More from Van Fest 2008 at Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire. A great opportunity to explore all things VW Camper, meet up with VW Camper enthusiasts and show off your own VW Motorhome.
You can also relive the experience of cool times and cool VW Campers at Plymouth Volkfest 2008
Duration : 0:4:9
Motorhome models now offer a huge range of options from the calssic or new model VW Motorhome camper to huge custom built American RV’s
Emma Smith of the Sunday Times takes you through the choices, and find out what the celebs are buying.
August 13, 2006
Even caravanners once derided them. But now rock stars are climbing aboard
By Emma Smith of The Sunday Times
Across the Atlantic motorhomes have long enjoyed an adventurous rock’n’roll image. Giant RVs or Winnebagos (even the names sound cool) bring to mind heady summer road trips across rugged country and the unrestricted freedom of a wide-open highway.
In Britain the motorhome was traditionally about as glam as Bognor, with all the wild pioneering spirit of Mary Whitehouse. Our motorhomes were cheap, cramped and naff. Something even caravanners could look down on.
But now revamped modern vehicles are attracting a new generation of “cashmere campers” who crave the independence and flexibility of the gypsy lifestyle but with the luxury and style of a five-star designer hotel.
Sales of motorhomes have shot up by more than 50% in the past five years as these thirtysomething campers, disenchanted with package holidays and nostalgic for the traditional family breaks of their childhood, are overturning the image of cheap grin-and-bear-it hole-in-the-ground-toilet camping holidays.
Gone are the 1970s Formica worktops, floral curtains and plywood bunk beds. In their place are soft, sprawling sofas, muted lighting, tasteful, understated decor and king-size beds. There’s no more huddling round a crackly portable telly. Instead you can sit back and watch DVDs on the latest flat-screen television.
Standard Life bank surveyed 2,000 people and found that one in four would consider buying, or already own, a motorhome and only about one in five still regard motorhomes as cramped and uncomfortable.
“Motorhomes are increasingly popular among people in their thirties and early forties who want to experience the outdoor life — but in style,” says Ashley Ramsay, a Standard Life spokesman.
So what gave the motorhome its new mojo? One factor is hippie festivals such as Glastonbury that have become as much a part of “the season” as Ascot and Glyndebourne. Catering wagons at the festival sell Covent Garden soups, organic ostrich burgers and chilled Pimm’s and the discerning audiences aren’t prepared to put up with camping in a sea of mud.
Kate Moss, supermodel and trendsetter, took an Infinity motorhome to Glastonbury in 2004 and, as everything Moss touches turns to cool, it wasn’t long before aspirational young couples were championing the motorhome as their ticket to hassle-free camping.
Other celebrity converts include the actor Will Smith, musicians Lenny Kravitz and Robbie Williams, racing driver Jenson Button, foodies Jamie and Jools Oliver with their souped-up 1960s VW Camper, and Jay Kay, lead singer with Jamiroquai, who has just bought a 3 litre turbodiesel Knaus C-Liner with alloy wheels, futuristic metallic bodywork, ambient lighting and leather armchairs, worth £60,000.
“We have been very lucky,” says John de Mierre of the Motorhome Information Service (MIS), which represents the motorhome industry in Britain. “Celebrity owners have really given us an image boost and shown that motorhomes can be sexy and modern. But it’s also part of a wider trend for independent travel. People want the flexibility to create their own holidays, and with a motorhome you have a place you can call yours, but you can still go to a different place every year.”
The Camping and Caravanning Club, which has more than 400,000 members, says membership has increased by 10% year on year, thanks in part to a growing number of motorhomers.
As ever, the UK is following in the triple-axle tyre tracks of America, where RVs (recreational vehicles — Winnebago is a trademark) have expanded in size even more extravagantly than the waistlines of their middle-aged occupants.
Wealthy Americans are spending huge sums on giant driveable palaces where owners can relax on their reclining leather chairs, sip an ice-cold beer from the fully stocked minibar, watch the latest films on their built-in home cinema system and round off the evening with a dip in the Jacuzzi and a turn on their miniature dance floor.
