Automotive

The fast and the furnished: A tour of modern Volkswagen bus campers

The fast and the furnished: A tour of modern Volkswagen bus campers
The all new SpaceCamper TH5 is powered by a Porsche engine and billed as the world's fastest camper (Photo: SpaceCamper)
The all new SpaceCamper TH5 is powered by a Porsche engine and billed as the world's fastest camper (Photo: SpaceCamper)
View 45 Images
The Volkswagen California Comfortline features an electro-hydraulic pop-up roof
1/45
The Volkswagen California Comfortline features an electro-hydraulic pop-up roof
The Comfortline comes standard with a stove, sink and compressor cooling box
2/45
The Comfortline comes standard with a stove, sink and compressor cooling box
The California Comfortline on display in Dusseldorf uses a 140-hp 2.0-liter TDI engine
3/45
The California Comfortline on display in Dusseldorf uses a 140-hp 2.0-liter TDI engine
A peek inside the California Comfortline
4/45
A peek inside the California Comfortline
The Comfortline's front seats swivel around to serve as part of the living area
5/45
The Comfortline's front seats swivel around to serve as part of the living area
The VW California Beach painted in "Olympia Blue Metallic" has a manual pop-up roof
6/45
The VW California Beach painted in "Olympia Blue Metallic" has a manual pop-up roof
The interior includes front swivel seats with lumbar support
7/45
The interior includes front swivel seats with lumbar support
The California Beach has an indoor/outdoor camping table and two folding chairs integrated into the tailgate.
8/45
The California Beach has an indoor/outdoor camping table and two folding chairs integrated into the tailgate.
A different look from VW's California line of van campers, the Caddy Tramper with Cross Package has a 110-hp 2.0-liter TDI and 4Motion AWD
9/45
A different look from VW's California line of van campers, the Caddy Tramper with Cross Package has a 110-hp 2.0-liter TDI and 4Motion AWD
The Caddy Tramper's "Urban Loader" clamshell roof box
10/45
The Caddy Tramper's "Urban Loader" clamshell roof box
VW offers optional Tramper equipment, including the Camping Package with cool box, table and chairs, tailgate awning and ventilation grille
11/45
VW offers optional Tramper equipment, including the Camping Package with cool box, table and chairs, tailgate awning and ventilation grille
The VW Caddy Tramper gets set up for sleep
12/45
The VW Caddy Tramper gets set up for sleep
The Caddy Tramper starts at just under 21,000 euros, though the show model's extra equipment brings the price well north of that
13/45
The Caddy Tramper starts at just under 21,000 euros, though the show model's extra equipment brings the price well north of that
The California Beach Edition
14/45
The California Beach Edition
A peek inside the California Beach Edition
15/45
A peek inside the California Beach Edition
The Volkswagen California Generation celebrates 25 years of California van campers
16/45
The Volkswagen California Generation celebrates 25 years of California van campers
The special edition California Generation uses a electro-hydraulic pop-up roof
17/45
The special edition California Generation uses a electro-hydraulic pop-up roof
Inside the California Generation
18/45
Inside the California Generation
Inside the California Generation
19/45
Inside the California Generation
SpaceCamper at the 2013 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon
20/45
SpaceCamper at the 2013 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon
SpaceCamper at the 2013 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon
21/45
SpaceCamper at the 2013 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon
SpaceCamper offers Classic, Light and Open versions of its VW camper van
22/45
SpaceCamper offers Classic, Light and Open versions of its VW camper van
The Terracamper Tecraft
23/45
The Terracamper Tecraft
This Terracamper Tecraft is based on a VW Crafter with 4Motion AWD
24/45
This Terracamper Tecraft is based on a VW Crafter with 4Motion AWD
Inside, the Tecraft uses a series of easily removable, adjustable living and storage equipment
25/45
Inside, the Tecraft uses a series of easily removable, adjustable living and storage equipment
Inside the Terracamper Tecraft
26/45
Inside the Terracamper Tecraft
The Terracamper Tecraft prepares to get to work (Photo: Terracamper)
27/45
The Terracamper Tecraft prepares to get to work (Photo: Terracamper)
The Terracamper Tecraft offers a variety of all-road, all-conditions equipment (Photo: Terracamper)
28/45
The Terracamper Tecraft offers a variety of all-road, all-conditions equipment (Photo: Terracamper)
The exhaust tips on the SpaceCamper TH5 (Photo: SpaceCamper)
29/45
The exhaust tips on the SpaceCamper TH5 (Photo: SpaceCamper)
The all new SpaceCamper TH5 is powered by a Porsche engine and billed as the world's fastest camper (Photo: SpaceCamper)
30/45
The all new SpaceCamper TH5 is powered by a Porsche engine and billed as the world's fastest camper (Photo: SpaceCamper)
The SpaceCamper Open (Photo: SpaceCamper)
31/45
The SpaceCamper Open (Photo: SpaceCamper)
The SpaceCamper Open has an extra side door and pull-out kitchen (Photo: SpaceCamper)
32/45
The SpaceCamper Open has an extra side door and pull-out kitchen (Photo: SpaceCamper)
A fold-out table inside serves as a dining room (Photo: SpaceCamper)
33/45
A fold-out table inside serves as a dining room (Photo: SpaceCamper)
The SpaceCamper Open (Photo: SpaceCamper)
34/45
The SpaceCamper Open (Photo: SpaceCamper)
The HymerCar Cape Town VW T5
35/45
The HymerCar Cape Town VW T5
Hymer offers the Cape Town with a number of different seating plans
36/45
Hymer offers the Cape Town with a number of different seating plans
The Cape Town's water system includes a shower
37/45
The Cape Town's water system includes a shower
The HymerCar Cape Town has a pop-up roof tent
38/45
The HymerCar Cape Town has a pop-up roof tent
The SpaceCamper has a tailgate shower
39/45
The SpaceCamper has a tailgate shower
A look inside the HymerCar Cape Town (Photo: Hymer)
40/45
A look inside the HymerCar Cape Town (Photo: Hymer)
The Cape Town prepares for a restful night (Photo: Hymer)
41/45
The Cape Town prepares for a restful night (Photo: Hymer)
Hymer's interior layout was designed to save space for extra equipment, such as ski gear (Photo: Hymer)
42/45
Hymer's interior layout was designed to save space for extra equipment, such as ski gear (Photo: Hymer)
A curtain on the tailgate gives the Cape Town a private shower (Photo: Hymer)
43/45
A curtain on the tailgate gives the Cape Town a private shower (Photo: Hymer)
Inside, the Cape Town offers up to five seats (Photo: Hymer)
44/45
Inside, the Cape Town offers up to five seats (Photo: Hymer)
The VW Kombi Last Edition (Photo: VW)
45/45
The VW Kombi Last Edition (Photo: VW)
View gallery - 45 images

