CMT show

Alpine is known the world over for car audio and infotainment equipment, not so much for outrageous concept vehicles. That changes with the new Cross Cabin, a concept work-from-anywhere RV with a skeletal bamboo interior optimized for work and play.

VW camper van specialist Spacecamper is experimenting with a bike camper as smart and flexible as its vans. The Spacecamper Bike concept adds a deployable tarp, multi-adjustable sleeping platform and mobile workstation to an electric cargo bike.

With #vanlife shining a spotlight on camper vans, manufacturers have been moving conversions upmarket, creating vans that look and live like larger motorhomes. Affinity's version has convertible bunk beds and a bedroom with en suite bathroom.

The VW California continues to capture imaginations, but it's other camper vans with origins in Westphalia now pushing the envelope. The Mercedes Marco Polo becomes the smartest small camper van on autobahns, gaining new smart home-style control.

The latest ready-for-anything off-road expedition vehicle rolling into our conscious, the Ziegler Moghome happens to be the most concisely named. It's a home on a Unimog, giving it the brute power and deft motility to tackle all kinds of terrain on the adventure of a hardy couple's choosing.

The Malibu Charming GT camper van may not be a true "GT," but the van does exemplify long-distance touring comfort better than most any GT car out there. With a new cab lounge concept, a flexi-bathroom and a full kitchen, the capable little camper ready can tour for weeks, months or even years.

You don't need a multi-module expansion system to fit a family of six inside your sub-23-foot (7-m) camping trailer. The Dethleffs C'Go Up does it with a series of bunks, convertible dinettes and lift-away beds.

In 2015, we looked at one of the most awe-inspiring camping trailers we've seen, the expanding Beauer 3X. We saw the 3X in person for the first time at the recent CMT show, also learning that Beauer has built the 3X Plus, a larger six-person trailer with the same style of triple-expanding design.

Building upon the Avanti H it launched two years ago, La Strada adds extra length to create a more spacious garage in the Avanti H Plus. The new van's floor plan strays from ordinary by raising the bed up to the ceiling and filling the back with a dry bathroom.

The market has a few all-electric camper vans, and now Germany's WOF GmbH is taking electric travel bigger with a larger electric motorhome. With an advertised 186 miles (300 km) of range, the Iridium motorhome is more capable of traveling the country than you might expect of such a large EV.

This year's CMT show was exploding with slick, space-optimized camper vans built for travel, leisure and outdoor living. In fact, such vehicles were everywhere. These vans ranged from mini-campers built for couples to full-size camper vans cleverly stacked for five or six people.

Last week's CMT show had an impressive selection of all-terrain campers, including a few giant off-grid expedition machines. If your sense of travel and adventure find you daydreaming about exploring remote corners of the globe, these vehicles are for you.