The launch of the Volkswagen I.D. Concept at the 2016 Paris Motor Show officially kicked the German automaker’s pursuit of developing an all-electric lineup of models into high gear. At the very least, you have to give VW some credit for being proactive here because it didn’t take long for a follow-up concept to burst into the scene. This here is the Volkswagen I.D. Buzz Concept, the second I.D.-badged prototype that’s presumably showcasing the future of Volkswagen. If that’s the case, then sign me up on the I.D. Buzz because it blends nostalgia and modernity into one appealing minivan.

Just take a look at it! A lot of people, ourselves included, already believed that the concept would draw some design inspiration from the original Volkswagen Type 2 van that was more famously known for the “Microbus” name. For what it’s worth though, this concept looks a lot more appealing than the I.D. Concept that was shown in Paris. At the very least, it brings back some of the trademark designs of the old Microbus, from the two-tone body colors to the high shoulder line that separates the two colors. About the only things it's missing are the round headlights, the bull guard bumpers, and the cockpit-like front windshield that themselves were considered as some of the most enduring design characteristics of the old Microbus.

Overall though, the I.D. Buzz Concept looks incredible. Credit should go to Volkswagen’s designers for bringing life back to the old Microbus design and giving it a modern twist. I can’t say enough about how the concept looks because the only thing I can think of are those old and rickety Type 2s that I used to ride when I was a kid.

It seems hard to believe that Volkswagen will ever send the I.D. Buzz into production. For one, it’s got a lot of design elements that are considered to be still out of reach of production status. Also, it might be in the company’s best interest to hold off on doing it until it gets its electric mobility and autonomous driving businesses in full swing.

Let’s hope though that once Volkswagen’s future electric lineup gets off the ground, a version of this concept gets the nod as one of its models. It would be such a waste if it doesn’t make it there.

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Microbus-inspired concept gives us a glimpse of the future

If there’s anything that the current state of the auto industry has shown us, it’s that electrification and autonomous driving technology are moving out of the world of novelty and straight into future reality. How else can we explain the number of automakers, both big and small, that are beginning to sink their teeth into these new technologies and identifying them as the future of the industry?

Depending on who you ask, Volkswagen is either the largest or second largest automaker in the world. That much come without question. For a company that big to finally get in on this new technologies is as clear a sign as any of the future that we’re headed in. I know that it’s still in its infancy, but a concept like the Volkswagen I.D. Buzz Concept probably wouldn’t have been considered five years ago. That’s how much the industry has evolved and based on how VW developed this concept, you can be sure that the business is going to evolve even more in the coming years.

That’s a big reason why I like this concept so much. On the surface, I’m a big fan of the old Microbus and I’m onboard any possibility of seeing it make a comeback, no matter what kind of power source it has. But since Volkswagen has the I.D. Buzz Concept, I can totally see a future where this concept gets turned into reality. I don’t know when that future is going to arrive, but it’s definitely coming.

I just hope that when it gets here, Volkswagen hasn’t forgotten about this concept. An electric minivan inspired by the old school Microbus with all the accompanying bells and whistles of future mobility? I’d definitely sign up for that.