What vehicle is my campervan based on?

7th August 2023 | By Oliver Galvin
What vehicle is my campervan based on?

Most campervans, motorhomes, and recreational vehicles are based on a standard widely available van. There are many van models available, which are often rebadged under different marques or model names. Sometimes this depends on the country they are sold in, or on the a variation of the van such as passenger based versions. This post attempts to summarise the most common models, the various names they are sold under, and campervans available which are based on them.

Carnoisseur offer a range of products for these vehicles, popular products include Alloy Wheels, Road Hero Spare Wheel Kits, Koni Suspension, and Disklok Steering Wheel Locks.

List of Vehicle Names

You can hover over the links below to see more information, and click to skip to the relevant section.

Van Models and Derived Campervans

Citroen Berlingo

The Berlingo is also sold as the Peugeot Partner. The first generation was also known as the Ranch. The passenger versions are known as the Citroen Berlingo Multispace and the Peugeot Parter Combi/Tepee.

For the third generation, from 2018 onwards, in addition to the Partner it was also known as the Rifter. It was also sold as the Toyota ProAce City, and the Vauxhall/Opel Combo. From 2022, it was also sold as the Fiat Doblo. The passenger versions are also known as the Vauxhall/Opel Combo Life and the Toyota ProAce City Verso.

Berlingo based campervans include conversions from Nu Venture Motorhomes and Romahome.

Citroen Dispatch

Also sold as the Peugeot Expert. Outside the UK and Ireland, the Dispatch was known as the Citroen Jumpy. Before 2016, it was also known as the Fiat Scudo. From 2013 onwards, it has also been sold as the Toyota ProAce (not to be confused with the ProAce City).

For the third generation, from 2016 onwards, the passenger version was sold as the Citroen SpaceTourer, the Peugeot Traveller, the Toyota ProAce Verso, and the Vauxhall/Opel Zafira Life. From 2022 the passenger version was also sold as the Fiat Ulysse.

From 2019 onwards, Vauxhall/Opel based their Vivaro on the Dispatch, instead of the previous Renault Trafic version. From 2022 onwards Fiat started using the Scudo name again.

Fiat Scudo based campervans are available called the Autocruise Pulse, and the Michelangelo from Westfalia. Also available from Wellhouse Leisure are the Vauxhall Vivaro Elite and the Toyota ProAce Matino.

Fiat Doblo

The passenger version of the Doblo is known as the Panorama. From 2015 it was sold as the Ram ProMaster City. From 2012 to 2018, it was also sold as the Vauxhall/Opel Combo, when it was replaced by a Citroen Berlingo based version. In 2022, the Doblo itself was replaced by a rebadged Berlingo.

Doblo based campervans were available from Danbury.

Fiat Ducato

The first generation, from 1981 to 1993, was sold as a short wheel base version called the Fiat Talento. It was also sold as the Peugeot J5 and Citroen C25.

For the second generation, from 1993 to 2006, the Peugeot name was changed to Boxer/Manager and the Citroen was changed to Relay/Jumper.

The third generation was also sold as the Ram ProMaster. In 2021, the Vauxhall/Opel Movano became based on the Ducato, replacing the previous Renault Master based version.

Ducato/Relay/Boxer based campervans include the Compass Drifter, Bürstner Campeo and Eliseo, Columbus and Amundsen from Westfalia, conversions from Wildax, and other models from Carthago, Adria, and Hymer.

Ford Transit

There are several related models in the Ford Transit range, in addition to the main Transit. The Transit Custom is a slightly smaller version of the Transit, the Transit Connect is a more compact van, and the Transit Courier is the smallest van in the range (based on the Fiesta).

Each of the various vans in the Transit range are available in a passenger version called the Ford Tourneo.

Transit based campervans include the Ford Transit Trail, the Auto-Sleepers Duetto, the Bürstner Lineo, and models from manufacturers including CI, Hobby, and Roller Team.

Transit Custom based campervans include the Ford Nugget from Westfalia, the Swift Monza, the Bürstner Copa, and several from Auto Campers.

Iveco Daily

The Iveco Daily has also been sold as the TurboDaily, the Fiat Daily, the Iveco Turin, and the Maxus H90.

