VW’s classy ‘hotel California’ is a camper you may never want to leave

TO say that I am not one for camping at music festivals would be a bit of an understatement.

It was Glastonbury, 2011. Apparently U2 were playing. My grossly overpriced ticket promised “a guaranteed camping spot with proximity to the bar and toilets”.

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Proximity, it turns out, is entirely relative. London has a proximity to Rio de Janeiro — it’s 5,761 miles.

That’s about how far it felt from my one-man tent in a sea of mud to a £15 warm dribble of beer and toilet so disgusting even a student wouldn’t use it.

The neighbours were an issue too. Being woken up through the night by some tween experimenting with legal highs and Strongbow trying to climb inside my tent is no fun.

Never again, I vowed.

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But it doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a festival — there are more grown-up ways to enjoy a three-day bender in a field.

The VW California has been in production since 1988 and in that time it has become a legend of nomadic culture.

Whether you are on a family tour of Scotland or you need a place to keep beers cold at a festival, the “Hotel California” is an ideal wagon.

Now on the T6 generation, the California will sleep four at a push.

Grown-ups can take the roomy pop-up canopy, which unfolds at the push of a button, and the kids can sleep on the collapsed rear seats.

It can be specced with a gas stove and comes with a fridge deep enough for a week’s food — or enough Red Stripe to cause permanent memory loss.

And it’s got the all-important heating system which runs without the engine on.

To test the California, I treated the wife to Standon Calling festival — a four-day party set against the stunning backdrop of the Hertfordshire countryside.

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Unlike the sprawling canvas favelas of Glastonbury, Standon Calling is compact enough to get your bearings, but large enough to stay entertained over a long weekend.

It’s free of drugged-up teenagers screaming their way through bad comedowns and is packed with like-minded folk enjoying bands and a few drinks in the sunshine.

This year’s headliners included Bryan Ferry, Paloma Faith and man-of-the-moment George Ezra. But there are thousands of acts to see, as well as loads of things to do with the children.

I was worried I had packed the van’s fridge entirely with booze — the missus won’t live on Pot Noodles alone — but I needn’t have stressed.

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Standon Calling is what the middle classes call a “foodie festival”.

One of the biggest advantages of taking the California was the class of neighbour.

The entire site was buzzing with fellow vanners — all friendly and helpful to a van virgin like me.

Our plot was next to a fantastic family of five, Colin and Hannah and their kids Bea, Lottie and Caspar, who would pop over and offer a coffee each morning when we stumbled from the van, bodies buckled from the hangover.

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My “dream garage” list is already long, but the California has just been added to it.

Yes, it costs north of £46k, but think of the money you will save on hotel bills.

It’s as easy to drive as a car, which means renting one, for around £700 a week, isn’t intimidating.

And if you fancy taking one to a festival, look out for me. I will even give you one of my Red Stripes.

• Standon Calling will be back next year, from July 25-28. Early Bird tickets are now on sale, with more information and details available at .

Outback still breeds ‘em tough

No-nonsense cars are becoming a thing of the past.

There’s a race between manufacturers to come up with useless tech and gimmicks.

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But there are a few brands that refuse to engage in such tactics and stick to making straightforward motors that do what you want and nothing more.

Take the Subaru Outback, for example.

OK, it’s no looker. But if you are in the market for a hard-as-nails AWD family motor that can cope with any terrain and tow a caravan, this is the car.

Already a firm favourite with country types, the 2018 Outback has been tweaked to broaden its appeal. The brittle suspension has been softened and the steering given more weight.

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I would be lying if I said it is now a fun car to drive but it is impressive for other reasons.

Subaru’s AWD system is possibly the best in the world.

It is hard to imagine the snow storms we endured last winter in this heat wave but the chances are they will be back – and when winter comes, I want an Outback.

Hill descent and X-Mode come as standard. In X-Mode the Outback becomes an off-road ninja, tempering the braking, AWD, throttle map and gearing to negotiate low traction terrain.

There is decent ground clearance but a relatively low driving position.

The boot is now a cavernous 559 litres and the rears seats fold more or less flat.

It will tow up to 2,000kg, which is pick-up truck-worthy and more than you’re likely to ever need.

The thing you won’t love about it is the CVT gearbox. We just have to accept that this is the route Subaru is going down, but it’s annoying.

You can choose from just two trim levels and one 2.5-litre petrol engine. See what I mean about no-nonsense?

The Subaru Outback is a breath of fresh air.

Vote and win

Thanks to everyone who has voted in our new Sun Motor Awards 2018.

But for those of you who haven’t, get voting now and you could win a fantastic holiday to Dubai.

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We are asking you, our driving readers, to choose the winning cars. Who can say fairer than that?

So which of these cracking value-for-money motors should win the Value Car of the Year 2018 award?

Here’s the shortlist: Suzuki Swift; Toyota Aygo; Kia Picanto; Vauxhall Corsa; Dacia Duster.

Go to mcb777.site/motorawards to cast your vote.

All voters are automatically entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a holiday for two to Dubai.

Reader’s car of the week

One of the coolest cars of all time, in my opinion. This is a mint example of a Mercedes SL300, sent in by reader John Will, of Wallington, South London.

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John says: “This is my 1992 Mercedes SL300. I have had her for five years and every time I drive her it just gives me the biggest smile. She keeps up with modern traffic and still surprises people on the road.”

To see your pride and joy here, send me a picture and brief description of the car to [email protected].

Bike News

Harley’s skidding

Are the wheels falling off Harley-Davidson? Some critics would argue they are, and that’s why the legendary US brand is having to diversify and release its first adventure bike.

Others would say Harley is simply keeping up with the times by expanding its portfolio.

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It’s certainly true that sales are down. Even in the States, where Harley has been king for decades, the market share is dwindling.

That’s a bigger problem for Harley than any other brand, because selling the bike is just the start of a lucrative relationship with each new customer.

Harley’s after-sales market is vast, selling endless add-ons and customisation kits for each bike, representing a huge portion of its profit.

Americans are finally opening their eyes to other manufacturers and different styles of bikes, which is why European brands such as Triumph and BMW are on the up stateside.

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And then there’s the very public spat with Donald Trump, after the president blasted the firm for moving some of its operations out of the US.

And Trump is a hero to much of the Harley-riding community.

It all means Harley-Davidson has decided to take drastic action.

The adventure bike is just the start. As part of a billion-dollar commitment to making new models, the face of Harley is changing fast, and for good.

Everything from electric bikes, commuter tools and learner-friendly machines will join the HD range over the next few years. Most of the excitement, though, surrounds the adventure bike.

You can see why – it’s a peach.

Technical specs are thin on the ground, but you can trust it will be at the heavier, more expensive end of the range.

Harley is also promising a new cruiser and a stripped-back street fighter model.

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At Bike World we are looking forward to riding them all, especially following the success of the new Softail range.

That said, we can’t help but remember Buell, the street bike brand founded in 1983 by a former Harley engineer, then wholly acquired by Harley in 2003, before it dropped it in 2009.

Fingers crossed that the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a V-Rod coming the other way.
• For more bikes, search “Bike World” on YouTube or find it on Amazon Prime.

Alan Rawlings