Volkswagen has added substance to the rumours that it is working on a small MPV that aims to revive some of the emotional appeal that was attached to its original Microbus.
The German carmaker even admits that this 'Bulli' concept, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show today, is a development of the Microbus concept vehicle of 2001, albeit it's quite a bit smaller.
The external design of the Bulli harks back to the original 'Samba' bus in many ways, stand-out features including a two-tone paint job, a distinctive 'V' on the bonnet and retro chrome hubcaps.
Just 3.99-metres in length, there is still ample body space for hippie folk to decorate with flower power spirit, but it might not be as easy for them to lose their virginity in the back of this one.
Its wheelbase of 2.62-metres is only just longer than that of a Golf while a wide track of 1.5-metres makes the car quite wide in relation to its length, this allowing it to accommodate a six-seater layout with two rows of three seats in the spirit of the Fiat Multipla.
With all six seats occupied, the Bulli has boot space of 370 litres (barely enough space for a fridge), increasing to 1600 litres when the rear seats are folded (probably not big enough for a bed).
Also geared to minimise damage to the planet and its flowers, the Bulli is powered by a 40kWh lithium-ion battery that's concealed in the Merc-A-Class-like sandwich floor, which allows a range of 300km between charges.
The electric motor kicks out 85kW and 250Nm, allowing an 11.5-second 0-100km/h dash and it'll easily reached its electronically limited top speed of 140km/h.
However, we can't see the production model relying on this expensive technology alone, which is why the concept can also accommodate VW's huge range of direct injection petrol and diesel engines.
Cabin electronics are of the modern variety too, with a removable iPad in the centre console that serves as a multifunctional touchscreen. The system also handles the media system, internet applications, navigation and phone functions.