dream of owning your own camper van has never been as individual as it is today. In addition

The dream of owning your own camper van has never been as individual as it is today. In addition to numerous factory campers, many manufacturers offer a wide range of basic vehicles that can be converted into motorhomes and motorhomes or equipped directly with a new cabin. And with some you can even save a lot of money by building it yourself.

Citroën Jumper

The Jumper from Citroën is basically nothing more than a rebranded Fiat Ducato - and one of the most popular and most used models for individual campers. The advantage of the jumper: It usually costs a little less than the Italian original, but is just as robust, proven and does not have to make any compromises in terms of service. Like Fiat, Citroën also offers camper assistance. In addition, the French company has a large service network throughout Europe.

The Jumper, which is available as a panel van, station wagon and flatbed truck as well as other chassis, is offered with an efficient turbodiesel in three different power levels, but is not available with all-wheel drive, but only with front-wheel drive. An automatic transmission is also not on offer. However, the most important assistance systems such as cruise control, lane departure warning and brake assist are on board. Recently, Citroën has also offered the all-electric ë-Jumper, which offers the same technology as the combustion models.

Fiat Ducato

The Ducato can confidently be called the king of camper vans – in the 3.5-ton class, more than three-quarters of all vehicles are based on the Fiat. The Italians established a special service for campers very early on and also work closely with the motorhome industry. That's why there are many individual solutions that are tailored to the Ducato base.

For the drive, Fiat consistently relies on turbodiesel in four different power levels - in addition to the manual transmission, a torque converter automatic is also available. A version with natural gas drive is also available. However, the all-wheel drive from the French supplier Dangel, which was available until a few years ago, has now fallen out of the range. The body is offered in four lengths, five wheelbases and three heights, with an exterior length of 5.41 metres or more space for a bathroom on the inside. Thanks to the different chassis of the Ducato – from the special low to the high ladder frame – various bodies are possible. Fiat's service network, which includes 6,500 workshops in 51 countries, is unbeatable.

Ford Transit

The large Transit from Ford is also often used as a basis for camper vans. In addition to the front-wheel drive version, it is also available with rear-wheel and all-wheel drive – the latter is relatively cheap. In addition, Ford offers probably one of the most comfortable chassis of all base vehicles and a host of modern assistance systems: from active lane and parking assistants to speed limiters with traffic sign recognition.

The Transit is available in three lengths and three roof heights, and the chassis is available in five different wheelbases. Ford also provides propulsion with a turbodiesel engine in different power levels, with even particularly efficient mild hybrid variants on offer. In addition, the Transit is available with both a manual and an automatic transmission. For particularly environmentally conscious campers, the all-electric E-Transit is available, which is also available in different lengths and in different power levels.

Ford Transit Custom

The direct competitor of the VW Transporter T6.1 relies on the same efficient diesel engines as its bigger brother Transit, but is not available as a pure electric version, but as a partially electric plug-in hybrid for particularly low consumption. The Transit Custom also rolls to customers with front- or all-wheel drive and as a manual or automatic transmission.

In addition to the dynamic look for a van, the Custom can also score points in the interior with good workmanship and a modern infotainment system. The assistance systems are also state-of-the-art. For the plug-in version, even the so-called geofencing technology is available, which, for example, detects environmental zones and automatically switches to pure electric drive – the campsite can be manually defined as a "green zone". If you don't want to put together the Transit Custom as a camper yourself, you can also fall back on the "Nugget", which is being converted by the camper specialist Westfalia.

Iveco Daily

Wenn es um selbstkreierte Reisemobile über 3,5 Tonnen geht, führt kaum ein Weg am Iveco Daily vorbei. Sein robuster und tragfähiger Leiterrahmen nimmt auch gewichtige Aufbauten mit einem Gesamtgewicht von bis zu 7,5 Tonnen Huckepack. Aber Achtung: Bei diesem Gewicht ist ein entsprechender Führerausweis zwingend nötig, denn der normale PW-Schein gilt nur bis 3,5 Tonnen.

With its powerful turbodiesel engines with up to three liters of displacement, the Daily, combined with the all-wheel drive, which is also available, is also suitable for particularly adventurous campers who like to drive in heavier terrain. The Iveco is also convincing on the comfort side: In addition to the version with manual transmission, an automatic transmission is also available. In addition, the latest assistance systems are available: Active lane keeping, emergency brake assist and adaptive cruise control work together in such a way that the vehicle drives almost alone in stop-and-go traffic. There are only small compromises in the suspension and chassis, where the Daily is rustically designed for load capacity.

