Westy T5 Pop-Top. This should shake things up...

[2into1]

http://www.motorvision.de/news/westfalia-club-joker-aufstelldach-210305.html

At the bottom of the page, there is a 2nd photo (that scolls) showing what I understand is the very tasty interior trim.

And Google's attempt at translation:
With the return of a legend of the motorhome specialist Westfalia looks to the future: A VW T5 series is the basis for a new motorhome that is by 2015 to have on the German market. The new Club Joker with the handy pop-up will be presented in Paris at the Salon for recreational vehicles.

With the return of a legend of the motorhome specialist Westfalia looks to the future: A VW T5 series is the basis for a new motorhome that is by 2015 to have on the German market. The new Club Joker with the handy pop-up will be presented in Paris at the Salon for recreational vehicles and brings as its predecessor with T1, T2, T3 and T4 technology, the combination of travel and everyday use.

Despite the built-in roof pitch mechanism of Club Joker should be suitable for underground car parks and at the same time presenting all the characteristics of a well-equipped motorhome. Westfalia will present the new, compact camper in January at the Stuttgart trade fair CMT. Design and planning were started after the positive market response to the Club Joker with high roof in September 2013. The medical reports of the Club Joker with the retractable roof will continue accentuated by the permanently installed toilet and shower facilities. Of prices is not spoken at Westfalia.

 

[2into1]

Found a way to show the images





IF (IF) that interior shot is really from the pop-top, then I suspect it will be a rear opening poptop (hinged at the front) with a kitchen (and it sounds some sort of bathroom!) behind.

This great rear seat will I assume fold forwards allowing a board and mattress to be laid on top. (I'm guessing here...... but it's what they've done in the high top Joker)

I posted here months ago that sleeping directly on a rock and roll bed has reached it's age limit, with the ever greater need for travelling safety running against the ability to provide a comfy sleep. (which won a big fat zero replies....)

Westfalia have said in a previous statement that the new T5 pop top wouldn't just be another (VW) California

 

[2into1]

And from Westy's website:
"Westfalia is on the "Salon des véhicules de Loisirs" in Paris before the new Club Joker with pop. We asked sales manager Götz Rutenkolk to the new model.

Mr. Rutenkolk. Westfalia is once again building a camper van with pop-up on a Volkswagen. So in the truest sense of the word a "back to the roots"?

Rutenkolk: Yes, of course that was a conscious decision, even from our history out again to develop a Volkswagen with pop. Our customers are increasingly asking everyday solutions with compact dimensions after, so real "365 days Mobile", with the new Club Joker pop-up we give here our answer. When did you decide? Rutenkolk: After our two years of presented Club Joker with high roof very well was received by the market, excited customers and distributors to develop a short and high under two meters, underground parking grade, vehicle on. After intensive market observation and consideration of our own concept design and planning after last years Caravan Salon began in September 2013th The vehicle also bears the name Club Joker. Why not have a product line or no own name? Rutenkolk: Already the previous versions of the Jokers Club was there with different roofs. Our new vehicle is qualitatively and technically on the same high level as our Club Joker with high roof. So it was very natural to make our solo vehicle model family. The name is indeed quasi-synonym for a Westfalia Camper expansion based on Volkswagen. There are on the market already some vehicles with pop-up roof. Where do you see the new Westfalia the benefits? Rutenkolk: We want to convince with an entirely new concept to our customers. When Joker Club of focus in addition to the practicality lies especially in its use as a motorhome. At the rear, the permanently installed toilet and the possibility of also convincing in a very compact camper a shower facility to have. As standard, the vehicle is equipped with hot water boiler, compressor fridge and heater, just a real mobile. Notice automotive seat with optional folding bed also offers long-distance passenger comfort, and the T5 is anyway an ideal car spare. In Paris is the concept vehicle, when is the new Club Joker AD in Germany to see? Rutenkolk: We will present our concept car in Paris, then also allowing incorporate latest customer comments. On the CMT in Stuttgart (January 2015) we will present the vehicle for the first time in Germany. And when is the launch planned? Rutenkolk: We will integrate in the spring of 2015, the vehicles in our production, so that our customers have a summer holiday in the new Club Joker can enjoy with pop. Mr. Rutenkolk, thank you very much for the interview."

