New Volkswagen Caddy Mini-Camper 2021 confirmed, Australian arrival of lifestyle camper van under study

The spirtual successor to Volkswagen’s Caddy Beach will return for another round of weekend adventuring and camping under the stars, this time called Mini-Camper.

Though just sketch images of the upcoming model have been revealed for now, the new Mini-Camper will, of course, be spun off Volkswagen’s all-new fifth-generation Caddy light-commercial van that is due in Australian showrooms early next year.

VW is touting a new bed concept measuring nearly two metres long designed for greater flexibility, as well as quality of life updates such as the latest in-cabin technology and a 1.4-square-metre panoramic glass roof for late-night stargazing.

Camping chairs and a table can also be stored in the rear of the vehicle, while large storage bags can also double as privacy screens.

Active safety tech will also be at the forefront of the new Mini-Camper, with VW touting 19 assistance systems throughout, including rear cross-traffic alert and trailer assist.

Powering the Caddy, and likely by extension the Mini-Camper, are petrol and diesel four-cylinder engines, ranging in outputs from 55 to 90kW.

The new Mini-Camper will be fully detailed in September, but its Australian arrival remains murky.

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VW Caddy Beach axed from Australia

A similar model dubbed Caddy Beach made it to Australia in early 2019 on the previous-gen Caddy platform, but with only 120 examples earmarked for local consumption, it was more a toe-in-the-water exercise to gauge customer interest.

Volkswagen Australia PR boss Paul Pottinger called the 2019 Caddy Beach experiment a “success” and that the brand would “absolutely” look to bringing in niche vehicles as special editions in the future, but had nothing to confirm on the new lifestyle van yet.