- Westfalia has been absent from North American market for 20 years, and now it’s coming back
- Originally a VW-based brand, this new effort will be centered around Ram ProMaster vans.
- This new company will be based out of Ontario and is looking to establish a dealer network in 2024 and beyond.
For decades, the sight of a Volkswagen camper van meant two things: free-wheeling adventure for its owner and prayers for a passing lane from anyone stuck behind it. Westfalia camper conversions, or “Westys,” spawned a whole subculture of the van life movement, rolling slow and setting up home whenever the sun began settling low on the horizon. But then Daimler bought out the Westfalia-Werke camper conversion company and put an end to pop-top VWs. It’s been 20 years since Westfalia camper vans were sold in America—but now, they’re coming back.
Clearly, Westfalia’s current owner, the French Groupe Rapido, has been paying attention. North American brand recognition of the Westfalia name is too valuable a prospect to simply ignore, and the new Westfalia-Americas company is planning a return for 2024.
Do not, however, expect any sloth-like Volkswagen campers. Westfalia does still offer camper versions of VW vans across the pond, but as those vans are not sold here, certifying them for U.S. regulations would likely be cost prohibitive. And although Westfalia also makes campers out of the Mercedes Metris van, the Metris is dead in North America for 2024. Instead, the sole candidate for a reborn Westfalia is the Ram ProMaster.
In Europe, there are are four versions of what Westfalia calls its Columbus model (pictured at top), all built on a Fiat platform similar to that of the Ram ProMaster sold here. Westfalia’s pre-production display model is a class B van built from the ProMaster, and can sleep up to six in three fold-away berths—yes, including up top in a pop-up roof section. It’s not as big as other RVs, but offers flexibility and plenty of cargo storage.
According to trade journal RV Business, the conversions will be done by Roadtrek in Ontario, Canada, which already does camper conversions on the ProMaster 3500 chassis. As yet, a dealer network is still in the early planning stages. However, Westfalia is back with its pop-top roof, just like its fondly-remembered peripatetic ancestors. And, just like those slow and steady VW-based machines promised, the return of Westfalia to North America comes with tremendous appeal. When wherever you are happens to be home, why not keep roaming?
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
