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The Caddy California is a bigger vehicle than the Golf hatchback it’s based on
BABY GRAND
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he ‘camping car’ concept has long been popular in Europe, and every big event there attracts large numbers of ordinary-looking vehicles that can also perform as mobile hotels. The Tour de France is a case in point. You’ll witness thousands of European cycling fans camping in these vans by the side of the road, waiting sometimes for days for the race to come along. Usually, camping cars are products of their owners’ ingenuity. The starting point is often a compact car-based van, preferably with one or two sliding side doors and a tailgate, to which homemade beds and kitchen facilities 74 Motorhomes Caravans & Destinations
are added. The results are rudimentary, but provide cheap, short-term accommodation or a handy picnic station at the weekends. Why don’t these folks simply buy a campervan or motorhome instead? A prime reason is cost. If you can’t afford a motorhome in Europe, you probably also can’t afford a permanent place to park it. The camping car can be left out on the street, parked adjacent to an apartment, which is where owners typically live. The camping car is also the main vehicle for most owners, who need it for daily activities such as commuting, shopping trips and school runs. It must
therefore be easy to park, use fuel sparingly, and have family-capable seating and multi-role versatility. In short, these are the most practical motorhomes for those who only want to own one vehicle. They’ll perform like an ordinary station wagon for 300 days a year, and offer an acceptable compromise as touring accommodation on the other 56. The vast majority of camping cars are conversions, the work done either by the owner or a small number of low-volume specialists. There hasn’t been much opportunity to buy one from the factory that made the rest of the vehicle until now. Enter the new Volkswagen Caddy California.
IMAGES: PAUL OWEN
Meet the camping car: an everyday van that doubles as a motorhome when needed. Paul Owen checks out a recent model
