Vehicle presentation:

Today I would like to introduce you to our new VW Camper. Although the vehicle comes from SpaceCamper, the Bulli DNA remains the same. After all, the T6.1 is just the facelift of the T5 facelift, and is therefore a clear successor to the Bulli legends. But there is a reason, or rather several reasons, why we are now moving away from the California to SpaceCamper:

The most important reason is the long wheelbase of 3400 mm. Forty centimeters doesn't sound like much, but we believe it gives us exactly the extra space we were missing in our T5 California, nicknamed Hector.

Basis:

The basis is a modified Caravelle Trendline. However, we try to adopt the equipment of the Caravelle Comfortline as far as possible. - Why Trendline then? - Quite simply, we want our new model to be more inconspicuous, a gray mouse. - That's why mouse gray, or pure gray as Volkswagen calls it, is our preferred color. But this color is only available in the Trendline base line.

Motorization:

Then the 146kW (198 hp) variant, with 7-speed DSG (semi-automatic) - especially on hills, you notice that Hector lacks a little power. As Spector will be carrying considerably more weight, we think this variant is a sensible choice. The plan is to increase the weight to 3.5 tons.

Emission standard:

Euro 6d TEMP-EVAP-ISC - Bluemotion technology - Yes, it's a diesel, despite the diesel scandal. I have my own opinion on this anyway. - Who really believed that ever more power with ever lower consumption was really possible in an environmentally friendly and clean way? Combustion engines remain combustion engines, and that also applies to petrol engines. With the conditions of Euro 6d TEMP, we believe we have found a healthy compromise. Hopefully, the engineers here have really looked at things carefully.

I think self-sufficiency and e-mobility are great, but in my humble opinion, the whole thing is not yet compatible with a motorhome weighing several tons. But we'll come to self-sufficiency further down.

4MOTION:

In other words, 4-wheel drive + differential lock, hill start assistant, hill descent assistant and brake assistant - we don't want to take part in the Wroclaw Rally or other rallies. But off-road is becoming more and more our theme. Because the most beautiful places are usually not on campsites, they are on the beach, by the lake, in the forest, in the mountains, on the cliffs, but there are usually no paved roads.

Now I'll just add a bit of the VW listing:

Technical data:

• Engine - type 2.0 l diesel
• Power 146 kW 199 hp
• Displacement 1968 ccm
• Gearbox DSG 7-speed
• All-wheel drive - 4Motion
• Number of doors 4
• Number of seats 5
• Maximum permissible gross weight 3200 kg without load
• Fuel consumption combined 8.8 l/100km
• Combined carbon dioxide emissions 231 CO2 g/km
• Long wheelbase 3400 mm

VW equipment:

• Sun blinds on the side windows - a little privacy can't hurt
• Interior control for tailgate - we want to look at the beach in the morning
• Two more radio folding keys - who knows what else I'll lose.
• Wiper/washer system for the rear window - who needs it? But you can't deselect it.
• Grab handles for access at the A-pillars - important for hanging towels on in the evening 😉
• Exterior mirrors, electrically adjustable, heated and folding - More important in narrow streets than you might think.
• Climatronic" air conditioning system with 3-zone temperature control, allergen filter, auxiliary heating and air conditioning headliner - Why isn't VW able to offer a variant here that can run on shore power?
• Double parking heater: air parking heater and auxiliary water heater, programmable, with radio remote control - heat is an important issue, especially at night.
• Seat heating for driver and front passenger seats, separately adjustable
• HIFI and navigation: Discover Pro with 9.2″ touch display including "Streaming & Internet", with voice control and 6 loudspeakers + with digital radio reception (DAB+) "Comfort" cell phone interface with inductive charging function - Why does a radio always only run on the starter battery?
• Sliding windows in the front left and right passenger compartment - Why? - We explain below...
• Acoustic insulation glass package with darkened windows and laminated glass windshield, heatable + foiling of the windows - Yes, we want to undress undisturbed at night.
• Closing aid for the sliding door, right and left - We thought about this for a long time. Practical, but still very loud in the T5. But they seem to have learned from this.

