RV designs like the retract-a-chassis Touchdown trailer from Dutch innovator Expandable are awe-inspiring in and of themselves. But they're even more so when built to task. One of Expandable's latest builds was created for the Shiver Offroad rally raid team, which will be competing for the Dakar crown in just a few weeks. The Shiver x Expandable 6x6 motorhome is an intensely rare combination of rally-supporting grit, off-grid autonomy and spacious luxury living.
The annual Dakar Rally may be best known for the sandstorming, badlands-bashing trucks, buggies and motorcycles that compete within its map boundaries, but the event has also inspired some radical on- and off-road support rigs and RVs. Some of those motorhomes appear rugged and weight-optimized enough to make a go at the actual race, while others are simply designed to give grimy, beaten-down competitors a place to wash up and rest between race legs.
The new Shiver x Expandable semi motorhome isn't quite ready to run Dakar, but it is designed to navigate rugged, unpredictable terrain while faithfully shadowing team members as they test their mettle in the world's most notorious off-road race. At the end of the day, the rig provides a comfortable, fully climate controlled space in which to retire.
The new RV is built atop a triple-axle MAN heavy-duty truck platform with all-wheel-drive. Instead of hitching up one of its trailers to the MAN tractor cab, Expandable drops its 30-foot Pod directly on the chassis, creating a capable motorhome that specs well above average.
The Pod rides to the destination just like a cargo box, sized comfortably within the wingspan of the truck's oversized side-view mirrors. Expandable's 30-footer packs 8.4 feet (2.6 m) of width and 9.8 feet (3 m) of height to go along with its 31.4-foot (9.6-m) length. Upon arrival, it expands out in both directions to nearly double width out to 15.8 feet (4.8 m), growing interior floor area from 183 sq ft to 452 sq ft (17 to 42 sq m).
Expandable starts with an empty Pod and works with clients to spec an interior around their needs. In Shiver's case, that interior combines bunkhouse-style sleeping quarters for six team members in the front, along with communal space in the back.
The central kitchen hugs the corner of the outside bedroom wall, creating a unique outward L-shaped space. It comes fully stocked with an induction cooktop, fridge, sink and plenty of storage.
The rear lounge area includes a slim, bar-height table pushed up against the massive floor-to-ceiling glass of the Pod's right sidewall. That table seats four, and a separate lower seating area splits two chairs with a tea table. There's also another table/two-chair set down the hallway near the bunks.
All those seating areas serve as both dining space and as lounge/meeting space between meals, working naturally with the large windows to create a bright, open interior that never feels too far from its greater surroundings. Those who prefer an even more intimate connection with the outdoors can enjoy hanging out on the full-length rooftop deck, which is enclosed by safety railings and accessed via a stowable outdoor spiral staircase at the rear of the motorhome.
Also included in the Shiver build is a bathroom area with outside sink and separate toilet and shower rooms and a laundry area with washer/dryer. While the design certainly looks quite elaborate and luxurious compared to the average motorhome, Expandable is careful to point out that it's specced quite purposefully to perform its role, without any unnecessary excess.
To provide usable electricity in the types of off-grid locales involved in off-road racing, the Shiver x Expandable RV includes both a battery bank and an onboard generator designed to keep things humming without the need for a shore power hookup.
This particular build features a solid left sidewall, but Expandable does offer a second glass sidewall optionally, promising even more light and indoor/outdoor connection. The Shiver rig comes with a double-door entryway with foldaway staircase for climbing up to motorhome height, but Expandable Pods also feature deployable hydraulic legs that allow for fast, simple demounting and lowering down to ground height.
We're not going to nose around trying to uncover what a private client paid for its wild expandable mobile-McMansion, but we did spend a few minutes configuring a similar 30-foot Pod with rooftop deck, outside staircase, right-side glass sidewall, solid left wall and solid front, which spit out an estimated base price of US$312,300. Since the floor plan appears custom-built to Shiver's specs, we left our shell empty, so that price is before tallying up any furnishings, amenities, taxes or additional fees. It's also for the expandable RV box alone, not including a truck on which to mount it – it's nice to have professional race team money.
We never really imagined what Dakar lodging looks like, but if we had, we certainly wouldn't have pictured this – not a bad way of "roughing it" while tackling one of the world's most punishing off-road courses.
Interestingly enough, this MAN motorhome is somehow among the tamer rigs in Shiver's fleet, which also includes a separate 30-ft Expandable Pod-based motorhome built on a DAF Tatra 8x8, a massive 53-foot Expandable service trailer with workshop and sleeping space for 12 people, and, of course, the actual 430-hp twin-turbo Century CR7 2WD tube-framed racer that will soon be butting heads with 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of Arabian desert.
You can have a closer look at the Shiver x Expandable 6x6 motorhome in the short video below.
Source: Expandable and Shiver Offroad
