Let's face it: we've all dreamed of converting a relatively modern van into a tiny home on wheels at one point. However, for one reason or another, most of us will never take this road, even if we think we possess the knowledge for such a conversion. Thus, regardless of how much money their owners have invested in them, such rides will still interest us, up to a point, anyway.
Speaking of the Benjamins, the market is so vast that it includes camper vans that sell for a few thousand dollars to real mobile homes equipped with everything for full 24/7 living in complete luxury that cost more than a nice home in most parts of the Western world. Heck, the priciest are several million dollars; these steal the show wherever they go and drop jaws upon revealing their exquisite interiors. After all, that's where the magic happens.
Most camper vans started life as regular Ford Transits that were usually stripped to the bone, isolated, equipped with additional wiring and piping, and fitted with small kitchens, beds, and usually a shower and a mobile toilet—the bare necessities for spending a few nights away from home or for seeing the world on a budget. These usually get listed for grabs by their owners when they’re done with the van life or ready to step up to a bigger project.
Photo: Hollmann
However, occasionally, real luxury vans end up on the used car market, like the Mercedes V-Class pictured above. We know what you're thinking: it's no camper van, and in essence, it's not. You can think of it as a luxury shuttle van for businessmen, a great place to sign contracts on the go while relaxing on those extremely comfortable seats as your chauffeur drives you to and fro. Ultimately, it will have issues catching its breath after laughing at some of the real (and cheap) camper vans it encounters on the road.
This is certainly one of those cases of business on the outside and party on the inside. The exterior wears black on all body panels, with the occasional chrome touch. The imposing grille decorated by the three-pointed star logo will instantly tell bystanders it's not your average delivery van. It rides on seven double-spoke alloys with Mercedes center caps, has Mercedes-branded brake calipers, and new tires. Heck, the whole ride is new, as it only has the delivery miles under its belt.
Sliding open the side door will reveal the luxurious interior with front and rear-facing seats. There is a custom console on deck with an integrated tablet that can be used to control a whole bunch of stuff. A partition wall separates the rich at the rear from the mortals at the front. It also has a large screen for playing movies, an integrated bar for serving cold drinks on the go, folding trays, window blinds for extra privacy, and custom lighting all around. Even a Rolls-Royce-like starlight headliner is included next to the usual ambient LEDs, and those comfy seats wrapped in orange and mandarin leather upholstery can be adjusted for sleeping. You know, like in a real camper van.
Photo: Hollmann
The next part certainly won't impress you, as it is all about the engine. Our American readers probably think that it has a large displacement gasoline burner under the hood, but it doesn't. Instead, it uses a trusty 2.0-liter turbodiesel unit, which is said to kick out 236 hp (239 ps/176 kW). It's a Euro 6-compliant engine that returns the equivalent of US mpg (8.3 l/100 km) on average and emits 218 g/km of CO2. That's certainly not bad for a seven-seater, especially a luxury one.
So, how much would one need to pay to park this spacious luxury cruiser in their garage? As you can imagine, these rides cost a small fortune, and the pictured Mercedes-Benz V-Class, which is a 300d extra-long, is no exception. At the time of writing, the vendor advertised it for €237,762, including tax. That's a little more than a quarter of a million dollars, a sum that could get you a brand-new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class in our market, a Maybach GLS and cash to spare, or an EQS SUV Maybach if you're into zero-emission luxury driving.
On the other hand, you could buy a real camper van equipped with all the amenities for long road trips, including a small bathroom, a kitchenette, a large bed, multiple storage compartments, and so on. Or you could opt for a real home and keep your current ride for a few more years. You can find the ad for this V-Class here, yet before clicking on the link, let us know what you'd do with a quarter of a million dollars car-wise. I'd probably get a relatively new premium sedan, a fun car to drive on weekends, and an older G-Wagen for when the weather gets rough.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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