Not since the New Beetle debuted in 1998 has Volkswagen dipped so heavily into its iconic past to launch an all-new vehicle. With the new ID. Buzz poised to hit showroom floors later this year, VW Senior Product Planner Ryan Gavin gave Forbes a sneak peek at the 2024 New York International Auto Show.

Between its history-inspired body lines and optional two-tone paint schemes, the ID. Buzz will draw as much attention as modern exotic cars, and not just from aging Deadheads. While its exterior styling borrows heavily from the original VW Microbus, including the oversized “VW” front logo, rear roof pillar air vents, and boxy shape, the interior features an array of modern tech. Dual power-sliding doors and a power rear liftgate feature Volkswagen’s “Easy Open and Close” tech, meaning a simple swipe of your foot beneath the doors will cause them to open (assuming the keys are nearby).

Once inside passengers will find ambient lighting, an optional panoramic sunroof with electrochromic tinting (can go from clear to opaque at the touch of a button), and a standard 12.9-inch central touchscreen featuring wireless App-Connect technology and wireless device charging. Flexibility comes from a removable center console, a sliding second-row seat that also folds down or reclines, a removable third-row seat, and standard features like a heated steering wheel, heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, heated outboard second-row seats, and a nine-speak auto system (a 14-speaker Harman Kardon system is optional).

With its impressive standard equipment list, wide range of interior and exterior design options, and advanced technology, this electric van could have the same impact on Volkswagen’s brand as the 1998 New Beetle, meaning a flood of demand from both traditional and new VW customers, along with a level of cultural impact worthy of the ID. Buzz’ name.

Read more on Forbes:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kbrauer/2023/06/02/volkswagen-id-buzz-the-future-and-past-converge-in-vws-newest-ev/

For more from Scotty Reiss:
https://agirlsguidetocars.com/

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