Here is the hightop brochure if you want to see how the front seat works to a (small) bed http://www.westfalia-mobil.net/downloads/daten/broschuere_clubjoker_2015.pdf

And of course, everything is a compromise, so I suspect it won't have a 'boot' as such.

 

[2into1]

More photos starting here. I can't seem to link to the individual shots.
https://www.facebook.com/WestfaliaM...0.1411574045./949653755050056/?type=1&theater

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

IF (IF) that interior shot is really from the pop-top, then I suspect it will be a rear opening poptop (hinged at the front) with a kitchen (and it sounds some sort of bathroom!) behind.

I've read elsewhere that it would be a front hinged poptop - they have a sister company that does this already on Renaults. I think the original early (low light) bays had front hinged roofs as well. Going back to their roots! Hopefully it's a manual roof, but looking at things like the Marco Polo it will be an overly complex powered roof.

Like the idea, not so sure of the practicality yet, would like to look around one.

Great to see them back in the game

 

[2into1]

It is rear kitchened / rear loo Dan, so must be rear opening roof (front hinge). If you search around all of the links you'll see the layout (which I love!). No point surely in having a high roof over the lounge whilst having to squat whilst cooking.

I recently contemplated going back to a pop top conventional R&R bed but just couldn't do it - I don't love my Elvis roof but love the 3 separate living zones it offers. Getting a pop top, Short wheel base with separate cooking and lounging areas may see me in the order queue once more details emerge.

 

[David Eccles]

I think this will be a serious rival to the Cali...the name Westfalia itself carries a heritage cudos especially to those VW enthusiasts ... and also in Germany...looking fwd to checking one out....

 

[MarkW]

Is the assumption you can still sleep in the roof?

 

[markh]

I don't like the bulbous motorhome style windows. I wonder why they didn't use factory fit flush ones?

Also, downstairs bed looks tiny. I guess it's only 3 berth really.

 

[Meoncoast]

i feel the same about the windows in the rear they seem to spoil the lines

 

[johnyboy]

I'll pass - looks like a load of cupboards and a bog thrown in the back of a van! Bed set-up looks like a hassle

 

[2into1]

I don't like the bulbous motorhome style windows. I wonder why they didn't use factory fit flush ones?

I'm not sure about those to. They used them on the high-top where they blend in with the 'motorhome' style windows in the high top. Perhaps the final model will get the factory 'Cali' double glazed units.

Is the assumption you can still sleep in the roof?

For sure. I guess it will have the same fancy springing (as oppose to the wooden latts in the Cali) under a thin mattress, as shown in the high top brochure.

I'll pass - looks like a load of cupboards and a bog thrown in the back of a van! Bed set-up looks like a hassle

The Vw Cali could be equally described, save it doesn't have a 'bog'.

I think the design (materials etc) is spot-on. The bed looks narrow but is still the width of two seats so may not be that different. We'll have to see.

The biggest advantage for me is the separate cooking / loo space. You get full access to the kitchen / loo / infact everything whilst the downstairs bed is still made.

Obviously different layouts work for different folks, but this gets me many of the benefits of my current 'bus', with the practicalities of the pop-top / SWB for everyday use.

I think this will be a serious rival to the Cali...the name Westfalia itself carries a heritage cudos especially to those VW enthusiasts ... and also in Germany...looking fwd to checking one out....

You can probably tell 'I agree'! Quite what impact it will have on Cali sales is unclear though, as when the T2/3/4 models were in production they weren't competing with VW's own version with all those dealerships and marketing power.