With the original Volkswagen T2 Microbus set for extinction, the days of VW bread loaf camper conversions appear numbered unless something like the Bulli concept comes to fruition. As Gizmag learned at the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon, however, the VW bus camper is not only alive in the 21st century, it's thriving.

The original Volkswagen T2 Microbus disappeared from more prominent markets decades ago, after its German production run ended in 1979. But it has continued production in Brazil to this very day, making it the longest produced vehicle model in history, according to VW. While other markets have moved through multiple generations of Transporter vans, up to the current T5, Brazil has pumped out the beloved Kombi continuously since September 1957.

The VW Kombi Last Edition (Photo: VW)
The VW Kombi Last Edition (Photo: VW)

Last year, news reports of a 2013 T2 demise began surfacing, indicating that Brazilian safety legislation requiring airbags and anti-lock brakes would officially make the antiquated mini-bus a thing of the past. Volkswagen revealed last month that the iconic bus will be phased out with a 600-model Last Edition version. Those 600 buyers will get their chance to buy into the VW T2 bus dream, but after that, daydreams of concert-to-concert road tripping in brand-new conversion campers will officially be outdated.

Or so the "half empty" crowd would have you believe. While later generations of Volkswagen vans don't have the distinctive styling or iconic status of the T2, they still make sound platforms for small, maneuverable, mobile-living caravans. In fact, the VW badge appeared again and again throughout the halls of the 2013 Caravan Salon in Dusseldorf, popping-up on everything from basic, factory-produced models to a juiced up camper billed as the fastest in the world.

Der SpaceCamper TH5, World's Fastest Camper

Gizmag covered German VW caravan outfitter SpaceCamper in depth a few years ago, and the company has added a few new innovations to its line of multi-use camper vans since then. At this year's show, it premiered what it calls the world's fastest camper, the SpaceCamper TH5 (pictured at the top of the article). Built with the help of TH Automobile, a German outfit that adds Porsche engines to Volkswagen vans, the TH5 caravan is powered by a 542-hp version of a 911 V6 engine. TH also donated other Porsche drive components, including the transmission, to give drivers confidence at up to 174 mph (280 km/h). SpaceCamper lists the starting price of the TH5 at an unsurprisingly hefty €250,000 (US$338,000).

The SpaceCamper Open (Photo: SpaceCamper)
The SpaceCamper Open (Photo: SpaceCamper)

The SpaceCamper TH5 is built on the VW T5-based SpaceCamper Open, which the company revealed at last year's Dusseldorf Salon. That model's name is derived from the dual side doors that help to make it airy and flexible. The kitchen unit pulls out of one of the side doors, getting you cooking outdoors mere minutes after you pull into the campsite.

