CMC HemBil Dune rising roof campervan

A VW camper that’s as versatile as they come

Words & photos: Peter Vaughan

The CMC HemBil Dune

Concept Multi-Car (CMC for short) has one of the most comprehensive ranges of compact pop-top campervans around, including not just the VWs for which it’s best known but also Ford Transit Customs and Renault Trafics. This Dune conversion (on the T6.1) could just be the most versatile of them all. The example shown here was based on a highly desirable spec of Transporter with the top 204PS TDI engine and DSG automatic gearbox.

First registered in 2017 but with a new conversion, it was priced at £47,500. If you want an all-new Dune, prices start at £56,000 for the Smart Line version, which is built as standard on a 110hp T30 Transporter in Startline trim. 

Although that’s the entry-level van, it’s no longer as basic as you might fear; there’s a 6.5in touchscreen with DAB+ radio and Bluetooth, cab seats with armrests, start/stop, cruise control, crosswind assist, and ESC with Hill Start Assist.

The options

For the plusher Comfort spec conversion you’ll need to find £65,500 but that includes an upgrade to VW’s Highline van. Cab kit levels rise accordingly to include such niceties as adaptive cruise control, cab carpets, fog and cornering lights, front and rear parking sensors, an alarm, colour-coded bumpers, heated windscreen and 16in alloy wheels.

The enhanced conversion also brings with it extra camping features, such as an awning rail, additional lighting and sockets and, perhaps most importantly, diesel-fired Eberspächer heating. And, of course, whatever the spec, this HemBil conversion uses only top-quality components, including a German Reimo roof.

Another important (optional) feature seen here is the second sliding door, so wherever you park, in the UK or abroad, your passengers can always alight safely. 

The seating

The seat system is also from Reimo, using the bonded-in Variotech 3000 unit that slides fore and aft on floor rails. 

And, for even greater versatility, you can also add extra single seats, so the Dune can be up to a seven-seater. Even as standard, this is a true five-seat camper, without all the disadvantages of a double cab seat. 

A rear bench filling the full width of the VW (for a supersized bed, too) is available but this show model (seen at the Norfolk Motorhome & Campervan Show) had the 1.305m-wide (4ft 3.5in) seat (the same as used in the award-winning HemBil Urban), allowing for the addition of a slim storage cabinet along the offside, aft of the sliding door.

The kitchen

Rather than restrict access through those twin sliding doors, the Dune takes advantage of this feature with a small galley unit mounted behind the driver’s seat. Not only can this swing out through the open doorway but it can be lifted off its mounting arm to be used in an awning (with adequate ventilation, of course).

The Dune’s kitchen incorporates all the essentials in one pod: a combination single-burner hob and sink, 10-litre fresh and waste water carriers, a Campingaz 907 cylinder, a cutlery/utensil drawer and even a folding worktop extension.

For food supplies, this example had an 18-litre Waeco portable compressor fridge stored behind the cab seat but another alternative is a nine-litre fridge that sits between the front seats. 

The beds

As ever, the Reimo rear bench offers a comfortable seat height and adjustable head restraints, while also transforming easily into a flat double bed. A roof bed is also available and a sprung/slatted upper berth is offered as an option. Even an electrically operated pop-top can be specified.

The storage

Open the tailgate and you’ll find a generous boot area for storage – always a key part of any well-conceived camper – and the sliding seat enables you to increase this to delivery van-sized proportions. Few rivals can match this level of multi-use versatility.

Where to buy

HemBil campers (the Scandinavian name loosely translates as ‘home car’) are only available direct from Concept Multi-Car, based in Hythe, Kent, although you will see these campers at both NEC motorhome shows (February and October) as well as some other exhibitions.