Last week – or was it the week before? Man, I’m a mess. Anyway, recently I went to Copenhagen to drive a car I’ve been anticipating for years: the VW ID.Buzz, the electrified re-incarnation of the legendary Type 2 Microbus. Now, I can’t talk about any driving impressions or anything like that for another four hours or so because of the embargo, but I can give you a little taste of it before then. So that’s what this is: An appetizer of rabbit caviar, which I think is the technical culinary term for Easter Eggs. Metaphorical Easter Eggs, I mean, as in little hidden fun things the VW engineers and designers hid into the new ID.Buzz. I think these are all of them, but it’s possible I missed something. There’s some fun things here, so let’s dig in!
The console between the front seats is removable
This may be one of the more useful of the Easter Eggs: The center console between the front seats, which has storage compartments and drink holders, is very easily removable! It latches into place, and can be lifted out, where you can then use it like a cooler (I’m not sure exactly how insulated it is, but I think it could definitely hold ice, at least for a while) or set it outside like a little table if you’re camping or just hanging out.
That’s one of the ID.Buzz’ interior designers showing me how it lifts up, and I apologize for using a photo where he’s mid-blink.
It’s a clever feature, and I bet could end up more useful than you’d think.
That console has some other clever bits of its own, too
That same console has re-sizable cupholders/cubbies on the top section, and the little dividers you use to change the sizes of the sections have their own special features:
One doubles as an ice scraper.
…and the other one has a built-in bottle opener. Handy!
There’s multiple Bus self-portraits around
Just in case you forget what you’re driving in or being driven around in, the ID.Buzz provides a number of locations for you to see a simplified profile of the vehicle you’re in, just to keep you nice and informed.
Who says screw removal can’t be fun and flirty?
Have you ever had to remove screws from some interior panels, and were disappointed that none of the ridiculous little screw-shame-hiding covers bothered to flirt with you at all, not even a little? Well, VW has solved this problem, because a lot of the plastic screw covers are molded with a little winky face right on them! Much better.
Clever cargo management via the magic of Velcro
I think this qualifies as an Easter Egg because what’s going on here is not obvious at all until you learn the secret. In the cargo area are these little black plastic rectangles inset into the side panels. They look like they could just be some sort of access panel or trim of some sort, but they’re much better than that: They’re cargo organizers/securing brackets.
See, each one removes and folds into an L-shape, and they have Velcro on their little flanges there, so if you have boxes or suitcases you can use these to insure that those boxes or suitcases or caskets or whatever don’t go sliding around. Quick, convenient, easy solution to an actual problem.
Here are a few that may or may not be considered Easter Eggs, but are still something:
The play/pause markings on the brake and accelerator aren’t unique to the ID.Buzz (the other ID cars use this, too) but they’re still cheeky.
Also, does this count as an Easter Egg, or just a feature:
That’s the fold-out tow hitch, the funny kinda-phallic Euro-style ones. It’s hidden, and then folds out, so I think that at least makes it Easter Egg adjacent.
This may not be so much an Easter Egg as it is just a little reminder of Volkswagen’s heritage:
That’s a little passenger assist strap/coat hanger, a basic design of which has been used in VWs since the Beetle started in the late 1930s. I will always associate those things with VWs.
This again may not be an actual Easter Egg, but I bet you could cram some kind of soft luggage in the front non-trunk compartment. Like, something soft and rolled up could be crammed in there, like a small outdoor rug or something. I’m sure VW would say no, don’t do that, but you know, I bet you could.
Yet another self-portrait, this one wet
The rear window is hiding, under the rear wiper, a little bus with an umbrella, to remind you that sometimes things get wet. I do like how the Frit Band seems to be dissolving into the rain, too.
In case you get really, really lost
And, finally, we have the Map of Last Resort, molded into the side of one of the drawers in the center console. It’s a whole world map, so it’s really only going to be useful if you’re lost on a continental level. Still, better than nothing, right?
The Chevy Aveo is the worst car I have ever driven by far. I would rather use Jason’s Yugo as a daily driver.
For me, electric cars are a novelty at best across the board, for so many reasons, but this thing.. it’s peak novelty. Absolutely useless. Long road trip? Nope. How about some camping, out in the woods, long weekend…. oh.. no? Dang. Ok, how about hauling some stuff from the Home Depot and run errands all day? No? Ahh.. OK.
