship and fun."

'via Blog this'

One Man and His Campervan

2012-01-13T20:16:00.000+11:00

One Man and His Campervan
It's not the most polished or adventurous travelogue out there but that's part of the pleasure of Campervan. Like the van in question, a vintage VW Kombi .......
'via Blog this'

Kombi Wine

2012-01-11T19:04:00.001+11:00

The Ultimate Kombi gift: Kombi Wine. And yes the bottle is half empty :-)

Holiday road trip.

2011-12-31T10:44:00.001+11:00

After a long and mostly forgettable year, we have been looking forward to a southcoast holiday for some time now and atlast the day has arrived. Haven't seen much in the way of Ultimate Kombis here yet aside from one on the highway traveling in the opposite direction on the Highway, hopefully we will see some more this week.

I have started to research web development companies to take on the much needed redevelopment of www.ultimatkombi.com It will be ready in time for the northern summer. Send a pic of your Kombi to kombi@ultimatekombi.com to be included in the launch.

Ultimate Kombi

Explore Oz Shop

2011-12-22T19:09:00.001+11:00

Australia's leading Online Map, Book and Accessory Shop @ ExplorOz Shop

Cataclysm Scalper Reviewed

2011-12-17T19:26:00.000+11:00

For the last few weeks I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz about the new gold guide on the market from Jonathan. It’s called Cataclysm Scalper and it’s been built around a few very simple ideas that we’ve seen many times before – most of them dealing with the Auction House.

By now, you should know that the only real way to make gold in World of Warcraft is to use the Auction House to trade goods based on economic conditions. This isn’t new and a lot of good guides have been written showing players how to take advantage of the tools and add-ons out there that analyse the auction house.

But with the Undermine Journal now defunct and with other guides failing to update or adapt to post-cataclysm changes, a lot of us were looking for something new to take on the mantle of “ultimate auction house guide.” Cataclysm Scalper hoped to do that and has mostly succeeded.

What Cataclysm Scalper Does Right

The reason I can so highly recommend Cataclysm Scalper is that it actually SHOWS you almost everything you need to know to be effective in the game making gold. You get the text descriptions and walkthroughs, but you also get a series of images and videos, plus a slew of tools that show you how to develop your own spreadsheets, charts and diagrams to track prices and choose the right items to buy.

I’ve never seen it done before and probably for good reason – it looks like a lot of work. But, it’s absolutely successful in that you now have every tool you need to be effective making gold. If you’re like me and are tired of old, unupdated guides trying to tell you what to do, get over to Cataclysm Scalper.

Kombi App: VW Bus - The Essential Buyer's Guide

2011-12-15T20:33:00.001+11:00

Kombi App from iTunes

VW Bus - The Essential Buyer's Guide

Link Here

I haven't tried it yet but would be keen to hear about any reviews.

UltimateKombi

VW Amarok Wins 4x4 Australia Magazine: Ute of the year!

2011-12-13T19:31:00.001+11:00

SYDNEY, Australia – Dec 8, 2011: The Volkswagen Amarok has taken out the 4x4 Australia Magazine’s 2011 ‘4x4 Ute of the Year award’, with a convincing win over a collection of established and newly released competitors.

The Amarok which entered the market earlier this year has confirmed its position as the benchmark for its class with this win.

Phil Clark, Volkswagen’s Director of Commercial Vehicles was pleased to hear of the Amarok’s success.

“The Amarok brings a fresh new approach to the segment which has for many years been overlooked when it comes to offering both active and passive safety features and more importantly excellent on and off-road performance,” said Mr Clark

“The 4x4 Ute of the Year award highlights just how well our designers and engineers have done their research with our first entry in this segment.”

According to 4x4 Australia Magazine the Volkswagen Amarok delivered on the key areas ahead of the competition.

“On-road, the chassis offers a level of ride and handling well above all of the others, yet the Amarok is still as good as it gets for off-road ability.

“The Amarok is ahead of the game in so many ways. It’s powered by the quietest, most refined and most economical engine that gives little or nothing away to the others”.

“Whatever way you look at it, the Amarok is the complete package…and the 2011 Ute of the Year”

The contenders for 4x4 Ute of the Year award were assessed on five different criteria:

“Value” in relation to equipment and price.

“Doing the Job” where judges assessed the vehicle according to the vehicle’s design brief.

“Bushability” which determined how well the vehicle was equipped for Aussie off-road and outback travel.

“Breaking new ground” evaluated advancement in technology and design.

“Built tough” took into account how strong the vehicle was and how it coped with rigorous off-road and outback driving environments.

Source: http://www.theautochannel.com, http://www.ausmotive.com, www.volkswagen.com.au,

VW Bulli: Green lights for production!

2011-11-17T20:00:00.002+11:00

VW Bulli: Green lights for production!: Rumors have it that VW has greenlighted he production of the uber-cool VW Bulli. Bring it on!
'The concept version is powered by a 113-horsepower electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack, which can reportedly be charged in less than an hour. We don’t know if the electric powertrain will make it into the production vehicle (our guess would be no, but who knows?), and there is no word on pricing. '

Old Bar Beach Festival

2011-11-16T16:31:00.000+11:00

Old Bar Beach Festival - Old Bar - New South Wales, Australia

Source: http://www.theherald.com.au/businesses/touristattractionsinformationservices/old-bar-beach-festival/65808.aspx

The multi award winning Old Bar Beach Festival celebrates all that is special and unique about Aussie beach culture. Now in its 7th year the Festival has become known throughout Australia for its feature event, Kombi Fest, the largest gathering of kombi vans in Australia. In 2010 they came from all over Australia to break the record with 218 vans… a record organisers hope to again break in 2011.

Kombis will flock to the Old Bar Beach Festival in an assortment of colours and styles from the hippie to the fully restored classic and in 2011 they will be joined for the first time by other Classic and Vintage Volkswagen cars. The Festival features a Kombi Parade that travels through parts of the beautiful Manning Valley before arriving at Old Bar for the judging and display to the 20,000 visitors that now enjoy this multifacted event.

It’s only natural that the kombi van should feature at the Festival. It has become as iconic as the Aussie surf carnival or fish and chips on the beach. Despite having its heyday in the 1960’s and 1970’s the kombi generates great nostalgia for so many. What’s more it has been rediscovered of late not only by the baby boomers and wanderers travelling Australia but the many foreign backpackers who now see a trip up the coast in a Kombi as a must do Aussie experience. It has been represented in song, in film, in art but most of all in folklore as the only way to really experience a traditional Aussie beach holiday.

However the Old Bar Beach Festival is not just about but fond memories of the good old days of idyllic summer holidays on the coast... there is all the fun and activities of the coastal culture and lifestyle of Old Bar today. Popular events include the quirky Surf Expression Session, beach fun runs, flipper running races, kitesurfing, aviation displays, the annual skateboarding comp, huge coastal mega markets, amusement rides, free all day entertainment, art and sculpture exhibitions and so much more. So its time to pencil the Festival in your diary and start planning to hit the road, preferably in a Kombi! It’s Old Bar or bust October 1st and 2nd 2011.

For more information visit www.oldbarbeachfestival.com.au.

Contact Details

Web: http://www.oldbarbeachfestival.com.au