Daily based campervans include several made by Concorde, the Hobby Sphinx range, and the Hymer Liner.

Mercedes Sprinter

The Mercedes Sprinter was sold as the Volkswagen LT from 1996 to 2006, and the Volkswagen Crafter from 2006 to 2017. It has also been sold under the Dodge and Freightliner marques.

Its passenger and minibus versions are known as the Sprinter Mobility, Transfer, Travel, and City.

Sprinter based campervans include the James Cook from Westfalia, and are available from many other manufacturers including the Concorde, Dethleffs, Devon Conversions, Esterel, Frankia, Geist, Hymer, IH, La Strada, Marquis Motorhomes, Rapido, and Rimor.

Mercedes Vito

The Vito is a mid-sized van, and its passenger versions are known as the Viano and V-Class. Electric versions are sold as the eVito and EQV. It is known as the Metris in North America, and as the Valente in Australia.

Vito/Viano based campervans include the Mercedes Marco Polo and the Mercedes Viano Fun.

Renault Kangoo

Nissan sold a version of the Kangoo named the Kubistar from 2003 to 2009, the NV250 from 2019 to 2021, and the Townstar from 2021 onwards.

From 2012, the Kangoo was also sold as the Mercedes Citan. The passenger versions were known as the Citan Traveliner/Tourer, and from 2022 the passenger version was known as the T-Class. The electric models were known as the eCitan and EQT respectively.

Note that in some countries in South America, vans named Renault Kangoo are actually a rebadged Dacia Dokker, which is a different vehicle.

Renault Master

Variations of the Renault Master were known as the Messenger and Mascott. From 1997 to 2021, the Renault Master was also sold as the Vauxhall/Opel Movano.

The second generation, from 1997 to 2010, was sold as the Nissan Interstar. For the third generation, Nissan then changed its name to the NV400, until 2022, when it changed back to Interstar.

Master based campervans include the Adria A-class Vision, Bürstner Delfin and Playa, and conversions from Danbury, Timberland and Devon.

Renault Trafic

The first generation, from 1980 to 2001, was also sold under the Chevrolet marque. It was briefly known as the Vauxhall/Opel Arena.

The second generation, from 2001 to 2015, was also known as the Vauxhall/Opel Vivaro and the Nissan Primastar.

The third generation, from 2014 onwards, has been sold under many names. Vauxhall/Opel continued to use the Trafic as the basis for the Vivaro until 2018. Nissan changed its name to NV300 until 2022, when it changed back to Primastar. It was also sold as the Fiat Talento from 2016 until 2020.

Trafic based campervans include the Renault Trafic SpaceNomad, and the Sussex Campervans Manhattan and Paradise. The Winnebago LeSharo and Itasca Phasar were based on the original Renault Trafic.

Volkswagen Caddy

The first generation, from 1979 to 1995, was based on the original Golf, and was also sold as the Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup in the US.

The second generation, from 1996 to 2004, was based on the Seat Ibiza and was sold as the Seat Inca. It was also known as the Volkswagen Polo Caddy.

From 2021, the Volkswagen Caddy has been sold as the the Ford Tourneo Connect.

Passenger based versions were known as the Caddy Kombi or Caddy Life.

Caddy based campervans include the Volkswagen Caddy Tramper, Caddy Life Camper, and Caddy California.

Volkswagen Crafter

The Crafter is the successor to the Volkswagen LT, and was based on the Mercedes Sprinter until 2017, when it changed to a Volkswagen design. It is also sold as the MAN TGE.

Crafter based campervans include the Volkswagen Grand California, and the Sven Hedin from Westfalia (previously LT based).

Volkswagen Transporter

The Volkswagen Transporter is available in passenger versions known as the Shuttle, Kombi, Caravelle, and Multivan.

Transporter based campervans include the Volkswagen California, the Joker/Atlantic/Kepler/Jules Verne from Westfalia, the DoubleBack, Sussex Campervans Caledonia, and models from many other manufacturers including Auto-Sleepers, Bilbo's Design, Danbury, Devon Conversions, Karmann, Leisuredrive, Middlesex Motorcaravans, Murvi, and Reimo. The Winnebago Rialta was based on the Transporter T4.

VanSlam is a popular suspension system for the Volkswagen Transporter and its derivatives.

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