Light and sight:

• LED rear lights, red + LED main headlights - yes red, because the Edition package with darkened rear lights is only available for the short wheelbase. (But was retrofitted 😉
• Front fog light and cornering light
• Light and visibility package: Only the rain sensor was important to us here. Coming Home function doesn't make friends when camping.
• LAZER - ST-4 Evo LED auxiliary headlights for the front grille of the VW T6.1

Driver assistance systems:

• Trailer maneuvering assistant with ParkPilot - We are flexible with this.
• Parking assistant, side protection and reversing camera - very, very practical for people like me without 3D vision.
• Cruise control system, lane departure warning system "Lane Assist", lane change assistant "Side Assist"
• Distance control with "Front Assist" area monitoring system with city emergency braking function - what can I say, very, very cool!
• Differential lock for 4MOTION
• Hill start assist; hill descent assist and brake assist

SpaceCamper ClassicOpen:

• Pop-up roof Modified model SCA 192, mounting rails for preparation for sliding roof racks, including panoramic roof option: the fabric bellows of the roof can be opened with a zipper. - Although this function has been copied by VW in the meantime, this is the original. We not only love the extra space in the "attic", but above all the view of the stars from the rear seat.
• Keder strip on driver and passenger side for awnings, sun awnings, etc., rain gutter function, load carrier possible
• Tent for tailgate integrated in tailgate - simply pull out and you're done!
• Outdoor shower in the rear
• Comfort mattress for pop-up roof, with extension for vehicles with long wheelbase; consists of two comfort air mattresses with robust fabric cover; with compressor pump
• Awning Thule Omnistor 4900 for long wheelbase, black, 3.00m x 2.50m

Fahrwerk and tires:

• VB 4c air suspension + off-road version + 30mm including increase in permissible total weight to 3,500kg
• 18″ Delta 4×4 Klassik_B black with off-road tires BF Goodrich tires Allterrain T/A KO2 255/55 R18 109 R

Lighting:

• Two gooseneck lamps in the roof above
• LED lights on the roof frame, on the driver and front passenger seat console, on the tailgate, rear cabinet lighting set, with color change function, with remote control
• Additional 12V sockets in the trunk and on the lower passenger seat

Energy Management:

• External power connector mounted hidden; 15A on-board power supply and intelligent charging function.
• 2x lithium ion batteries RELiON Rb100 D, a lithium ion camping battery. A small power station with 100 Ah. (the "D" stands for the DIN housing commonly used in this country).
• 1500W inverter
• Solar system super flat 2 panels a 200Wp
• Battery monitor with deep discharge protection
• Charge booster 50A for intelligent, gentle and more effective charging
• Battery computer for 2/3 battery: voltage, consumption and state of charge and voltage 1. battery

Other:

• Trailer coupling, detachable
• Original VW carrier max. 4 wheels including stronger gas damper for tailgate and assembly - This is not yet the final solution. A spare wheel holder and a water tank are to be added. Details will follow.
• Heavy-duty luggage compartment pull-out for rear / long wheelbase, loadable up to 120 kg in planning
• 2 mesh pockets on the top of the tailgate, driver and passenger side
• Mesh pocket in flap of rear cupboard
• Side cabinet on bench seat with storage compartment and fold-out table
• Pockets with 3 mesh compartments on the rear locker and on the passenger side D-pillar
• Elastic mesh strap around cool box for storing small items
• Removable crockery bag with fixed divider (for plates, bowls, etc.) inside, mounted behind passenger seat
• Removable bag with flexible divider inside, mounted behind driver's seat
• Five utility points, because there's always something to hang up.
• Attachment points for clothesline in tailgate (4 stainless steel attachment points and 4 mm thick cord)
• Backrest adjustment for bed
• Hammock point - because all too often there is just a tree.
• Cab darkening
• Mosquito net package for tailgate and passenger-side sliding door

• Mattress topper for Classic models (200cm length)
• Folding toilet in sliding door
• Lock extension adapter for ventilation gap on tailgate
• ClassicOpen kitchen accessories: Bright Spark gas stove with 4 gas cartridges
• Additional waste garbage can for the doors in the cab

Underfloor hot water system:

(47 liters, 12 liter underfloor boiler, the 12 liters of hot water in the boiler cannot be used as water volume). Hot water boiler is operated with the waste heat from the motor or with 230V 500W. When connected to 230V (camping site), the water is automatically heated to 85°C. This means that hot water is available even when the vehicle is parked for long periods.

 *We are thinking about external water tanks for additional water reserves. The original idea was provided by Roadshower. - Details to follow!

