Author: Chen Jianli
As early as the ID. launch event in November 2019, Volkswagen unveiled the ID.Buzz concept car. Compared to the mass-produced ID.3 released at the same event, the ID.Buzz has a more eye-catching design and color scheme, and is even touted as the “prettiest boy in the room.”
Three years later, the ID.Buzz “returns” in a brand new form, why a brand new form? Because the current ID.Buzz has become a mass-produced version, and has been officially launched in the Chinese market.
Whether you have seen the true appearance of the ID.Buzz for the first time or not, you will feel a sense of familiarity. Yes, it was born to pay tribute to the classic Volkswagen T1. Although the T1 was born in 1950, its full body, round front end, and two-tone color scheme make it classic and popular even 70 years later, especially among young people.
Perhaps the ID.Buzz is the most individual model in the Volkswagen ID. family. The two-tone body of the T1 has been inherited, restoring the classical flavor of the original, while the modern details add a touch of technology to the new car.
The Volkswagen logo on the ID.Buzz is very large, being the largest among all Volkswagen passenger cars currently on the market, for a simple reason: since it is a tribute to the T1, the iconic large logo of the predecessor must also be inherited. In addition to being large, the ID.Buzz logo also supports self-luminous effect, which is seamlessly connected to the LED light strips on both sides, and has high recognition at night. However, the headlight style is quite similar to that of the ID.3 and ID.4. If it can be designed as round headlights, it will undoubtedly be more perfect.
From the side, it can be seen that the ID.Buzz has a very short front end, combined with the three large windshields at the front, almost completely eliminating blind spots, making it easy to drive. Thanks to the hidden design of the A/B/C pillars, the front windshield and side window of the ID.Buzz create an integrated illusion. Coupled with the color-matching roof, the ID.Buzz has a strong sense of layers and floating roof.
The D-pillar of the ID.Buzz is decorated with three small ornaments, adding a touch of design to the wide and thick D-pillar. If they can be lit up, the effect at night will be even better.
Although the size is not too large (length, width, and height are 4712mm/1985mm/1937mm respectively, and the wheelbase is 2988mm), which is similar to the BYD Song MAX, in order to enhance practicality, the ID.Buzz is equipped with electric sliding doors. From a visual perspective, the sliding doors also meet our psychological expectations for MPVs. Most importantly, both sides of the sliding doors can be opened and closed electrically.
One obvious hardware advantage of electric MPVs is the absence of a transmission shaft and an engine, which allows the four wheels to be as close to the corners as possible, resulting in a “short front overhang and short rear overhang.” This is also the core factor for the ID.Buzz to achieve a wheelbase of 2988mm under a relatively limited length, realizing the concept of maximizing space utilization.
The ID.Buzz is equipped with a petal-shaped wheel hub, which also blends in with a dual-color scheme. The size is 20 inches, neither too big nor too small, ensuring visual coordination and comfort.
Apart from the continuous taillights, there is not much design on the rear of the ID.Buzz, which is very minimalist. In fact, this style is very similar to that of the T1, also paying tribute to its legacy.
In addition to the passenger version, ID.Buzz also offers a cargo version, which has a closed layout for the second and third row windows. The “one car, two uses” strategy is quite common in the European MPV market.
As for the interior, the ID.Buzz is not much different from other members of the ID. family in terms of color use. The continuous center console greatly enhances practicality and allows passengers to switch positions without getting out of the car.
Almost all the areas that can be dug inside the car are designed as storage spaces, including storage platforms in front of both the driver and passenger seats, as well as three layers of storage on both sides of the car door panels. And because the front seats feature movable armrests, an additional storage compartment can be arranged in the middle aisle of the seats. And by the way, the front seats of the ID.Buzz have movable armrests on both sides, making them ergonomically friendly.
The ID.Buzz offers 5/6/7-seater versions, of which the 5-seater version has a relatively flexible space as the rear seats support 4/6-size adjustment and folding. The back of the front seats are equipped with folding tabletops, which are simple and limited in size, but better than nothing.
For users who choose the 5-seater model of ID.Buzz, they can get a super large trunk space, which can be used as a storage cabinet or even a folding bed, making it very practical for camping in the wild, in addition to the powerful loading capacity.
In terms of power, ID.Buzz adopts a layout of a single rear-mounted motor with a maximum power of 204Ps and a peak torque of 310N·m. Supported by an 82kWh battery (actually available 77kWh), it has a WLTP range of 423km.
It is reported that ID.Buzz will be initially imported into the domestic market, and it may be localized later. However, the price range has not been announced yet.
According to VW, ID.Buzz is intended to pay tribute to VW T1. However, in my opinion, this is more like a new way for T1 to return or even revive. Instead of returning to the market with the “old-style” fuel identity, it is better to switch to pure electric power, which is not only easy to drive but also more practical.
Therefore, ID.Buzz’s debut in this way is the best strategy that is unique and unparalleled.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.