2011 Geneva Motor Show: Volkswagen Bulli minivan redefines "micro" bus

"Bring back the Bus" was the common refrain after Volkswagen displayed its Microbus concept at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show. But the company never did.

Now VW is making a second attempt at cashing in on its 1960s Woodstock-era icon. The Bulli concept it showed at the Geneva Motor Show is much smaller. In fact, the Bulli is a little smaller than the Kia Soul or even the original Scion xB. Yet the concept that truly is a "micro" bus that claims seating for six--three across in front and back. There are four conventional doors and no sliders.

The Bulli is an all-electric concept that uses an 85 kW (115 hp) electric motor and a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery instead of flower power. Volkswagen claims a range of 186 miles between one-hour charges on a public 420-volt DC charger. The company allows that in production form, the car would probably have a gasoline or diesel powerplant.

In a nod to modern convenience, an iPad--sitting in a dashboard dock--interfaces with the entertainment functions of the car. All the seats can recline to make a bed, and all but the driver's perch can be folded forward for maximum cargo space.

Appropriately slathered in two-tone paint, the Bulli is a modern take on Volkswagen's classic icon.

--Eric Evarts

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