Ian Lamming takes a veritable party bus to a music festival and finds that it strikes a chord
NO planning had gone into the choice of vehicle or the weekend entertainment, come to think of it.
When I booked VW’s groovy electric ID.Buzz I’d no idea I was even going to Kendal Calling but I couldn’t have asked for a better vehicle for the task.
Festival goers are a breed and I’m definitely not one of them, I’m only there to work and don’t even stay overnight – well have you seen the toilets?
As the only ID.Buzz in the park, as far as I could see, it stands out and attracts a wealth of interest for its amazing hippy, boho aesthetics – it really is groovy baby harking back to minibuses and caravanettes of the 1960s and 70s. I love the appearance and it looks especially fetching in two tone livery with gargantuan wheels.
It’s a big old bus too – 15.5ft long, 6ft tall, 7ft wide and weighing in at 2.5 tonnes – and I’m a bit worried about how it will handle wet and churned up grass. Joining the stream of vehicles going into the Lowther Estate it handles the slow crawl perfectly. It’s only got one forward gear and it’s nice and smooth. The stop/start 40 minute journey is easy enough. At the end lies an uneven grassy car park. The grass is long and damp and some of the cars are struggling, spinning their tyres and digging into the red clay.
The ID.Buzz does no such thing and glides over the grass without breaking traction. There’s plenty of weight to aid grip and the way the VW feeds in the power is slow and gentle. Once safely parked up, front doors are flung open as are the rear sliders and the huge tailgate provides useful shelter from the rain as waterproofs and wellies are donned.
It is even easier getting out of the park as most people are staying put and the VW handles the off-piste conditions well. Once back on the road it is the usual superb drive. It is powerful, smooth and fast. It is also very comfortable and despite its proportions feels sharp and controlled around the bends. It’s dark by now and the LED headlights illuminate the road as if it is day.
The ID.Buzz is the sort of car you could drive forever, it’s that easy, and its maximum range of 250 miles means you can cover considerable distance between charges. It charges well at the supermarket and provides the perfect vantage point from which to work or people watch. You’ll also make lots of new friends while you sit there from curious bystanders who are keen to know what it is like.
Space is in abundance. The walk through cabin is vast and so’s the boot which has a useful double-decker floor that lifts on struts and is just the job for outdoor dirty clothing and muddy boots. There are also myriad storage areas around the cabin for your gubbins and plenty of charging points for your tech, which is great.
I absolutely love the ID.Buzz which proves to be the perfect companion for any music festival, or any other eventuality come to think of it. I’m more than happy to sing its praises.
Fact File
Model: VW ID.Buzz
Motor: 77kWh electric
Drivetrain: one-speed automatic
Power: 204PS, 310Nm torque
Top speed: 90
0-62mph: 10.2 secs
Range: 255 miles
CO2 (g/km): 0
Price: £63,715.00
