1885 (UK): The Wanderer marks the birth of a new way to travel.

1910 (USA): Pierce-Arrow Touring Landau — the first production motorhome.

1915 (USA): Roland Conklin’s "Gypsy Van” captures America’s imagination.

1950–52 (Germany): VW Type 2 + Westfalia Camping Box define the modern campervan.

1957 (UK): Dormobile introduces the side-hinged pop-top roof.

1967 (USA): Winnebago begins mass production of affordable motorhomes.

1973 (USA): GMC Motorhome pioneers integrated design.

1995 → (Europe/Global): The Sprinter becomes the global camper base, while lithium power and solar panels spark the age of off-grid motorhomes.

Scottish doctor and author Dr. William Gordon Stables envisioned The Wanderer (1885), built by Bristol Wagon Works. Essentially a horse-drawn carriage with a mahogany interior, a convertible sofa, a stove, and even a bookcase, it was a true tiny home on wheels. The Wanderer inspired a Victorian craze for mobile living and laid the cultural foundation for today’s camping and caravanning clubs.

At Madison Square Garden, the Pierce-Arrow Touring Landau debuted — widely recognized as the first production RV, featuring a fold-down bed and onboard water tank.

A wealthy entrepreneurial family, the Bentalls, commissioned the Ford Model T Motor Caravan, crafted by Dunton of Reading. It’s considered the oldest surviving motor caravan, complete with a period-style wooden interior.

Entrepreneur Roland Conklin commissioned the famous Gypsy Van — a 25-foot (7.5 m), 8-ton motorhome with electric lighting, a kitchen, Pullman berths, and a rooftop deck. His family’s 8,000-kilometer (5,000-mile) journey from New York to San Francisco drew huge media attention and inspired future RV enthusiasts.

As car ownership rose, expensive custom motorhomes gave way to more affordable towable caravans. The appeal was obvious: park your trailer, drive off freely. Caravans gained popularity among explorers and Hollywood studios, but World War II nearly brought RV development to a halt until the postwar boom.

Volkswagen introduced the Type 2 Transporter (T1) — rear-engine, roomy, affordable — a perfect base for conversion.

Westfalia, a coachbuilder with roots in horse-drawn wagons, created the Camping Box at the request of a British officer: a fold-out bed/sofa, table, cabinets, and curtains, later followed by the famous pop-top roof.

Dormobile of Folkestone used the Bedford CA as its base, adding a side-hinged pop-top for standing room or extra sleeping space. "Dormobile” soon became a generic term for campervans in everyday English.

The 1960s saw a boom in van conversions — VW, Bedford, and the new Ford Transit (1965). Companies like Devon, Auto-Sleepers, and Holdsworth introduced layouts with convertible dinettes, compact kitchens, pop-tops, and clever storage.

Winnebago launched the first assembly-line motorhomes for under $5,000 (≈ $50,000 today), bringing RV ownership to the middle class.

The VW "Bay Window” Westfalia became a cultural icon — a symbol of freedom, simplicity, and community.

The GMC Motorhome hit the road — an engineering marvel with a sleek integrated body, front-wheel drive, and twin-axle air suspension.

Roadtrek pioneered the fully self-contained Class B motorhome, featuring a bathroom, kitchen, and sleeping area inside a full-size van.

Favored high-roof vans like the Toyota HiAce and BL Sherpa, now featuring hot water, dual-voltage fridges (12 V / 240 V), and compact bathrooms. The oil crisis pushed buyers toward smaller, more efficient campers.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter set a new standard: tall roofs, long wheelbases, efficient diesel engines, and car-like handling — the perfect base for conversion. Soon joined by the Fiat Ducato / RAM ProMaster and new-generation Ford Transit, these platforms reshaped the modern campervan industry.

Social media made the converted van a global symbol of freedom and remote work. Manufacturers responded with factory-built adventure vans — 4×4/AWD drivetrains, solar power, lithium batteries, and induction cooking.

The next frontier is electric: the VW ID. Buzz and Ford E-Transit hint at a cleaner, quieter future for vanlife.

Across every era, campervans have kept the same promise: Go wherever you want, sleep anywhere, and take your home with you.

Technology evolves, materials improve, designs change — but the desire for freedom never fades.