Black Sheep to Dubai — Episode 2: Building the Beast
We caught up on the 16th of October at four in the afternoon. Both in our offices, both surrounded by unfinished business. I was in Cologne, watching the light fade across the river. Thomas was somewhere in Switzerland, buried deep in a workshop that hadn’t known silence for weeks. Between us, the connection crackled with […]
Black Sheep to Dubai 2025 – Episode 1
Before Dubai, before the Grenadier, there were eleven broken leaf springs somewhere in the Mongolian steppe. That’s where Thomas Grütter learned what weight really means, how far improvisation can take you, and why every design since has started with the same question: what can I remove? Back then, he wasn’t running a company. He was […]
Myth-buster: Two Weeks with the VW Amarok PanAmericana
Does the mythical creature of the ideal overlander/daily driver really exist? It’s a heavy question, a philosophical quagmire if ever there was one. The variables are as unruly as a pack of wild dogs—endless considerations swirling around like smoke in a dimly lit bar. Personal taste shifts like the wind. Budgets tighten the noose. Dreams […]
Volkswagen Unveils New Grand California Dune and California Energy Lineup at Caravan Salon 2025
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is rolling into Caravan Salon 2025 with a full line-up of camper van innovation — and all eyes are on the latest evolution of the Grand California. Meet the Grand California Dune Built for adventure. Finished like a show car. The new Grand California Dune makes its debut with an exclusive Ascot […]
20 Years of the California Beach: From Multivan Mash-Up to California Energy model
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is celebrating 20 years of the California Beach: the versatile, everyday camper that’s just as comfortable on the school run as it is halfway to the Sahara. Back in 2005, it launched as a curious crossover between the Multivan and the California. Fast-forward to 2025, and it’s a fully-fledged camper legend–with the […]
60 Years of Transit: The Van That Moved the World
Sixty years. Over 31 million minutes. And still going strong. On August 9, 1965, the very first Ford Transit rolled off the production line — and the van world has never been the same since. Six decades later, it remains the world’s best-selling van, still doing what it’s always done best: getting the job done. […]
600,000 and Climbing: Mercedes-Benz G-Class Hits Another Milestone
Graz/Stuttgart, August 5, 2025 – Some vehicles fade with time. Others, like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, just keep climbing. This week, the 600,000th G-Wagen rolled off the line at Magna Steyr’s plant in Graz, Austria — a stealthy G 580 with EQ Technology in obsidian black metallic. That’s 600,000 examples of boxy brilliance since the G-Class […]
Off-Grid Just Got Smarter: Ford Ranger PHEV’s Pro Power Onboard
Ford’s latest Ranger Plug-in Hybrid isn’t just another nod to electrification, it’s a fully capable power source for those who spend their time far from the grid. The real head-turner isn’t the drivetrain. It’s what that drivetrain can do for you when you stop moving. Meet Pro Power Onboard Built into the new Ranger PHEV, […]