The original Beauer 3X expanding camping trailer once seemed more like a curious oddity than a practical camping solution, but it has since spawned a full family of campers that pack small for transport and expand up to three times their size at camp. The latest member of that family is the 3XC truck camper, a chassis cab-mounted RV pod that grows into an ultramodern camping cabin. The resulting 3XC "cell car" drives and parks with the footprint of a normal van but lives like a large multi-room RV.
Beauer has had the 3XC truck module in its plans for years, for as long as we've known of its existence. It finally pushed the truck-back triple-expander from rendering to real-life rig last year, after previously growing its lineup with the 3X Plus six-person trailer, the X-Van expand-a-van and the 2X two-person mini-camper.
Just as it appeared years ago, the 3XC is essentially a wheel-less 3X trailer adapted to a van chassis with tray. It shares the 3X module's 6.6-foot (2-m) height and 6.4-to-15-foot (1.95-to-4.6-m) width, expanding at camp via a push-button electric actuator system that takes a mere 60 seconds to telescope out and triple the floor area from 43 to 129 square feet (4 to 12 sq m).
The 3XC's interior is laid out exactly the same as the 3X trailer's, and Beauer has merely reprinted 3X interior pictures to show what the 3XC looks like inside its arched walls. The 3.5-room layout includes furnishings that automatically fold up and fit like a puzzle with the carefully placed fixtures when the camper compacts down for transport.
Enter the 3XC through the central door and you'll walk into the kitchen, where an L-shaped counter houses a dual-burner stove and sink on top and a 120-L fridge below. Beauer has also included space for a microwave, along with overhead and under-counter storage space.
To the left of the kitchen, the dining lounge sets a five-seat wraparound sofa around a folding dining table attached to the rear of the kitchen block wall. The dinette converts over into a double bed up to 51 x 94 inches (130 x 240 cm) in size.
The primary bed is located in the private bedroom on the other side of the camper, offering up to 63 x 79 inches (160 x 200 cm) of sleeping space for two adults. Sandwiched between the kitchen and bedroom is the toilet room with cassette toilet, 19-L fresh water tank and water pump. Buyers can also add an optional shower and wash basin with auxiliary fresh water supply.
Beauer offers the 3XC cell car as a complete truck starting at €66,900 (approx. US$72,750) for a single cab with three cab seats or €71,600 (US$77,850) for a double cab with five seats. Compatible chassis cab models include the Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Renault Master and Volkswagen Transporter, and the full camper truck measures roughly 236 in (600 cm) long. Camper options include gas or electric heating and hot water, air conditioning, an 80-Ah auxiliary battery and solar charging.
Beauer previously only sold its campers in Europe but has since opened North American availability. It does not currently have an American dealership network, however, instead suggesting interested American customers contact it at beaueramerica@gmail.com.
Source: Beauer via Autoevolution
