Campers – homes on the move

While the concept of mobility can be traced back to ancient civilizations, travelling homes for vacations is a far more recent idea, one which depended on the advent of motorised transport. The first designs appeared in the early 1900s, but development largely stalled when the car-towed caravan came along.

It was only after the Second World War that manufacturers once again turned their attention to the motor home, with the Volkswagen Type 2 T1 leading the charge, albeit unwittingly. That's because the Microbus – as the T1 became known – was initially designed as a panel van; it was the German caravan manufacturer Westfalia which saw its potential and realised it by offering a campervan conversion kit.

Today, from the early examples of the 1900s through to the brands which made touring famous, FIVA's Utilitarian Commission is dedicated to the protection, preservation and promotion of the world's campervans.