MAN TGE / VW Crafter

The TGE from truck specialist MAN shares its platform with the identical Crafter from VW – both vehicles are often used as the basis for motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes. The vans can fall back on one of the most modern designs in this class and are at the forefront, especially when it comes to driver assistance systems: In addition to the standard adaptive cruise control, which in combination with the active lane departure warning system ensures semi-autonomous driving, a trailer assistant – called Trail Assist – is also available for many camper van conversions.

Both vehicles are available with front- and rear-wheel drive as well as all-wheel drive and can be ordered with an optional automatic transmission. Especially in the most powerful power mode, the efficient two-liter turbodiesel provides an extraordinary amount of driving pleasure. If you don't want to set up the motorhome yourself, you can fall back on the Grand California from VW, which is available in two different lengths and with state-of-the-art camping equipment based on the Crafter.

Mercedes Sprinter

Während die letzte Sprinter-Generation noch gemeinsam mit Konkurrent Volkswagen und dem Transporter Crafter entwickelt wurde, ist das seit 2018 erhältliche aktuelle Modell wieder eine Mercedes-Eigenentwicklung. Diese wird als Basis für Reisemobile und Campingbusse immer beliebter. Der Grund: Die verschiedenen Fahrgestell- und Busvarianten sind mit Vorderrad-, Hinterrad- und auch mit Allradantrieb erhältlich. So gibt’s für jeden Auf- und Ausbautypen die optimale Antriebslösung.

Neben den vier Vierzylinder-Turbodieselaggregaten ist als Topmodell auch ein Sechszylinder-TDI erhältlich – alle Motoren können an ein manuelles oder ein Automatikgetriebe gekoppelt werden. Immer wieder gelobt wird das moderne Cockpit des Sprinter, das mit Mercedes’ Betriebssystem MBUX gar über onlinebasierte Sprachbedienung verfügt. Der Sprinter ist auf Wunsch mit Abstands-, Aufmerksamkeits-, Totwinkel- oder Einparkassistenten inklusive 360-Grad-Kamera erhältlich.

Peugeot Expert

Nothing works in the automotive industry without cooperation. For example, the three Stellantis brands Citroën, Peugeot and Opel joined forces in the development of a compact van – and Toyota was also involved in the development. The identical Citroën Spacetourer (passenger transporter) and Jumpy (commercial vehicle, not to be confused with the Jumper), Peugeot Traveller and Expert, Opel Zafira and Vivaro as well as the Toyota Proace are available in different lengths and, thanks to the cooperation, are state-of-the-art. All four manufacturers already have fully equipped campers on offer. But they are also a great basis for tailor-made motorhomes.

There is also a large selection of drives: Two different turbodiesels in five power levels can be combined with front and all-wheel drive as well as manual transmission and automatic transmission. The suspension comfort in particular is repeatedly emphasized positively by the quartet. The vans are also at the forefront of the safety systems: adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and emergency brake assist, a 360-degree reversing camera and even a head-up display can be ordered.

Renault Trafic

The Renault Trafic, which shares its platform with alliance partner Nissan and its Primastar as well as the Fiat Talento, is still an insider tip for camper van conversions. At the same time, its body shape, which tapers upwards, is extremely practical – it allows for plenty of space and a wide roof bed. A not insignificant disadvantage of the Trafic, however, is the fact that the total height of two meters is exceeded with a pop-up roof - this is where most parking garages and garage doors are tight. In the meantime, however, there are not only Trafic camper vans from Kompanja and Karmann Colibri, but Renault itself also has its own camper on offer based on the Trafic, the Spacenomad.

The Renault base can score not only with a modern cockpit including Easylink infotainment system and the latest assistance systems, but also with a wide selection of efficient turbodiesel engines that can be coupled to both a manual transmission and an automated dual-clutch transmission.

VW T6.1

In addition to the already fully equipped and extremely popular campervan with the name suffix California, the transporter of the T6.1 also enjoys great popularity as the basis for the self-converted campervan. No wonder: Volkswagen offers the bestseller in numerous variations – from the simple panel van with a closed body to the all-round glazed versions and the Multivan MPV. There is plenty of space in all models, which is why many conversion specialists rely on the campervan, popularly known as Bulli, whose successor model T7 recently came onto the market. The ID. Buzz electric variant is scheduled to be launched in the fall.

The T6.1 is available in two outer lengths and three heights as well as a flatbed truck and as a chassis, which even has space for motorhome bodies that are rather unusual for this class on the basis. The wide range of engines is complemented by the option of all-wheel drive and an automatic transmission. Of course, the latest assistance systems from the VW Group shelf are also on board the T6.1. And if it can also be a classic car, there are still the previous generations in all price ranges to expand them yourself. Only the original Bulli T1 is likely to be difficult – it is already a high-priced classic.