A Vauxhall Vivaro van isn't the first vehicle most people think of when planning a beach getaway. But Vauxhall/Opel plans to change that with the Vivaro Surf Concept, a leisure vehicle that goes toe-to-toe with the likes of VW's California.
The Surf Concept starts life as a Vivaro Crew Cab van, with two rows of seating able to accommodate up to six people, who enter via two side sliding doors. However, the manufacturer adds to this with a divisive brown and white paint scheme, and clever solutions for the cargo area.
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The space underneath the second row of seats is fitted with a storage box that can contain smaller items, while the main load space benefits from a rail system and blue ambient lighting to compliment the 3.2 cubic metre load volume. The load area is completely seperate from the main cab so that bulky, wet or dirty items can be carried without impacting passenger comfort. A special rack system on the roof allows the carriage of bikes and surfboards, while the long-wheelbase option increases space even further.
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The cab itself features plenty of equipment and some more luxurious touches aimed at making the interior more car-like. The standard 'Irmscher Tourer Pack' (which is available as an optional extra on the regular Vivaro) adds leather upholstery for the seats, dashboard and gear lever. Velour floor mats reduce noise and automatic climate control keeps everybody at a comfortable temperature. Opel's IntelliLink sat-nav and infotainment system also features.
The Vivaro Surf is powered by the 140bhp BiTurbo CDTI diesel engine and features standard-fit air suspension, which reduces the vehicles height so it can fit under most car park height restrictions.
The Opel Vivaro Surf Concept will go on display at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and the word is that it could soon go into production as a limited edition, so a Vauxhall version for the UK isnt out of the question.