Next Bulli competitor? The Opel Vivaro as a camper

The VW Bulli is a classic van – not only as a commercial vehicle, but also as a camper. What the Bulli, which officially bears the name “Bus”, can do, the Opel Vivaro can do as well. Because the Bavarian company Alpincamper now offers the Stellantis brand van as a converted motorhome. There are two variants to choose from: the Alpincamper Vivaro 2 and the Alpincamper Vivaro 4.

In addition to the driver’s seat, the latter has a rotating front passenger seat and two additional seats in the rear. The sleeping bench can be converted into a 1.20 x 1.95 meter bed. A second lying area with the same dimensions is located in the pop-up roof, which can be reached via the front seats. The motorhome for four also has a kitchen block with a one-burner, removable gas stove, a sink with fresh and waste water tanks and a compressor cool box.

The Alpincamper Vivaro 2, on the other hand, is designed for up to two people. He sits on a couch in the rear, which is also a pull-out bed. The only place to sleep in this Vivaro variant is a cold foam mattress ten centimeters thick. And the pop-up roof available on the other version allows a headroom of 1.90 meters in the vehicle as a pop-up roof. In addition, the kitchen block is a little more lavishly equipped: there is a two-burner stove with electric ignition and an integrated sink. An integrated table can be folded out for this purpose.

The converted Vivaro is insulated and lined with felt on the inside. Curtains for the side and rear windows as well as a driver’s cabin blackout and warm white LED lamps should contribute to a pleasant living space. A parking heater should provide the necessary heat for cold days. The motorhome is also equipped with a lithium battery with a EURO 6 charging booster, 220 volt external and internal connection and a charger for the second battery. For additional comfort, the specialist manufacturer offers, for example, cassette awnings, multi-rail for attaching a sun sail, off-road tires or even a solar panel for both Vivaro variants.

Various assistance systems and technology for roads that are difficult to drive on

So that sand, mud and snow can’t stop the Vivaro on its journey, the commercial vehicle, now in its third generation, has the “Opel Bad Roads Package” with an additional ground clearance of 25 millimeters and the “Intelli-Grip” traction system. Air conditioning and a multimedia system with digital radio reception also come as standard. Various assistance systems are also on board, including a brake and hill start assistant, cruise control and speed limiter and a park pilot at the rear.

The drive is provided by a two-liter diesel engine with 145 hp and a torque of 370 Newton meters. There is also the Vivaro, which is basically available in three lengths between 4.60 meters and 5.30 meters, with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Alpincamper Opel Vivaro costs at least 59,000 euros

In terms of price, the normal Vivaro Cargo L2 with the same engine as the camper variants starts at 35,650 euros. Alpincamper demands at least 59,000 euros for the 2-seater version and at least 64,000 euros for the 4-seater version for the converted motorhome. If you bring your own car, you pay between 20,000 and 25,000 euros for the conversion to a camper, whereby the conversion only works with the Cargo van.

The range of vehicles will be expanded in the future. Alpincamper Managing Director Michael Zaiser resigned star to: “We are currently developing the new five-seater.” The prototype is already there, but there are still a few changes to be made. This means that the 4 Series will later become a 5 Series. Zaiser has already announced that this will appear with a new, fully adjustable seat.

The Alpincamper Opel Vivaro should definitely make new competition for the VW Bulli, which is also used as a camping vehicle by surfers, for example. If you would still prefer to use a different motorhome, you have a wide range to choose from. Because the Bavarian specialist manufacturer also offers other panel vans from the Stellantis brands, such as the Citroen models Berlingo, Jumpy, the Opel Combo, the Fiat Scudo and the Peugeot Expert as converted campers. The VW models Caddy Maxi, T5, T6 and the new electric car ID. buzz Alternatively, you can convert your own van into a camper.

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