Some cost as much as £500,000 and stretch to more than 32ft long with slide-out panels to add extra width. The $850,000 (£450,000) Terra Wind can even be driven through water and claims to be “the first amphibious luxury motorhome”.
“Upmarket camping has really taken off in the States,” says Ronnie Anderson of Anderson Mobile Estates, a Florida-based company specialising in very expensive custom-built RVs. “There are even campsites with their own shopping malls. People like the camaraderie of camping. It’s an environment where you can get to know your neighbours, even though you might not want to do that at home, well not in the States . . .”
Will Smith, star of Men in Black and Independence Day, recently bought a 75ft-long 200-ton two-storey RV worth $1.8m from Anderson’s company. It comes with its own dance floor, 65in plasma TVs and an automatic window-frosting effect that can be activated at the touch of a button when the star needs more privacy.
The firm is working on a similar model for Robert De Niro, which will include a dining room for 30 guests, 11 plasma televisions, a roll-down cinema screen and a private study. Other celebrity clients have included the rapper Ice Cube and Ben Stiller, star of Starsky & Hutch. “Nicole Richie borrowed one of our vans the other day and Mariah Carey loves them,” says Anderson. “She likes the cosiness and the comfort.”
European motorhomes remain smaller than their American counterparts, with prices starting from about £8,000 for a refurbished “splittie”, the original split-windscreen VW camper, or from £24,000 for a new coach-built motorhome. In an increasingly lucrative market, British suppliers such as Swift and Autosleeper are fighting to stay ahead of German rivals like Knaus and Hymer. Volkswagen recently launched the California (with prices starting at about £34,000), a modern alternative to the camper which lacks the charms of the original but makes up for it in mod-cons.
There are an estimated 131,000 motorhomes currently in use in the UK and annual sales have increased from about 5,000 five years ago to around 11,000.
“I think European manufacturers have now succeeded in making better-looking, sexier motorhomes, offering more comfort and space, but which are still small enough to cope with anything from narrow Cornish country lanes to winding Pennine mountain roads,” says de Mierre. “They’re no longer the poor relation.”
THE BAD OLD DAYS: THREE OF THE DINOSAURS
By Nicholas Rufford
Bedford Dormobile, 1963
Looks like the result of a confused slug mating with a lettuce instead of eating it. With the speed of a milk float and comfort of a park bench this was once the way all camper vans were made. The good old 1960s? I think not
Volkswagen T25, 1983
If holidaying in a plumber’s van was your idea of fun, you probably owned one of these. A brutally utilitarian top-heavy bruiser that smelt of Formica and camping Gaz. More suitable for a ram raid than a road trip
Talbot Highwayman, circa 1988
Those Daisy Duke hotpants aren’t fooling anyone. This motoring monstrosity had all the sex appeal of a toilet seat. Went out with Billy Ray Cyrus and his mullet. And a chocolate brown interior? What was that all about?
It’s time to start thinking about VW motorhome summer events. This is a reminder from Vanfest, usually held in June in Malvern in the UK.
Photo slideshow at http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/3974049
There is also a good reminder of cool VW Campers at Plymouth Volkfest 2008
Duration : 0:2:5
Hiring a camper van for a vacation is becoming an increasingly popular choice for those seeking new adventures. The lure of the open road and freedom to roam wherever you please is an appealing thought for many. Knowing a little about the history of the camper van can give you that sense of belonging whilst out on the road.
A traditional camper van has a folding roof that pops up to provide room for the sleeping quarters. One of the favorite makes of camper vans has been that of VW. The VW camper van based on the VW Beetle, made its first appearance at the 1949 Geneva Motor Show and the basic design has held the test of time. The vans do around 25 miles to the gallon and offer plenty of internal space.
The VW camper is a firm favorite with the surfing community. It has remained a popular choice for the young at heart for decades and has become a symbol of free spirit for many. Often seen with a new paint job featuring large flowers, these vans have long secured their iconic status and a place in history.
