Hyundai rolled out the Staria Camper Concept at the CMT trade fair in Stuttgart earlier this year, right after showing the electric Staria people carrier at the Brussels Motor Show. Built on the same platform as that fully electric MPV, this one-off study shows how the van could shift into a premium recreational vehicle aimed first at European buyers who want daily practicality mixed with longer trips away from the grid.
Mars, also known as Maria, lives full-time in Betty, a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 170-inch 4×4 she built herself after leaving Crete. She wanted the interior to recall the stone-and-plaster houses of her home island, so she coated the walls and ceiling in Roman clay. The finish stays slightly uneven and tactile on purpose. Black laminate cabinets, wood-look vinyl plank floors, and a painted faux-stone backsplash complete the look. She mixed drywall putty into the plastic panels’ joints so the “stone” would feel built rather than stuck on.
Mercedes has just rolled out an updated Marco Polo camper van, the latest version of its long-running V-Class conversion that blends daily driving with proper overnight stays. Orders open across Europe on August 5, and the changes center on giving people more usable space when the roof is up, simpler setup for camping gear, and tighter control over the living area from the cabin or a phone.
A 2020 Ford Transit Connect long-wheelbase passenger van sits at the center of this story. At roughly 15 feet 10 inches long, just over 6 feet wide, and about 6 feet tall, the vehicle already carries factory windows that pour natural light into the cabin. Small Vans Big World, based in Valparaiso, Indiana, took that everyday hauler and gave it a complete interior transformation aimed at real road use rather than showpiece looks.
Freedom Fit Outs is a Northern New South Wales based converter with a reputation for making extended van travel actually livable, and their latest build on a 2025 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with all wheel drive, a 170 inch wheelbase, and a high roof is one of their most impressive yet. The roof carries a Wedge Tail Adventure rack loaded with four 200 watt solar panels and a Starlink antenna, with a skylight and a Maxxair vent fan keeping fresh air moving through the cabin, and exterior lighting handling after dark duties at camp