Don't let its bright, friendly stripes fool you – the Iveco Daily Switch 4x4 was the meanest-looking camper van at the year's largest RV Show. By far. The towering RV was also among the show's most versatile, combining Iveco's highly configurable van platform, a warehouse worth of airline tie-down track, and a modular equipment set that seamlessly "switches" between hauling supplies to remote forestry and mining sites and hunting down the highest, remotest camping sites the world has to offer.
We were about five photos deep in snapping Volkswagen's all-new Multivan California, one of the more anticipated highlights of this year's Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, when the hulking pop-top Iveco Daily Switch 4x4 wrapped its knuckles taut around our gaze and refused to let go, pulling us across the aisle to have a closer look.
The Daily is an eye-catching van to begin with, sporting a large rounded nose that gives it a unique look as compared to the full-size-van competition. Add in oversized off-road tires, a pop-up roof and forestry graphics, then make the high-riding van even higher by parking its front wheels on a set of logs, and you have a huge hunk of van life you can't quite look away from.
Iveco has partnered up with leading van upfitters to turn the Daily van into the Daily Switch, an versatile modular van that can serve as an everyday work vehicle – whether for hard, dirty outdoorsy work or climate-controlled e-commuting – and a holiday camping getaway.
The work starts with Iveco's already versatile Daily van, which offers loads of size and equipment options, including 4x2 and 4x4 powertrain options. Iveco's main partner in crime on the Daily Switch is Hünerkopf, an RV component specialist with a history of intriguing slide-out and custom work.
Hünerkopf doesn't focus on fancy bodywork here, instead building out the Daily's stock cabin into a versatile do-anything van. It all starts with an essential foundation: airline track installed on the floor, walls and ceiling. From there, Hünerkopf specs the van up for camping duties with wall and floor insulation, two sliding RV side windows, a roof hatch, swivel cab seats, diesel heating, and a "Micro" electrical package with 130-Ah AGM battery, 20-A charger, 650-W inverter, 12/230V/USB outlets, and interior lighting. Buyers who want more power can upgrade to the "Large" electrical package with 200-Ah lithium battery and 1,600-W inverter.
To increase versatility further, Hünerkopf and Iveco add the handiest, cleverest van partition we've seen ... at least this month. The large removable partition keeps driver and passengers isolated and protected from any tools or gear being stored in the load area, but also flips on its side to create a bed platform.
Throw a foam or inflatable mattress inside, and you already have a voluminous cargo van ready to work hard all day and sleep comfortably at night. But campers looking for more can choose from Hünerkopf's catalog of rail-attachable modules made from high-pressure laminate (HPL). Offerings include a kitchen module with sink and portable stove, a WC module with slide-out portable toilet and toilet paper holder, a folding multi-leaf table, and various refrigerator options. It also offers motorcycle and bicycle carriers for inside the van.
For buyers who need more than an empty cargo-hauler for the work side of the equation, Iveco and Hünerkopf have partnered with upfitter Sortimo to offer cabinets, toolboxes, worktops and more. They also work with van racking supplier Bott GmbH. Buyers can order the camper and work modules they need and swap them in and out for different trips.
Hünerkopf and Iveco offer the Daily Switch as a 4x2, but the model on show in Düsseldorf featured the 4x4 system that helps make the Daily a more capable off-roader than more common camper base vans like the Mercedes Sprinter AWD or Volkswagen Transporter 4Motion. Unlike those vans' AWD systems, the Daily offers a proper 4WD with three locking differentials and off-road reduction gearing. It stands atop a hardwearing ladder frame and rides on a set of 265/70 R19 off-road tires. Power comes from Iveco's 173-hp 3.0-liter engine.
The Iveco Daily Switch 4x2 starts at €76,990 (approx. US$83,925), while the pictured Switch 4x4 with pop-up sleeper roof starts at €138,111 (US$150,550). Camping and work modules are priced individually.
Source: Iveco/Hünerkopf
