Amazing ... check this out

[doublechevron]

I'm importing one of these when I'm old enough to retire and travel.  More seating area than a 26' aussie 'van with cafe seating!


youtu.be/ZC8__hhtMTw

[atefooterz]

It is a wake up when an industry used to base around an average diesel car to now a hybred... not bigger heavier 4x4 thirsty beasts. Another French expanda thing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFhMm3RpSt8

[doublechevron]

The one I posted isn't a tent/pop up/window up canvas thing. It's a solid 'van with shower and toilet, lounge area and full sized bed ... I bet it's not super light though!

[atefooterz]

So is the featured one starting at 2:20ish after the intro. The pop up ones that happily get towed by a cyclist of average fitness are a different ball game. "Créer et profiter"

The BeauEr 3X, first shown 2011, weighs 1203KG according to this 2012 article...
www.caravancampingsales.com.au/editorial/news/2012/beauer-3x-set-to-expand-29645/

I think any of us here with some cash should set up an Aussie dealership.
Quote Oct2016
Thank you very much for your encouragement. We receive 5 to 10 requests per day from all countries, including the usa among other things. We are going to create our own production unit and I can only confirm that we will remain in France in order to create employment (Western region)

[Mustang]

Foldouts I guess will be the future, now we have the ability to make them smooth & watertight, also storage when not in use.

[bobt]

aaah the modern version of the 'Propert'

[snoops]

Very clever design, and overall I like it, but there are a few issues that I can see that would stop me buying one as it sits right now.

1 - Most sites in caravan parks (if that's your thing) allow for long vans length ways - you would need to unhitch it and spin it 90 degrees to use it in a lot of caravan parks.
2 - Pulling up on the side of the road or at a rest area for a cuppa becomes hard work as it needs to be mostly open to get in the door.
3 - For some reason, the bed looks really cumbersome to get in and out of - I would have thought they could do something better with the room they have.
4 - No room for solar panels. When I free camp, I need around 300 watts to keep my 2 x 100Ah batteries fully charged in the Summer when I'm using a fan all night and running the Engel.
5 - It's French.... Sorry Shane, I'm a Pom through and through and it just rubs me up the wrong way...

7 out of 10 though, and it shows what good design can do over standard thinking.

Also, what price point is it at?  I wouldn't expect it to be cheap, and it doesn't need to be - compared to what's being made and charged over here, I think it would be a very viable option so just wondering.

[bobt]

Good on ya snoops..
The practical aspect of using it

[atefooterz]

Being useable as soon as you pull over for a rest stop or cuppa is way more important than many realise, or if upgrading from a tent upon box trailer or squash top, have never discovered.

[Deleted]

Mar 25, 2017 9:59:15 GMT 10 atefooterz said:

Being useable as soon as you pull over for a rest stop or cuppa is way more important than many realise, or if upgrading from a tent upon box trailer or squash top, have never discovered.

Could not agree more we started with a tent then way before they were popular or even heard of a tent trailer in 1980   then to a junco Finch wind up and slide out ends great for a while , then a 21' Evernew with the lot in '95 which we travelled in full time for 5 years   then we upgraded to the Sunliner motorhome in 2003   the convenience of not having to step outside in wet or cold weather was mind blowing we thought the Evernew was the ducks nuts but the motorhome left that in the shade . The convenience even in the caravan to stop boil the jug and sit inside out of the elements was a big step from the Finch which in itself was a step up from the tent trailer . It is horses for courses but now as we are older the motorhome is the only way SWMBO will travel. A weekend away here and there in the vintage van is ok but she refuses to think about it for actual trips type  travel            
In fact we have reached the point where if we have to go to nearby centres for medical appointments etc we often take the motorhome as it is as economical as the Honda and the person not going to the appointment can wait in comfort watch tv and have a coffee from the onboard facilities or even have a poppy nap 

[snoops]

Mar 25, 2017 9:59:15 GMT 10 atefooterz said:

Being useable as soon as you pull over for a rest stop or cuppa is way more important than many realise, or if upgrading from a tent upon box trailer or squash top, have never discovered.

Yep, we always use our when we pull over - for a cuppa, cold drink, water for the dogs, a quick power nap in a comfy bed or even to use the loo if caught short.  Couldn't imagine towing around something that wasn't instantly usable - that's one of the main reasons of having a van, for the convenience.  Take that away and it becomes less desirable.

