Campers are cool and all, but they’re almost always too bulky for off-road travel, and they guzzle a lot of gas. But what if you could fit all the bells and whistles of a well-appointed RV into a compact camper van, including a bathroom with a shower? German manufacturer Hymer claims they’ve designed the camper van of the future in “VisionVenture,” a concept built on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis.

Hymer says they got pretty much all their ideas for slick upgrades seen in this concept by keeping a close eye on the #vanlife community and seeing how they modify their own vehicles and what they have wished for. They basically took that wish list and satisfied virtually every item on it.

With four wheel drive for off-road use, the van features selected body parts produced using 3D printing technology for durability and precision along with infrared-reflective paint. A pneumatic pop-top roof offers a comfortable place to sleep, freeing up the cabin for lounging, cooking and storing belongings.

Envisioned as a mobile luxury apartment for the year 2025, the VisionVenture is outfitted with bamboo, gray felt and leather, a rear patio with a BBQ, a generous amount of kitchen space and a transforming bathroom with rolling wall and a vanity sink that rotates to offer a rain shower.

“3D-printing, infrared-reflective paint, roof and rear patio with BBQ and pneumatic pop-top roof: developed in collaboration with BASF, the Mercedes-Benz-based concept vehicle VisionVenture breaks new ground in terms of design, self-sufficiency and lightweight construction. The concept car offers a foretaste of what modern travel could be like in 2025. It combines the pioneering spirit and innovation of Hymer with more than 20 innovative materials from BASF in order to offer a forward-looking response to current and future industry trends.”

“Also new is the ultra-resilient paintwork in striking dark green: the temperature-regulating, energy-efficient Chromacool technology from BASF reduces the surface temperature of the vehicle by 20°C and that of the interior by up to 4°C. It also allows a more individual look, offering an alternative to the classic white.”

Though it’s still just a concept, it’s a particularly exciting one for anyone who loves taking road trips in comfort and style.

California’s Salton Sea was once a sparkling desert oasis, attracting vacationers in mobile homes and RVs. The people have gone but their trailers remain.

Located in Southern California’s Colorado Desert, the Salton Sea was created inadvertently in 1905 when a “perfect storm” of heavy rains and ill-advised construction of irrigation canals allowed the mighty Colorado River to divert into the bone-dry Salton Sink. Though saltier than the Pacific Ocean, the resulting below-sea-level lake sparked a development boom that included resorts, marinas and trailer parks.

By the late 1950s, however, increasing pollution and a series of massive (and massively smelly) fish die-offs took the bloom off the rose – the number of visitors and residents dropped while many of those who left the area left their unwieldy trailers behind. Some of these long-abandoned trailers have achieved an unlikely sort of fame as photographic subjects – as symbols of post-apocalyptic failed consumerism, they can’t be beat! One of the most well-known abandoned Salton Sea motor homes is the very pink (even the kitchen sink is pink!) trailer photo-documented above by Flickr users nate2b and jawbox57.

Gone, Fishin’

There are dozens – possibly several hundred – abandoned trailers scattered around the receding shores of the Salton Sea though very few are as artistically decorated as the rather “fishy” example above. Flickr users Jamie Valenta (Jamie V Photography) snapped the Tilapia Trailer in February of 2011 while Erin Yamagata captured one of many possible inspirations on a salt-encrusted beach in January of 2010.

Skinned Game

You won’t see much graffiti of any type on these abandoned Salton sea trailers but that’s not to say they’ve never been tagged. In recent times, metal scavengers and scrappers have been busily stripping away the siding from countless old trailers including the once-impressive RV above. Meth: it’s a hell of a drug. Kudos to Flickr users Hans Proppe (shadowplay), Brent (brentus69), and Patrick Maloney (analog_chainsaw) for stopping to snap instead of strip.

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Rv There Yet Abandoned Trailers Of The Salton Sea Shore

Named after its creator’s progeny, the Kirivan may be the most impressive mobile home ever made, using cutting-edge technologies to blend the best elements of a luxury motorhome, zombie apocalypse vehicle and high-tech hideout.

Inspired by the birth of his daughter, innovator and inventor Bran Ferren began this incredible multi-year project in anticipation of future travel. The resulting adventure vehicle is designed to drive for up to 2,000 miles without stopping for supplies and features a pop-up penthouse for use as Kira’s personal retreat.

As Wired reports, the vision involved “a mix of high-powered machinery, bomb-shelter self-sufficiency, and luxe-life accoutrements. It would be a mobile, malleable five-star fortress. It could form the centerpiece of his and Kira’s exploration of the world and be her ride into the future.” (infographic diagram below by Bryan Christie Design)

So how does one man find the time, skills and money for such an ambitious undertaking? Ferren is the former head of research and development for Disney’s Imagineering department, for starters, and currently heads Applied Minds, a design and technology company that has done work for everyone from General Motors to the US Air Force. All of this shows in the design, which reflects a hybrid of engineering strategies appropriated from the design of land, air and even space vehicles.

A futuristic marvel with endless technological surprises, this all-terrain vehicle is designed to climb 45-degree slopes, use thermal imaging for road analysis, deploy advance drones to scout out obstacles ahead and so much more. On the flip side of its amazing array of safety features are a range of luxury ones as well, including comfortable seats, a full kitchen and bathroom and other amenities that provide for far more than mere survival. Of course, it is also a work in progress – there no doubt this creative dad will evolve ever more functionality as his child grows older as well.

