Full review

Here’s a VW camper with a high spec and extensive pedigree, built exclusively by one of the UK’s leading converters for the ES Hartley dealership and to its unique specification. Jöbl conversions based on brand-new base vehicles have European Whole Vehicle Type Approval and the designs are NCC (National Caravan Council) approved, too, on the habitation side.

Using the classic side kitchen layout, the Kampa SE comes with a German-made SCA 194 elevating roof with sprung roof bed as standard, as well as a 2kW Eberspächer diesel-fired heating system with thermostatic control, hot and cold water system and a Dometic gas grill, in addition to the usual two-burner hob.

The standard base vehicle is a short-wheelbase T6 Highline with 101bhp (102PS) Bluemotion Technology 2.0TDI engine and five-speed manual gearbox. The Highline spec includes Front Assist, City Emergency Braking, 5in multimedia touchscreen, front foglamps and cornering lights, cab carpet and 16in alloy wheels. Any of the Volkswagen engine upgrades are available, along with the DSG automatic gearbox, 4Motion all-wheel drive and the full range of VW Highline body colours.

Inside, Jöbl offers three colour variations and all models now come with a 1.20m-wide RIB seat/bed unit (previously a 1.12m seat was used). The kitchen – with a long worktop and extra window behind for more daylight in the vehicle – includes a 49-litre Webasto compressor fridge and downlighters under the worktop.

The water system includes 60-litre fresh and 30-litre waste tanks mounted under the vehicle, as well as a mains 230V-powered water heater. Rear speakers, an 85Ah leisure battery and full blackout curtains are also provided. A microwave can be fitted in place of the standard gas grill alongside the fridge.

An extensive range of options and accessories is available to personalise your Jöbl. Wind-out and free-standing awnings are offered as optional extras, as well as 100W or 150W solar panels, an external shower, towbar, bike rack, sliding door flyscreen and a second table for the swivel passenger seat. Volkswagen’s own swivel seat bases are used as, in the words of John Bishton, Operations Manager at Jöbl Design, “Aftermarket swivels squeak and rattle.”

In the cab you might also want to add options like heated seats, additional soundproofing, and a range of entertainment and multimedia systems from Kenwood or Pioneer.

More style-conscious buyers will be tempted by the Sport Pack (priced at £2,500), which adds 20in alloy wheels (in satin black or silver), 40mm lowered H&R suspension, side bars and a front bumper splitter.

Inside, leather centres are a no-cost option on all seats but you can upgrade to two-tone leather with suede-style centres for an extra £2,750. And, if you want the performance to go with the looks, Jöbl offers a specialist tuning module that can increase engine performance by up to 30%. The top-dog 201bhp (204PS) motor can be upped to 237bhp (with torque increased from 450Nm to 510Nm) for £499.

Another new development is Jöbl’s blind system, developed in conjunction with Vanshades to provide an upgrade to the standard curtains. The blinds (priced at £599) are full blackout and increase thermal insulation, while a wide choice of colours is available for both the blinds and their acrylic surrounds.

In addition to the usual pop-top model, the Kampa SE is also available with a fixed high roof with additional storage cupboards front and rear in place of the upper bed.

If you enjoyed this review, you'll find more campervan and motorhome reports and reviews here. Every issue of What Motorhome magazine includes the latest models reviewed and rated - click here to buy a digital issue.