 

[2into1]

One worry just struck me....where does all the bedding live during the day?

I'm assuming most Cali owners throw it over the back seat. I guess it could go under the rear passenger seats, but it's a big ask for 4 peoples' bedding.

 

[MarkW]

Any guesses on how you get into the roof (no front chairs to clamber on)

And if you have a shower how do you protect the kitchen / back area from getting soaked (I can see on the high top how you would do this).

One last thing...looks like you can wave at the driver as you sit on loo... :hello

 

[johnyboy]

The Vw Cali could be equally described, save it doesn't have a 'bog'.

Beg to differ - its the only one that looks the part as all the trim fits much better than any converter I saw in the flesh, especially Danbury!

 

[2into1]

Any guesses on how you get into the roof (no front chairs to clamber on)

And if you have a shower how do you protect the kitchen / back area from getting soaked (I can see on the high top how you would do this).

One last thing...looks like you can wave at the driver as you sit on loo... :hello

I'm working on the basis (perhaps you are too) that the roof opens at the opposite end to the Cali. So it will either be a ladder from the kitchen space, or using the various cabinets in the back. One of the photos shows a fold down table across the loo seat, perhaps as worktop space but it could also be the step.

Again I'm guessing, but I think there is a slide out panel behind the rear seats to give some form of privacy (from the lounge and folks looking through the cab windows) when using the loo.

No answers on the shower, but based on Westy's previous form I think they will have though of something

-----------------------

It's important to recognise that Westfalia won't be claiming this is a better layout (for the majority) than the Rock n Roll bed / Side kitchen in the Cali. Westfalia's T4 layout was obviously the template used by VW when Westy could no longer continue their relationship due to the change in corporate ownership.
Had VW not now cornered that segment of the market with the Cali, Westy may have adopted it again here. So they had to find a niche and I think this prototype looks very encouraging, and would suit me (in the minority) much better than VW's Cali, which feels like a large estate car (with it's single living area) having got used to my high top T4 Westy with its separate lounge / kitchen / loo-dressing room layout.

Beg to differ - its the only one that looks the part as all the trim fits much better than any converter I saw in the flesh, especially Danbury!

Well I'm not to argue on behalf of Danbury, but ask around how well made (and how little trouble) the 'camping side' of Westy's have proven. I sold a 12 year old, 1 owner example that had suffered 0 (zero) issues to the camping side in all that time.

 

[2into1]

Not too shabby looking to my eyes (given it's hard to make camping loo's look great.....)
[album]1714[/album]

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

few pics with the roof up here:

https://www.facebook.com/WestfaliaMobil ... 63/?type=1

 

[Nanqueen]

Well.....it looks lovely.... But will it be done in a right hand drive....
If not then there is still no contest!
Someone I met says that they had heard VW is going to stop producing the Cali.. ?????
Anyone heard?
Elaine

 

[Nanqueen]

Spoke to VWCAMPERSALES.COM today.... They will be dealers for the new Westy.... And .... They will be stocking them as Right Hand Drive as well as LHD

 

[2into1]

Spoke to VWCAMPERSALES.COM today.... They will be dealers for the new Westy.... And .... They will be stocking them as Right Hand Drive as well as LHD

Great news. Hopefully they'll appoint me as their Northern outpost and provide me one to run around in showing to potential customers :lol:

 

[David Eccles]

apparently according to NEC press office Westfalia will have one at the upcoming Camping and Caravan show next week....we get in b4 public (press pass :lol: ) so will get chance to check it out properly without crowds all over it! am sure twill attract loads of interest

 

[Kirk]

Could be OK but it just looks so wrong with the roof opening the wrong way round?

 

[2into1]

Earlier there was questioning about why Westy use an ugly 'motorhome' style side window rather than the factory units. I understand they have built-in flyscreens, and because they open outwards, they are more practical in the rain.

 

[markh]

I guess it's a case of function over form then!

I think I'd still rather have it looking right though.