It’s a toy, which is cool, but that’s about it.
You couldn’t be more wrong…
On the map, I see North America as a Tyrannosaurus Rex and the ID.Buzz is driving up it’s tail.
And now so do you!
Considering the overall heritage of these in the states, “ID Buzz” does sorta work as a name. The VW Rollersmoke Freesex would have been more on point though. It should also have no less than 37 contraband cubbies scattered throughout. Maybe that’s what those winking screw-me fastener covers are really all about.
The fold out tow hitch is super cool and been on euro VWs for a while. It’s a shame we never got them in the US but hopefully it will come over with the id.Buzz.
https://www.core77.com/posts/81821/VWs-Super-Cool-Hidden-Trailer-Hitch
Very tempting. Only concern is what dealers will do to the cost.
I wonder if Doug will catch all of these ????
One of my friends called those Euro-style tow hitches “vacation dicks” and I will never be able to unsee it.
Those screw covers look too much like Bendy and the Ink Machine for my comfort.
I like the quirks and features (s/o Doug) of this van, but something just doesn’t let me consider it a successor to the microbus. For one thing, the naming convention VW has for its’ electric vehicles is just bad.
ID Buzz? How did that even make it to the concept stage?
Maybe it’s mostly the name. It’s probably the name.
Anyways, I’m hoping they do more than just passenger versions here in the states. That’s when I’d be more tempted to consider it.
Yeah, the sooner their EV names are un-deNysschen’d the better. At least he hasn’t moved the company HQ to a trendy major city, yet, and even if he does Berlin is still pretty close to Wolfsburg.
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I’m really curious to see all the unique ways VW can make this thing (and all of their new MEB platform electric cars) break down and require unexpected mechanical/electrical repairs
my 2016 VW GTI has factory-option velcro blocks for the hatch area similar to these…they are super handy! BUT, they don’t fold up and hide away like that. Mine are big, chunky affairs that take up lots of room when not in use.
Yeah CarGo Blocks (TM) have been a VW item for years and are great. Making them foldable is a great idea, although in my Jetta and my GTI they store either on the sidewalls or in a nook pretty easy.
A place to put them when not in use is killer. They’re super handy when you need to divide the cargo space, and intensely annoying when you don’t need them and they get in the way of whatever you’re trying to load. Our Tiguan came with a set but they ended up all breaking over time from being in the way, and I haven’t felt moved to buy more
What’s an easter egg and what’s a feature? Would a removable door on a jeep be an easter egg, as the removable console is on the VW? What’s the difference? Both are features to me. As are the bottle opener and scraper and velcro attachments.
The maps and silly stuff ARE easter eggs, and I’m tired of them TBH. So they can print little silhouettes of the same 5000+ electric car you’re driving in clever places. Amazing. Low-res maps and smiley faces on plugs.
Maybe I’m just getting old.
Yeah the whole “Easter egg” thing is a long way from where it started. None of these would be remotely edible or hatchable.
Alright got the dad joke out of the way. I would agree with you. Things that are barely hidden do not count as Easter eggs. By this definition basically all of BMW idrive’s features are Easter eggs. Ha! BMW joke and a dad joke in one post!
For me, the easter eggs on other cars just prove that designers have imagination and sense of whimsy that just doesn’t make it into the overall project. its more sad than anything. The eBus doesn’t count, the whole damn thing is whimsical and fun…but Jeep? kinda pathetic
Is it just me or does North America on the map look like some kind of melty Ford Mustang horse emblem, Scottish terrier, triceratops mutant?
And, no, I have not been drinking.
Not gonna lie, I saw that too.
It looks like T-Rex to me. I wonder if this an intentional Rorschach.
Nice that you got to check it out before Volkswagen puts it back into storage for seven years.
I kid! Surely it will get produced this time, right?
It’s already being produced!
They’ve sold DOZENS in Europe already.
This is peak German humor. Being interested in the Buzz (for now) these will at least keep me mildly entertained while charging. Or waiting for a tow. It is a VW after all.
The shape of those “self-protraits” is way cuter than that shape of the actual vehicle. They look like the swoopy 2017 concept; the production model looks much squarer and upright, like an Astrovan.
Brick means more usability. Swoops generally mean less usable interior space.