Long-wheelbase VW ID.Buzz caught undisguised in new spy photos

The long-wheelbase variant of Volkswagen's new ID.Buzz electric van was caught playing in the snow without any camouflage this week. This is the variant of the ID.Buzz that will come stateside, with the short-wheelbase variant currently on sale overseas leading the charge (so to speak) in other markets. 

For context, the European-spec model that Ronan drove in Denmark (linked above) measures 185.5 inches long on a 117.6-inch wheelbase — roughly 18 inches shorter than the current Toyota Sienna. America's long-wheelbase, three-row model will be nearly 10 inches (25 cm) longer and offer true seven-passenger seating with removable rear seats and pivoting second-row captain's chairs.

As you can see above, VW found the additional length smack in the middle of the ID.Buzz. This is most obvious from the shape of the prototype's sliding doors, which are conspicuously longer than those fitted to the standard model. This approach preserves the ID.Buzz's short front and rear overhangs and, at least to our eyes, helps mitigate the aesthetic impact of the additional length. 

We expect VW to formally introduce the long-wheelbase ID.Buzz sometime later this year or early next, as its North American introduction is slated for no later than 2024. Given the state of completion of this prototype, there's no reason to suspect VW will have to move that timeline back. Stay tuned. 

Related video: