Nobody will ever accuse Spacecamper of sitting idle. In addition to completely revamping the concept of the small camper pop-up roof, and building an all-out tent-top RV atop an electric bicycle, Spacecamper has been working on a Ford camper van, after nearly two decades of building campers on Volkswagens. Its all-new Ford Transit Custom Classic+ camper van is more rustic and rugged than Ford's own Nugget, serving as an indoor/outdoor base lodge ready to squeeze the most out of any outdoorsy getaway.
With the new Classic+ Ford, Spacecamper follows Volkswagen in taking the fork in the road. It continues its rich history of Volkswagen conversion with its Multivan package while also pursuing a camper van based on the Ford Tourneo Custom, the passenger van variant of the same midsize Transit Custom that underpins the popular Ford Nugget. And we'll be surprised if Spacecamper doesn't also build a camper van or two on the all-new VW Transporter, which shares its platform with the Transit Custom and has already led to one dual-badged camper van family from another German converter.
As much as we like the three-room layout of the Ford Nugget, the materials and trim are fairly nondescript and forgettable. Spacecamper elevates its own Ford Transit Custom build-out with a rustic look defined by sharp corners, an abundance of stainless steel and available real wood structure and trim.
We suppose Spacecamper's design technically even offers three independent "rooms" to compete with the Nugget's three-way split, though one of those "rooms" is the roofless great outdoors. Spacecamper centers its floor plan around a swiveling indoor/outdoor kitchen that capitalizes on the Tourneo Custom's dual sliding rear doors.
The kitchen block itself features a unique design topped by an oversized sunken stainless steel sink. In photos, it appears at first to be a two-compartment sink, but the second compartment is actually a Trangia single-burner stove insert designed for indoor cooking. It can be easily removed for access to the full sink, and the inset position of the stove should provide integrated wind protection from any gusts hitting the open door, helping to ensure a more reliable flame.
Since a single burner is a pretty minimal amount of cooking power, Spacecamper also secures a hinged Primus dual-burner camping stove to the front of the kitchen block, allowing it to flip up for use when the kitchen is swiveled outside. Because three burners is definitely better than one.
The full sink comes with a wood lid that works as a worktop, but that cuts off all access to the sink and Trangia burner. Spacecamper adds a second worktop with a flip-up wood face panel that doubles as the indoor dining table. Unlike in many other camper vans, the table relies solely on a locking gas strut and does not require a telescoping leg, keeping plenty of legroom clear below.
Behind the main kitchen block, a 35-L fridge/freezer is concealed inside a top-loading console. The magnetic wood top over the fridge doubles as a removable cutting board.
At night, the Classic+ Ford becomes a four-sleeper with Spacecamper's fast-folding three-seat rear bench and standard pop-up roof. The lower bed measures 54 x 79 in (138 x 200 cm), which can be extended in width to 59 in (150 cm), while the upper bed is 47 x 79 in (120 x 200 cm) and comes with a disc spring comfort system.
The Classic+ stores 30 liters of fresh water in three individual canisters lined up on the driver's side of the trunk. A shower sprayer and optional water heater work to create an outdoor shower area in conjunction with a privacy tent that hangs off the tailgate. Spacecamper installs a two-slide cargo management system next to the water supply sized to hold available Euroboxes. The bed cushions are designed to be lifted for direct access to the cargo below.
Other standard features in the Classic+ kit include a 95-Ah leisure battery and management system, 230-V shore power hookup, rear cabinet behind the kitchen area, flip-up outdoor table on the passenger side, swivel driver and front passenger seats, interior LED light strips, and blackout curtains. Buyers can choose from the myriad Tourneo Custom trims for use as a base, including plug-in hybrid, all-electric and all-wheel-drive variants. Spacecamper also offers a suspension lift and off-road tires.
Spacecamper launched the Classic+ Ford at the 2024 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon and showed it again at the recent CMT show. Prices start at €88,832 (approx. US$91,550) for the base 134-hp 2.0-liter Titanium model and €96,414 (US$99,350) for the 168-hp Active AWD version. Available options include the natural wood trim, larger-capacity lithium battery upgrades and solar charging.
Source: Spacecamper