Volkswagen California and Caddy Campers

The Volkswagen California Generation celebrates 25 years of California van campers
The Volkswagen California Generation celebrates 25 years of California van campers

The "people's car" manufacturer had plenty of its own campers on display, showcasing a series of California vans, as well as the smaller Caddy Tramper. Volkswagen does a lot with a small amount of space, packing amenities like stoves, sinks, fresh water tanks, and compressor cool boxes into its vans. While Volkswagen's camper vans didn't appear anywhere near as rugged as some of the fully equipped off-road rovers of the show, the manufacturer does offer 4Motion all-wheel drive and underbody protection packages.

The most notable of the California campers on display was the California Generation, which made its debut at the show. Designed to celebrate 25 years of the California – and some 100,000 models produced – the special edition Generation packs a long list of features, including an extended deluxe sleeping surface, dark tinted windows with reinforced sound insulation, a four-bicycle tailgate holder, a WLAN router in the glove compartment, and a ParkPilot obstacle monitoring system. As equipped at the show, the 180-hp, "Black Berry Metallic" Generation lists at €76,863.29, but less ambitious buyers can get started at €58,310.

The Caddy Tramper starts at just under 21,000 euros, though the show model's extra equipment brings the price well north of that
The Caddy Tramper starts at just under 21,000 euros, though the show model's extra equipment brings the price well north of that

It may have been its banana-yellow color, compact size, 4Motion all-wheel drive, cool pop-up roof box, or more likely a combination of all four, but we liked the 110-hp Caddy Tramper over all other official VW campers. The small, wagon-like van was displayed with camping amenities like a cool box, table and chairs, tailgate awning and ventilation grille. The show model lists at €37,762, and the base model Tramper starts at just under €21,000.

Terracamper Tecraft

The Terracamper Tecraft
The Terracamper Tecraft

Terracamper had several rugged off-road SUVs on display in addition to the Terock that we looked at last week. While the Tecraft, based on the large VW Crafter van, doesn't look quite as armed and dangerous as the Terock, due to the lack of a snorkel, it still brings plenty of hardware to the dirt, including 4Motion AWD, up to three differential locks and a 120-mm lift kit. Like the Terock, it can also be outfitted with a winch, snorkel and other off-road-specific accessories.

As with Terracamper's other models, a rail system inside allows the driver to quickly set the van up with furniture and equipment for camping, rearrange the layout, and strip it to an empty cabin for cargo hauling. The single rear seat is also removable. The van includes an 80-liter fresh water tank, inside/outside water system, portable toilet and two-burner stove.

HymerCar Cape Town

The HymerCar Cape Town VW T5
The HymerCar Cape Town VW T5

One of the most visually interesting VW van campers on display in Dusseldorf, the Cape Town from German manufacturer Hymer, adds some wood-style trim to the sides of a 2.0-liter VW T5, putting a contemporary spin on classic styling. The Cape Town includes a generous pop-top roof with folding double bed, insulated flooring and a 3-kW diesel auxiliary heater for winter use, a 35-liter fresh water tank with sink and shower, and a full kitchen with 49-liter compressor refrigerator and dual-burner stove. Hymer says that it carefully structured the layout of equipment to ensure spare space for recreational gear like skis and boards. The Cape Town comes in several interior layouts with seating for up to five, and prices start at €55,900.

You can tour these VW campers more closely in our photo gallery. Since it's pretty difficult to photograph every angle of a camper on a crowded show floor, we've added some manufacturer photos to give you a better feel for each model.

View gallery - 45 images
3 comments
3 comments
Benjamin Greene
"World's fastest camper" I tend to expect driving a 174 mph would be a bit tricky in even the most well equipped van… I have been in a GMC conversion van sporting an Opal 410 and full race suspension at around 115MPH and the ride was actually pretty nice. A real challenge is slowing something like that down once it's going that fast regardless of the size of brakes; a strong smell of barbecue asbestos accompanied deceleration; the owner had to replace brake pads and rotors quite frequently. If I remember correctly he had to set the rear wheels out slightly to accommodate larger rotors. The guy who owned it was a real character now probably passed who went by the nickname of Grizz. He was an ACSE master mechanic and built it himself. His favorite activity at the time was laying very long patches in the quieter areas of Pepperell, MA. It also include a very thick front bumper made from I channel steel directly connected to the frame. He once told me about an adventure during which he pushed someone in a pickup truck right off the road in the course of a road rage "dispute".
Henry Van Campa
The problem with fast campervans, at least here in New Zealand, is that driving on winding roads fast, the stuff at the back can shift and unsecured portable toilet spill the beans literally! I do have a fast enough campervan, MB Sprinter which can keep up with the traffic. But on the other hand I prefer cruising slowly and enjoy the views. As my nickname suggests, I live in my van and I am already at home where ever I travel in NZ. This camper in this article might be justified for somebody living in Germany with those fast autobahns?
Facebook User
Porsche 911 never had a V6.