German RV manufacturer Bürstner was all about inflation at last year's Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, showing two different inflatable RV concepts, including the Habiton micro-camper. For an encore, it's done away with the inflatable rooftop tent of the original Habiton, designing a more integrated concept camper that rides on a longer wheelbase. The Habiton 2 is a more practical four-sleeper family van with a light, minimized interior that includes outdoor cooking, indoor dining and pop-up sleeping.
The highlight of the original Habiton concept was its brightly air-tubed rooftop tent, a new hardshell inflatable design from Austrian specialist GentleTent. But Bürstner realized that some targeted buyer groups would prefer a cleaner, more integrated solution than a separate tent and van interior space could provide.
Bürstner, therefore, decided to replace the roof tent with a more traditional pop-up roof complete with double bed. The new roof maintains the concept's compatibility with 2-m-high (6.6-ft) parking decks while creating a single interior space for the entire family or crew.
"Especially for families with children, it is important that there is no spatial division between the parents and the children inside the vehicle,” product manager Carolin Gebhardt said when introducing the concept last October. "The two additional berths in the roof are therefore accessible from the inside."
At the same time, Bürstner has stretched the concept out onto a long-wheelbase Renault Kangoo. The stretched wheelbase keeps the 491-cm (193-in) base van squarely in the sub-5-m (197-in) mini-camper van category for improved urban convenience while giving it an extra 43 cm (17 in) of added length for more interior space and comfort at the campsite.
The Habiton 2 shares a similar but distinct slide-out tailgate galley with the original concept. The two storage modules in this case are separated by empty cargo space, not drawers, and topped with cushions so they double as bench seats. The driver-side module houses the main slide-out with cooktop and sink, while the passenger-side box holds the slide-out fridge/freezer.
The Habiton 2 also includes a removable pedestal table that can be used as a dining table in front of the second-row seats. There's no indication that the front seats swivel, however, leaving the other two campers to eat without a table, either facing forward in the front seats or perhaps on the kitchen module bench seats.
While it's certainly scaled back the inflatable construction compared to the Habiton 1 and other recent releases, Bürstner hasn't eliminated it completely from the Habiton 2. It says the concept relies on an inflatable mattress to offer the largest possible sleeping area inside the compact van. Also included is a window shade that doubles as a carry bag for day trips away from the van and Bürstner's Home Light, a residential-like lamp that mounts to a magnetic dock.
The Habiton 2 made its first appearance just two months after the Habiton 1, debuting at last October's Paris Leisure Vehicles Show. Bürstner is now showing it in Germany at this week's CMT show. Still no word on a production Habiton, but it does seem like Bürstner is considering at least one Habiton model, perhaps a sub-brand, and the Habiton 2 feels more polished and production-ready than the original concept.
Source: Bürstner