At Bonn’s Basecamp Young Hostel, travelers enjoy the quirky accommodations of cheerfully decorated vintage RVs, with views of the sea and an unchanging blue sky just beyond their windows. That sky will never go cloudy, nor will it rain, because this particular campground is actually located in a 600-square-meter industrial warehouse.

Each of the 15 RVs has been lovingly restored and transformed into its own individual getaway with a specific theme. For example, there’s a hunting cabin laden with antlers and furs, a seaside camper with a captain’s wheel and oars, and a British parlor ready for afternoon tea.

The campers have names like ‘Drag Queen,’ ‘Rockabilly,’ ‘Space Shuttle’ and ‘Zen.’ Guests at the hostel can choose which eccentric theme best fits their tastes. The interiors may not be luxurious, but they’re certainly fun.

The reclaimed RVs range from teardrop trailers with faux wood panels and authentic Airstreams to VW buses. Also on site are two railway cars from Deutsche Bahn trains, which offer space for small student groups. Rates start at just 54 euros per night.

Custom cars, trucks, motorhomes and recreational vehicles were all the rage during the 1960s and 1970s but certain “carhouses” crossed the line into outrageousness as they criss-crossed the country. Among the most eyebrow-raising of the bunch was a VW Beetle RV conversion known variously as the Bugaroo or the MiniHome.

(images via: RV Travel and Carl’s Well Used Cars & Parts)

Carhouses or carhomes may have looked odd but the mechanics involved aren’t all that complicated. A variety of cars going back to the early 1950s were transformed into carhouses and most were eminently drivable – not to mention, livable. Take the 1958 Edsel Ranger carhouse above… after remaining roadworthy for decades and racking up hundreds of thousands of miles, it was finally auctioned off on eBay. An E for an E, as it were.

(images via: Road Transport and Fred W Truman)

These bizarre love-children of Winnebago-type motorhomes and stock cars look decidedly odd but they’re at their best when the car is large. When the opposite is the case and the car is a Volkswagen Beetle, the results appear cute at first; borderline ridiculous once the surprise has worn off.

(image via: Per Kristian Nygard)

The simple but tough structure of the VW Type 1 “Beetle” owes much to its genesis as the Everyman’s Car of Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. As the images above indicate, the Type 1 can be modified into a pickup truck without much difficulty, notwithstanding its rear engine. Designs for camper versions were and are remarkably doable.

(image via: BANGshift)

Remarkably visible as well, a salient fact that might have helped convince the owner of the Beetle RV above to apply paint with obvious intent. He’s a rarity, though – sometimes things you see are just so strange no amount of paint can disguise that fact.

(image via: VW-Busman)

Minihome DIY kits have been available online for some time now, costing $55 with an estimated $1,500 required to go towards the actual construction costs. The exploded view above from Mechanix Ilustrated magazine lays it all out – you provide the VW Bug, however.

(images via: Stevenson Projects, VW World Series and Akhet)

The original VW RV kits (called the Bugeroo) first offered in the mid-1960s rode the wave of Bug conversions highlighted by dune buggies, woodies, and “Rolls Reichs” – Beetles with faux Rolls Royce grills. Companies like Stevenson Projects still provide Woodie Bug conversion kits.

(image via: MiniHome)

The VW RV was destined to remain a passing fad until Robert Q. Riley happened to pass one on a Los Angeles area freeway. Riley tracked down the manufacturer, who was working out of a small facility in Irvine, CA, and bought the rights to publish the plans.

(image via: MiniHome)

Riley, under the aegis of Robert Q. Riley Enterprises LLC, was thus able to market the conversion without any significant investment in machinery or material. When the popular hobbyist magazine Mechanix Illustrated featured Riley’s plans, the MI MiniHome was born.

(image via: Unique RVs)

The MiniHome is a tour de force of ergonomic design and space-saving ingenuity, if one can get past the stereotypical 70s Harvest Gold & Avocado Green interior color scheme – the decor is up to the buyer, at least. At 125 inches long, 79 inches wide and 73.25 inches high, the camper offers copious living space that includes a full-size bed in the cabover section. Other VW RV amenities include a slide-out butane stove and stainless steel sink (above), a 50-lb icebox and a closet.

(image via: MiniHome)

A pair of swiveling captain’s chairs turn 180 degrees, offering access to a modular lower bed in a hideaway compartment under the floorboards. A VW Bug that sleeps four – imagine that!

(image via: RV Travel)

All well and good, but anyone who’s driven a VW Beetle knows it’s no speed demon, nor does it handle anything like other German makes such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Porsche. Though owners won’t be taking the MiniHome to any gymkhanas anytime soon, one real concern is keeping up with highway traffic.

(images via: Jalopnik and Strange Vehicles)

According to Riley, “Maximum speed is reduced about 10 mph, and fuel economy suffers slightly because of increased air resistance at highway speeds.” In other words, passing 18-wheelers on the Interstate is to be undertaken with extreme care.

(images via: Volksworld, Gypsy Journal and The Samba)

The MiniHome may provoke a smile, maybe even a snicker or two, but it could be the answer many potential RV owners are looking for. The $1,500 cost for construction materials (according to Riley) is definitely cheap and once one sources a VW Bug in decent shape, the total cost should still be under $20,000 – compare that with the sticker price of a new Winnebago or other full-size RVs. Plus, the MiniHome’s diminutive size will impress those who feel driving a standard RV would be like piloting a cruise ship.