The petrol engine option for Volkswagen’s Transporter van (the most popular basis for small campervans) and the California Beach and Ocean campervans, has been discontinued after only around a year on sale in the UK.

Previously, a 148bhp petrol manual and 201bhp petrol automatic were offered.

Kate Thompson, Head of Press and Public Relations at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, commented: “Petrol was a very small part of the mix and with a recent range rationalisation, the decision was made to discontinue it for now. And with new powertrains on the horizon, we are confident the removal of petrol models from the current T6 line-up will not affect our ability to provide appropriate mobility solutions for all customers.”

As of late November, VW had sold around 1,150 Californias in Britain in 2018, of which only about 50 have been petrol-engined models – less than 5% of the total. The latest California campervans are offered only with a DSG gearbox and diesel power – either 150PS (148bhp) or 199PS (196bhp) outputs.