Another of the iconic camper vans were those created by Wally Byam of the Airstream company. Airstream started off in 1936 with a trailer called “the Clipper”. Using aircraft technology to reduce wind resistance and provide optimal strength to weight ratio, the Airstream has become a true American icon.
The first Airstream branded camper van called “the Classic” made its debut in 1979. The company continues to innovate and produce camper vans to this day and has a 10,000 strong international membership of the Wally Byam Caravan Club. Over 1000 rallies are held each year by the club.
Camper vans have evolved into what we call motorhomes. As the name suggests, the objective is to create a “mobile home from home”. Motorhomes come in all shapes and sizes and are generally classed by the distance between the front axle to the rear axle. This measurement is called the “wheelbase length” and is termed as short, medium and long.
Fuel costs are a definite consideration for many when deciding to hire a camper van. This problem has been taken on board by the rental companies and manufacturers. Many camper van hire companies now offer vans with conversions to LPG. This should at least half your fuel costs.
One thing I should mention is that insurance cover for camper van hire can be expensive and you should know up front exactly what you are covered for. Take time to review the policy. Remember to comply with most hiring insurance policies you should carry out the daily maintenance tasks on the camper as specified by your rental agent.
Don’t overstretch your budget on the camper van hire cost. Part of the enjoyment of a camper van is being able to visit and enjoy new places. If you are a couple, a medium wheelbase camper should provide you with a good overall comfort levels and ease of use.
When hiring or even buying a camper van you should try and arrange a test drive first so that you can decide which style best fits your needs. My personal preference is to use medium wheelbase vans as they tend to offer the best compromise between size and comfort. Whatever van you choose it’s sure to be an adventure.
Motorhomes for hire come in all shapes, sizes and prices. The trick is to find a motorhome that meets your requirements and budget. VW Motorhomes are available to hire in many locations but the classic early VW Campers are slow and quite small. Later bay window campers still have charm but do have more mod cons.
However, if you’re planning a trip in the US, you might want to consider something bigger - possibly not even a VW motorhome at all!
There are several styles and sizes of motorhome to choose from, with varying levels of comfort and price. Smaller vans are easier to handle, but larger vans offer more comfort. If it’s your first time, I go for the largest van that you feel happy to drive, within your budget.
A hightop is basically a van conversion with a specially made high fixed roof. These come in various lengths, short, medium and long wheelbase, which is the distance between the front and rear axle. Motohomes with a medium wheelbase are popular hire choices as they are easier to handle than the long wheelbase versions, but still offer a good level of comfort. Some companies also offer motorhomes hire with folding lifting roofs. These are often referred to as camper vans or pop tops.
Coachbuilt motorhomes (C class) are generally much larger than campers and are more like a house on wheels. Most will have all the comforts of home and often a double bed. Many of the designs have a bed area which sits over the top of the drivers cab as well. Beware though, this type of motorhome can be expensive to run and to hire. They are also more of a challenge to drive.
Fuel costs are a key factor when deciding to hire a motorhome. This problem has been taken on board by some rental companies and manufacturers. Many motorhome hire companies now offer vans that have been converted to run on LPG. This should at least half your fuel costs.
For most people, the hire cost is a definite consideration when looking to hire a camper or motorhome. Don’t overstretch your budget on the rental cost. Part of the enjoyment of the motorhome is being able to visit and enjoy new places. If you are a couple, a medium wheelbase motorhome (such as a VW camper if you’d like a classic or the larger T25) will give you good comfort levels, ease of use and at a reasonable price.
Insurance cover for motorhome hire is another cost to factor in. It can be expensive and you should know up front exactly what you are covered for. Take time to read and review the policy. Remember to comply with most insurance policies you should carry out the daily maintenance tasks on the motorhome as specified by your rental agent.
You’ve booked the motorhome hire, now what - and where.
It depends on what type of holiday you are looking for. If you are using the motorhome as a base to visit new places then to get the most out of your hire, it’s always a good idea to plan your route in advance. This means that you will know each day where you are going and don’t waste any time deciding where to go while on your holiday.
Of course for some of you, there will be no set route and hiring a motorhome is all about enjoying the open road and finding a new adventure every day.