Full review

Dirty Weekender operates at the more individual end of the ever-expanding VW campervan spectrum. It doesn’t offer a standard model range, instead aiming to give customers exactly what they want in their camper. The vehicle seen here was designed to meet two key criterion – firstly, an extra-wide double bed and, secondly, to be gas-free. Neither feature is unique to this conversion but you won’t find another VW that looks exactly like this one.

The starting point was a long-wheelbase VW T6, which offers 40cm of extra interior length for more storage and more floor space (but still a much more manoeuvrable vehicle for day-to-day use than something like a LWB Ducato). This T6 also has Volkswagen alloy wheels, metallic paint (Mojave Beige), the deeper front spoiler and chromed side bars. Incidentally, to maintain quality (and safety), Dirty Weekender only fits genuine VW spoilers, bike racks, etc, rather than cheaper aftermarket alternatives.

It’s a Reimo dealer, too, so can offer the full range of its components and conversions. The elevating roof here is from that renowned German firm and includes a roof bed. That’s nothing unusual, but the purple glow from the lights alongside the upper berth give a hint that this converter does things differently.

In fact, Johnny (the MD) and partner, Katie, founded the business 11 years ago when they couldn’t find exactly what they wanted on the market. It’s a familiar story but, more unusually, their experience of camping in VWs extends to skiing trips in their own campervan. No surprise to find Webasto diesel heating here then!

The layout is to the usual side kitchen format but looks anything but off-the-peg. The company offers either Reimo or RIB rear seat/bed systems and it’s the latter that allowed the customer’s desired 1.30m-wide bed. It also means that this is a five-seater with three-point belts for its trio of back seat passengers, while upholstery looks luxurious in rich tan leather.

The flooring, too, takes a step upmarket as the Karndean wood-effect used – normally reserved for domestic applications – can be replaced plank-by-plank if damaged. There’s a vast choice of colours, too, and the Corian kitchen worktop fitted here continues the bespoke home-from-home feel.

The galley unit itself might be quite slim but it’s the cooker that’s the real talking point. An induction hob, mated to a lithium battery and an inverter, it’s the gas-less solution to the customer brief we mentioned.

And, as a welcome side effect, the super-slim hob has allowed the fitment of a generous 75-litre fridge underneath. Alongside, the tiny sink hides under a loose Corian cover but it’s the design on the front of the cooler that catches the eye – along with the bespoke zoological theme under the roof bed!

Of course, not everyone will want such an extrovert camper and Dirty Weekender can cater for a wide range of tastes and budgets. A typical conversion to a customer’s own VW (or a T6 supplied by Dirty Weekender itself) costs around £25,000, though the example here was closer to £40k.

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