New Volkswagen California 30 Years special edition arrives

New Volkswagen California 30 Years model gets extra kit and is limited to just 30 units in the UK

This is the Volkswagen California 30 Years: a special edition model marking the anniversary of the California name on the brand’s camper vans.

The 30 Years will be the most exclusive limited run California yet - just 999 will be produced worldwide and just 30 will officially come to the UK.

Road to nowhere: VW California hits the USA

Based on the top-spec California Ocean, the new model brings extra kit and new paint finishes to the range. From the outside, it features LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors and a removable towbar as standard, while there’s a choice of silver or grey for the contrasting roof and door mirror finish.

There’s one new body colour to choose from, too: Turmeric yellow is a colour that’s been available for smaller Volkswagens like the Golf and Arteon for some time, but the eye-catching finish is now offered on a California for the first time. The exterior changes are finished off by a numbered plaque on the B-pillar.

Inside, the 30 years features the Discover Media Navigation Pro infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control and heated front seats as standard.

The 30 Years is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine available in a choice of 148bhp or 196bhp outputs. Both are equipped with a seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox, while the higher powered model is available with a choice of front- or 4MOTION four-wheel drive. The 148bhp model is front-wheel drive only. Fuel consumption is rated at 41.5mpg for the 148bhp model, 39.2mpg for the 196bhp and 38.7mpg for the 4MOTION.

The California 30 Years starts from £64,307 in 148bhp trim, while the front-wheel drive 196bhp model costs £2,790 more. The top spec 4MOTION costs £70,629.

Read our in-depth Volkswagen California review right here...

Chief reviewer

Alex joined Auto Express as staff writer in early 2018, helping out with news, drives, features, and the occasional sports report. His current role of Chief reviewer sees him head up our road test team, which gives readers the full lowdown on our comparison tests.

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