Designing concept vehicles can seem like an unnecessary waste of time. But it is bold visions that pave the way for the future. So who knows, whether in a dozen or so years, a camping car will look like a Colim - a child of the imagination of a German designer. There is one basic problem with motorhomes. They are large, so it is difficult to drive them into, for example, narrow and winding streets of tourist cities. If you travel by such a car, you will very often have to leave the car in the parking lot in front of your destination, and start your sightseeing using public transport, taxis, or by taking a long walk. But even if you want to spend your vacation car at a campground, sometimes you will have to go to the city, for example for food or cleaning products.

Colim - a hybrid motorhome

This caravan is for Polish camping enthusiasts what the Polish Fiat 126p has become for Polish drivers. The N-126 is still the most popular caravan in Poland, although nowadays we buy kebabs more often than we spend the nights. Recently, Niewiadów has been going through decidedly lean years. The only caravan manufacturer in Poland was bankrupt for a long time, and finally the company was sold by tender. The new owner - the Boro company from Tomaszów Mazowiecki - bought the plants for PLN 8.3 million. In September 2013, a new limited liability company was established - Zakład Produkcji Sieci "Niewiadów". Whether caravans will matter for the new owner will soon become clear. So far, the Boro company has been producing tow trucks and cargo trailers.

N-126 - the most important caravan in Poland

Knaus - a brand owned today by the Knaus Tabbert group - presents its new products mainly during the fair. The new Knaus session started in 2013, during the fair in Duesseldorf, and ended in January 2014 in Stuttgart . For Knaus , the presentation of the Caravisio concept camper van last fall was a great start. The model created a sensation as it is extremely rare for a company that mainly converts standard vehicles to touring versions to create its own concept vehicle. Thus, Knaus showed that both in terms of vision and technology, it is not inferior to car manufacturers.

Knaus - new products for 2014

There are countries in which caravans have become so adopted that they still serve as homes for many residents. However, the Polish car by Drzymała did not ignite the imagination of our countrymen, and we had to wait a long time for further attempts to combine the possibility of moving with the opportunity for comfortable accommodation. We can start the Polish history of caravanning in 1930 . This does not mean, however, that a caravan was produced in Poland at that time. Oh no! According to the portal Oldtimery.pl, it was the first time that the caravan was shown in Warsaw. The show of Buick pulling a house on wheels was an attraction to diversify the beauty contest, which was organized in Skaryszewski Park.

Polish romance with caravanning

This combination can really surprise you. Can you imagine a hybrid Toyota Prius in a camping version? Now you don't have to strain your imagination! Such a vehicle was shown at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Interestingly, it's not just a prototype. German journalists from "Auto Bild" dubbed this strange motorhome the Quasimodo because of the hump that grew the T oyocie Prius in the rear of the body. Commentators agree - the model called Relax Cabine is not pretty. The designers from Camp-Inn Japan did not even try to hide that the "relaxation" superstructure made of glass fiber reinforced plastic was glued to the car by force.

A motorhome from the manga country

Challenger Sport is the basic, and therefore the cheapest, caravan model sold under the Swift brand within the British Swift Group. Despite this, it is not a vehicle from the group of low-budget trailers. Challenger Sport is more suited to the middle class. A streamlined front, a large front window almost integrated with the panoramic window at the top of the vehicle, and dimensions that do not allow this trailer to be classified as a midget are the hallmarks of the Challenger Sport model. The trailer is available with as many as 10 different interior layouts and in six lengths. The shortest Challenger Sport measures 6.06 meters . The next versions measure 6.88 m, 6.94 m, 7.25 m and 7.48 m. The longest is 7.93 m long and is additionally distinguished by a double axle. The prices of all basic versions range from PLN 16,000 to PLN 20,000. pounds.

Swift Challenger Sport - British middle class

Volkswagen California is not very popular in Poland. Most drivers probably do not even know about the existence of such a car. It's a pity, because it is one of the few vehicles that are offered in a camping version directly by the manufacturer. Volkswagen California is a Multivan with motorhome equipment, although it must be noted right away that in a typical camping car we will find many more amenities. California is rather a compromise solution, dedicated to those who would like to have a van, in which you can spend the night from time to time. A Polish customer can order one of the two equipment variants - Beach and Comfortline - at the Volkswagen dealership network.

California - comfortable or beach

Averso is probably the most important model in the offer for the German brand Buerstner. By definition, it is a trailer that provides good quality at a good price, and therefore one that can meet the expectations of as many customers as possible. And if so, don't expect any fireworks from it. Buerstner offers four models of caravans. The most "economical" model is the Premio, available in Germany from 13,500 euros. But the Averso model should be considered a typical Buerstner standard and we will deal with it today. The higher models represent extended concepts of the Averso model, as evidenced by their names - Averso Top and Averso Plus.

Buerstner Averso - a wealth of variants

More and more manufacturers offer small cars with camping features. A few years ago, this trend was also picked up by Volkswagen, offering recreational vehicles based on the Caddy small delivery model. Caravanning, once stereotypically associated with the cheerful life of a retired Western old man, is now gaining more and more popularity among young people. Volkswagen took advantage of this fact when preparing the Caddy Tramper and Caddy Maxi Tramper models for young customers who love to travel, but cannot afford to buy a full-size motorhome.

Caddy Tramper - a little traveler

For this year's CMT trade fair in Stuttgart, which takes place in January, Hymer has prepared an interesting novelty. It is the ML-T model, the base of which is the Mercedes Sprinter. Hymer ML-T is a semi-integrated vehicle, so in the front it looks like a typical delivery truck, but in the back, instead of a luggage space, it has a camping section. You can choose from versions with a 4-cylinder engine with 129 HP and a 6-cylinder engine with 190 HP. The 7G-Tronic 7-speed automatic transmission is also available on request.

Hymer ML-T - A Mercedes for camping

Volkswagen T5 has recently become a fashionable object of transformation. Although its modest dimensions do not allow it to be made a full-fledged motorhome, the Volkswagen version of California with a retractable high roof fired the imaginations of motorhome manufacturers. Hymer - known mainly for large motorhomes and caravans, under the HymerCar brand it offers small camping vehicles based on vans. Currently, the offer includes three models based on Fiat Ducato and one, the smallest, based on the Volkswagen T5.

HymerCar Cape Town - an option for mobile

The Centurion is the flagship model of the Concorde brand. This huge truck from Germany can successfully compete with the most "fancy" camping buses of American manufacturers. Big maybe more. A huge motorhome means no compromises resulting from a small space, and also allows you to install almost any equipment. Americans dominate the production of camping vehicles in XXL sizes, but I must admit that their work has not always aroused my admiration. Looking at them, I often got the impression that luxury and glamor cannot be combined with class and good taste.

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Colim - a hybrid motorhome