Probably ok if you only do short trips but most of ours are many hundreds or even thousands of KM.  The shortest regular trip we do is down the inlaws - only 280KM each way so generally no stops there, but almost everything else we do requires a stop somewhere along the way.

[atefooterz]

In the late 1970s i discovered the joy of "in vehicle rest stops "via my EH waggon, jump over the bench seat onto the matress & get stuck into the thermos coffee! Just like a motor home but no head room... or anything else haha!

[bobt]

via my EH waggon, jump over the bench seat onto the matress & get stuck into the thermos coffee! Just like a motor home but no head room

Try doing that in an MG. I managed to get all that I needed to go camping into the boot of my MG. If only I could have figured out how to get the passenger seat to lie flat I could have slept inside it.

The tent was dryer inside

[Deleted]

Mar 26, 2017 20:19:33 GMT 10 bobt said:

via my EH waggon, jump over the bench seat onto the matress & get stuck into the thermos coffee! Just like a motor home but no head room

Try doing that in an MG. I managed to get all that I needed to go camping into the boot of my MG. If only I could have figured out how to get the passenger seat to lie flat I could have slept inside it.

The tent was dryer inside

Amazing what can be done in a MG Bob I had a MGA and that must have had more room than a B because lots was done in that car , I do agree however they were never very waterproof but that was over ruled by cool 

[bobt]

I need a new roof for the one I have now..

[atefooterz]

I remember a camping trip in an Austin7 convertable, i was kicked out but mate & his girlfriend, he 6`she 5`7", were rather slow & stiff the next morning. we had a supurb sleep under the stars atop of lylows.
Another mate used to sleep(sitting)in his Spridget, using the flush to door height cover & just him in a jacket & wooly aviator hat & scarf poking out of the drivers side... special breed the UK sports car folks!

[doublechevron]

Mar 24, 2017 17:44:37 GMT 10 snoops said:

Very clever design, and overall I like it, but there are a few issues that I can see that would stop me buying one as it sits right now.

1 - Most sites in caravan parks (if that's your thing) allow for long vans length ways - you would need to unhitch it and spin it 90 degrees to use it in a lot of caravan parks.
2 - Pulling up on the side of the road or at a rest area for a cuppa becomes hard work as it needs to be mostly open to get in the door.
3 - For some reason, the bed looks really cumbersome to get in and out of - I would have thought they could do something better with the room they have.
4 - No room for solar panels. When I free camp, I need around 300 watts to keep my 2 x 100Ah batteries fully charged in the Summer when I'm using a fan all night and running the Engel.
5 - It's French.... Sorry Shane, I'm a Pom through and through and it just rubs me up the wrong way...

7 out of 10 though, and it shows what good design can do over standard thinking.

Also, what price point is it at?  I wouldn't expect it to be cheap, and it doesn't need to be - compared to what's being made and charged over here, I think it would be a very viable option so just wondering.

Yes, I'd picked those up when I looked at it ... and lack of storage space, and likely little to no capacity for carrying drinking and grey water.... But you can't have "everything" in a tiny space.  Look at the monstrosities being built in Australia now.  3+ tons, bloody enormous with uncomfortable tiny seating for only two.

THis biggest issue I see with the 'van is you would need to rotate it 90degree onto any site (which would be very easy if you have a powered jockey wheel.  Setting it up on the side of the road is a simple push of a button, far superior to anyone that's used a windup camper trailer

seeya,
Sahne L.

[snoops]

Yep, I completely agree about what is being built here at the moment - you wouldn't catch me dead with one of those. I'd still like to see you open that think up when parked between 2 other caravans at a truck stop, etc.

[doublechevron]

Mar 29, 2017 12:40:20 GMT 10 snoops said:

Yep, I completely agree about what is being built here at the moment - you wouldn't catch me dead with one of those. I'd still like to see you open that think up when parked between 2 other caravans at a truck stop, etc.

That's a really good point... I'm guessing you'd need to pull up at the roadside rest stops where there is acres of open space. A carpark at the local maccas isn't going to cut it

I'd love to try one for a travelling week away (ie; not a week camped in one spot) to see how it works out.

[snoops]

There's a lot to like about it - I think most of the issues I found could be fixed or partly fixed. If there was one I could hire I'd jump at the chance to try it out.

[atefooterz]

With the fast bump in - bump out feature i can imagine this unit making the user want to be gypsie like and more nomadic, than a more time intensive set up and fiddle affair.