Camper rental Salland and Aart Camper construction introduce the Hooglander
Born from a rich history, the VW Transporter is an evergreen in the camper world. Once drawn on a notepad by Ben Pon, with the VW Beetle in mind, this original bus has lost none of its romance and a taste for adventure. Camperverhuur Salland has a number of VW T6 campers for rent for enthusiasts and curious people, developed by Aart Camperinbouw. And now a new model has been added, the Hooglander bus camper based on a Ducato, Jumper or Boxer. The unique atmosphere that characterises the original Transporter camper has remained, but with seamless carpentry, sophisticated electronics, more space and a modern car as a basis, it used to be good but is now really better.
In the late fifties, Westfalia was the first to come up with the idea of placing a holiday-worthy interior in the first generation VW Transporter. In 1957, Volkswagen started production at the Westfalia factory in Rheda-Wiedenbrück. In Europe, but especially in America, there was soon a lot of demand for this compact camper with kitchen, fold-down bench and hinged doors. Over the years, however, quite a lot has changed. For example, the demand for more luxury, comfort and space has arisen. The Hooglander was developed for this purpose. A space miracle that does not do violence to the real camping feeling that characterises a bus camper.
The Highlander
The latest addition that was designed and manufactured in-house at Aart Camperinbouw is the Hooglander. Visitors to the Camperbeurs in Hardenberg were given a sneak preview last year, this year the newcomer can be admired in all its glory and is fully available within a reasonable period of time. Arne Veluwenkamp of Aart Camperinbouw: “Do you know what I like best? That we actually make a lot of target groups and ages happy with the Hooglander. During the fairs we had incredibly nice conversations with pensioners who are ready for the next improved version of their camper. Or with couples who are buying a camper for the first time to go on a longer travel adventure. And we saw a striking number of families with young children. That target group is also starting to make its presence felt on the camper market. The time when camping was mainly intended for the elderly is really over!”, he sounds convinced.
The statement that the latest model from Aart Camperinbouw combines the best of both worlds is not an empty phrase. Despite all the comfort, space and luxury, it is still a camper with a length of less than 5,5 meters, which means the bus fits in every parking space. And yet you have extra living space. "That makes it the ideal camper for longer trips," says Arne. "Whether as a couple or with a young family, you will have an unforgettable travel and holiday experience in this way."
The uniqueness of the Hooglander can be seen in the sleeping roof. You do not have to fold up the bed base for sufficient standing height, with the bed made for your children, for example, you can continue living in the living area when it is time for the children to go to bed. A roof hatch and the windows that can be opened in the canvas provide sufficient ventilation. The layout is also spacious. For example, there is no wet cell crammed into the Hooglander, but you do have a cassette toilet with a seat above it when the toilet is not in use. You sleep here on a spacious transverse bed. The kitchen is nice and spacious with a refrigerator on the end side. And it is a bus camper, so cooking with the sliding door open is not much different from a real outdoor kitchen. When the meal is prepared, the cabin seats can rotate, creating a dinette for 4 people.
The Hooglander is the sixth built-in camper that the family business has created in the past 25 years. We already knew the successful S(m)allander, the S(m)allander XL, Verkenner, IJssellander and Compass 540M. Incidentally, the Hooglander can be created on the basis of the Peugeot Boxer, Fiat Ducato and Citroën Jumper. Another special feature is that Aart Camperinbouw has called in the help of an interior stylist who has given the Hooglander a vintage look. "You won't find something like this anywhere else", says Arne. And that is absolutely true.
Rental of S(m)allander and Highlander
Camperverhuur Salland is part of TCR, the largest provider of coach, taxi and contract transport in the eastern Netherlands region. The basis for the campers that this rental company offers therefore originates from the activities of TCR. Young used T6 transporters, Ducatos or the other two Stellantis brands, with few kilometers and in an impeccable condition. After such a bus has been in the workshop at Aart Camperinbouw, the S(m)allander or Hooglander is created. Not just any name. The narrow refers to a more compact kitchen unit and cupboard wall, which creates a wider bed. An additional advantage of this is that the bench offers space for three people while driving instead of two in the standard VW California factory camper. In the sleeping position, the Reimo bench uses the flat back so that you do not lie on the profile of a bench. A second double bed in the lifting roof completes the sleeping accommodation for four people. During the journey, there are a total of five approved seats with the wider rear bench.
The S(m)allander is offered in three different versions. Standard fully complete, an XL version on a longer wheelbase and the Adventure that can camp freely for longer with extras such as solar panels, an inverter and a stand heater. The interior of this luxury version is also of a higher class with high-gloss white sheet metal.
Aart Camper installation
The spiritual father of the S(m)allander is Aart Camperinbouw from Heino. A specialist in custom campers who started doing this 30 years ago out of personal interest. The company is an initiative of Aart Veluwenkamp. In the meantime, son Arne has joined the ranks. A winning combination, since Aart is a garage mechanic through and through who takes care of the technology. Son Arne is a furniture maker who puts his heart and soul into a perfect camper interior. With a team of 11 people, perfect work is delivered according to a strict plan in a workshop where the tidiness is the first thing that stands out. The result of this effort is a type approval of the campers produced. So you are not buying a self-built camper but a brand product. An important difference if you ever want to sell a purchased camper. The RDW inspection to get the car on a camper license plate is also a lot easier because of it. Aart Camperinbouw supplies the interior and takes care of the installation. You may or can buy the bus yourself. This makes the price for a fully equipped camper a lot lower because you can choose a car with the head off. In addition to the depreciation, a lower amount of BPM also provides an advantage.
Camper rental Salland has a considerable fleet of S(m)allander and Hooglander campers available for rent to discover how much fun a road trip with these campers can be. The rental prices are reasonable and depend on the season. It is also possible to book a S(m)allander per day in the early or late season. All kinds of extras such as a bus tent or outdoor furniture can be rented.
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