The third-generation Opel Vivaro has been quite successful as a light commercial van, with about 90,000 units being sold to-date. Now, Opel is considering the possibility of a limited edition Vivaro that would be offered to the consumer market. But why would anyone want to drive a Vivaro – it’s a cargo van, right?
Actually, the Vivaro Surf Concept will come with conveniences that you would expect to find in a typical Opel passenger car, such as IntelliLink, park assist, and heated seats. That’s because this Vivaro was designed with a certain type of person in mind, like longboard surfers going on a beach trip. The Vivaro Surf Concept even has a special surfboard bracket on the roof for said longboards.
The new, copper-brown and white CrewCab model has a lot to it that we could talk about, that’s because it’s really the first vehicle of its kind. At first we wondered if it was wise of Opel to approach such a niche market, but the more we thought about it, the less niche it seemed. Skiing, snowboarding, cycling, boating… the list of activities that make the versatile Vivavro concept shine goes on and on, and chances are you or someone you know is very into at least one of those activities, or something similar.
Really the possibilities that such a vehicle offers are endless, the (almost) 16.5 foot van can haul up to 2.9 tons of whatever equipment you need. The interior was crafted to optimize cargo room, and was fitted by specialists from Snoeks Automotive. That being said, the Vivaro Surf Concept isn’t just about cargo room and consumer-friendly tech features.
The power comes from Renault’s new 1.6 liter BiTurbo dCi engine that puts out about 280 lb-ft of torque and around 160 hp, with the “feel of a 2-liter,” and the fuel efficiency of a 1.6 liter. Sure, it’s no Duramax, but this powertrain allows the Vivaro Surf Concept to boast an efficient (estimated) 41 MPG. We wouldn’t mind taking this thing on a kayaking trip to find out what sort of real-driving mileage you can expect to see, especially with the smooth ride from the air suspension.
The Vivaro Surf Concept debuts a week from today at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. We’ll keep you up to date on any decisions made by Opel in regards to productivity. For now, feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.
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Comments
‘The Opel Vivaro has been quiet successful as a light commercial van, with about 90,000 units being sold to-date.’
Is that Quiet or Quite, or indeed both Quiet and Quite? Regarding success, I think you left a zero off the total … The Mk1 Vivaro alone sold more than 930,000 units!
As for the Surf concept, it’s a good bit of fun and will certainly look the part on the Europe and Devon and Cornwall in the UK.
Thank you for pointing out that typographical error, as well as our slight inaccuracy. The figure represented the mk3 Vivaro, not the Vivaro as a whole. We appreciate this immensely, as we strive to deliver 100% accurate information.