Citroën Spacetourer Rip Curl - a concept for active people

Touristic versions of their vans are already available, among others Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. Could Citroën be joining them? Perhaps ... The premiere of the Spacetourer Rip Curl model can be considered a one-off marketing campaign, but we can also think of it as a preliminary study of the camper van market.

Lewis Turner (48) and his daughter Ellie Turner (15) agreed to brand their faces with the latest Citroen campaign related to the promotion of the Spacetourer Rip Curl model. So let's start with the family. From an early age, Ellie had a distinct flair for surfing. And since the father had a flair for travel, he took his daughter around the world to find the best surfing spots with her. The journeys allowed them not only to visit a large part of the world, but also helped the girl in her sports career. Recently, Ellie won first place in the UK surfing championship and is currently ranked second in the European junior standings.

These two were ideal heroes and ambassadors for the promotional campaign organized by Citroën . Lewis and Ellie are not fancy models from commercials, in the film they seem rough and prepared to face the various obstacles that nature sets before them. But because of this, they have a lot of authenticity, which can be attractive to recipients, especially young people who dream of independence and travel.

Off-road van

Let's move on to the car itself, because it is to be the real star of the action that Citroën organizes together with the Rip Curl brand - a manufacturer of equipment for surfers. The Citroën SpaceTourer in the Rip Curl version received a 4x4 drive, prepared by the French company Dangel . As the manufacturer argues, the Citroën Spacetourer Rip Curl Concept "provides users with high driving comfort in off-road conditions, regardless of the circumstances." This is possible thanks to the higher ground clearance compared to the production version and the integrated four-wheel drive. Pössl - a manufacturer of motorhomes with 30 years of experience, took care of the camping facilities.

From the outside, the SpaceTourer is distinguished by its two- or actually three-color body. From the top we have a khaki color, from the bottom - beige, and this zone is crossed by a strip of intense yellow. This multicolour is supposed to refer to the style of buses used by surfers, while the colors themselves indicate attachment to the colors of the earth .

Inside, a maximum of seven people can travel (including the driver), but not everyone will find a place to sleep. Citroën will only provide accommodation for four people . Two of them can use fold-out armchairs, two others can use a mattress under a lifted roof.

The Citroën Rip Curl version is a fully-fledged motorhome, as evidenced by the fact that the kitchenette has a gas stove, sink and practical cabinets . Right next to the couch, there is a sliding, folding table . Interestingly, the kitchen module can be removed and placed outside the vehicle if necessary. You can also access the shower from the outside.

The finish of the cabin harmonizes with the car's styling. The seats are upholstered in khaki leather with ribbed stitching. More equipment can easily fit in the trunk, and passengers also have plenty of lockable storage spaces near the seats, in the sleeping and luggage compartments.

Winter tour of Europe

Unfortunately, this vehicle will not go on sale yet. It was prepared for two purposes. First, it was to be the highlight at the Frankfurt International Motor Show , where it was exhibited as a concept car.

Secondly, the main goal is a marketing campaign, during which from October 2017 to January 2018 (i.e. in the winter season!) The car will visit the most beautiful surfing spots and ski areas in Germany, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Austria. Professional surfers will travel by car, and you will be able to test Rip Curl equipment in each of the places they visit.

Even though this version of Citroën is unlikely to go into production, the appearance of this type of concept vehicle itself shows that "something is up". More and more manufacturers recognize the magic of motorhomes and want to show that they may soon have something interesting to offer in this field as well.

Hopefully, in the case of Citroën, the winter action will not be the last word on this topic, but rather that it will lead to further, perhaps already large-scale ideas on how to satisfy demanding and active customers.