Oh yes, there was still the question of why we chose SpaceCamper in the end?

Mercedes Marco Polo versus VW California:

Even if it had been easy, we didn't make it easy for ourselves. - As I drove a Mercedes for many years, we first compared the Marco Polo with the VW California. We test drove both vehicles, talked to friends and acquaintances and created a mutual survey in both the California Forum and the Marco Polo Forum. We then shared the arguments of the "opposing teams" with each other. Once it was clear that we weren't trying to make a stink, both sides enjoyed it. With this information, we went to the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, looked for two capable salespeople and went back and forth between the Mercedes and Volkswagen stands. Here, too, we had two experienced representatives of your brand. Both took it sportily, because both knew that they each had a top car in their class. In the end, we actually opted for the California. - The reason was the Volkswagen theme. Regardless of whether it's a T6, T6.1 or T4, T3, T2, T1, it is and remains a Volkswagen with Bulli DNA - it's a family. So everything was actually fine. We made an appointment to sign a contract in the coming week.

Why SpaceCamper?

But then everything turned out differently. Happy and relaxed, we strolled around the Caravan Salon for a while, only to suddenly and unexpectedly find ourselves at the SpaceCamper stand.

It was only here that we realized that it could be even better, even more sophisticated, even more tried and tested, even more coherent. - At first we noticed little things. But then we discovered more and more.

• I love drinking my coffee in the hammock. The SpaceCamper has a hammock point especially for this.
• The rear seat, and therefore the bed, can be folded down in seconds
• The bed is longer, wider and more comfortable than in the California
• SpaceCamper writes: "...the largest trunk, fastest bed conversion and fastest rear seat removal in its class. One person can convert the fully loadable special rear bench into a bed in a second and remove it completely in under a minute without tools. Thanks to its low weight - it is the lightest rear bench seat for camper vans on the market..."
• What's more, you can easily access the storage boxes in the rear from anywhere.
• The manual pop-up roof can be set up more quickly without consuming unnecessary power.
• There is also a "panorama function"
• The SpaceCamper offers a space-saving alternative to the Porta Potti
• With the ClassicOpen model, SpaceCamper not only offers a version where the kitchen block can be swung out and the worktops folded out, thanks to the left-hand sliding door. The result is a large open-air kitchen at an ergonomic height.
• The kitchen block can also be removed. This means you can use it outdoors or in the awning in bad weather.
• Optional features such as hot water shower, panoramic pop-up roof, rear tent, air suspension, underfloor water tank...

It became more and more. We had barely been on the stand for twenty minutes when the sales manager said with a smile:

"You've already bought" - he was right.

Total package:

With SpaceCamper, we simply had the feeling that everything was coherent and the overall package was right. - Most companies have an advertising slogan. Like Clausthaler: Everything a beer needs - or Colgate: He didn't drill at all! or Calgonit: Then it'll work with the neighbors too. I don't know about you, but I don't take most advertising slogans seriously. And then SpaceCamper - We live it.

At first glance, we thought it was just another slogan. But it wasn't just the employees, but above all the references that convinced us that this is more than just a slogan, they live it - they try to make everything possible. - But above all, it was the employees who gave us the feeling and security that we had made a good decision. Was it the right one? - We will continue to report.

(Note from Torgit: Marc has forgotten the most important thing: "We live it" is not just some advertising slogan, but almost all Spacecamper employees drive one themselves and therefore really live in the Spacecamper at least some of the time. And not to forget: Ben, one of the bosses, has been living in his Spacecamper for 10 years now. That's what I call trying and testing. Chapeau!)

Further links:

PS: You can find our SpaceCamper here Expansion, the SpaceCamper Detailed equipment "Last Call", as well as SpaceCamper Insider tips.

Here our TERRANGER Offroad modifications, info about the topics Terranger off-road driving training, Energy management, DIY Water tanks, DIY Rear carrier system, Vehicle Security & Anti-Theft, pit stop at delta4x4, Sand sheets, Vehicle foiling and Ceramic sealing.

To round off the topic Product piracy with offroad tuners.

The topics Packing list, Tips & Tricks, BUTCH & Friends, Home port, the Travel blogs, the subject HAPPINESS MUSCLE as well as About us we have dedicated separate sections. You can contact us here.

And last but not least, here is our link overview "Follow the Sun". So that you know where you can still follow us. 

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