Will Volkswagen Bring Back the Bus?

I always told myself I would never be a minivan mom. Something about sliding doors and fold-down seats just seems to say "I am not cool." Okay... maybe that is a bit extreme, but I just always thought it would be many years and many children before I'd ever even think about driving a minivan. Then, I had my first child.

On our first trip out of town, my husband and I realized how little trunk space a compact car really has. Who knew that you couldn't fit a stroller, a playpen, a suitcase, and the diaper bag all in one car? Right about now, a bigger vehicle seems like a pretty good idea.

If you are still not ready to resign to a minivan (and I know I'm not), then perhaps you will be excited to know about an exciting new concept that Volkswagen may be coming out with as early as the end of 2007- the new and improved, Volkswagen Microbus.

Several years ago, Volkswagen debuted the new Microbus at the Detroit Auto Show. According to MotorTrend.com, the Microbus was the talk of the show! At first, it seemed that getting the pricing down to a reasonable level would be the biggest challenge. Original pricing was set to be around $35,000 for a base model. As special as this retro-remake is, most minivan buyers just aren't looking to purchase in the $30K and up range.

A solution seems to have surfaced in the form of an unlikely partnership. According to a Jan. 5, 2006, article in Business Week, Chrysler will be building the new Microbus for VW. This collaboration will mean affordable pricing, as well as a reliable build, since the mechanics will be based on the successful Chrysler Town & Country.

Rest assured that Volkswagen has not just "sold out" to Chrysler. Designers promise that the new van will be uniquely Volkswagen, with the tradition feel that buyers would expect of a new Volkswagen bus.

The final model may not be called the Microbus, as the first VW concept model was, but it should have a similar feel to the concept car that was first showcased at the Detroit Auto Show in 2001. Some sources say the vehicle could be marketed as early as the end of this year, as a 2008 model. While it may, in reality, take more time than that to get the new VW bus on the market, chances are good that we will be seeing the return of this retro favorite sometime in the not-too-distant future!