VW Caddy California: leasing from 229 euros a month, ADAC rating 2.1

German manufacturer Morelo has overhauled its ultra-premium motorhome (liner) catalog, dropping flashy decor for light colors and brushed aluminum. The flagship Grand Empire model features a king-size bed, rain shower, heated floor, induction hob, fridge, freezer, microwave, 900 W solar panels and four 800 Ah batteries. The 18-tonne motorhome is based on a Mercedes Actros with a 12.8-litre inline-six producing 530 hp and 2,800 Nm, and its 500-litre diesel tank costs €1,150 to fill. The 26 T version is priced at €800,000 and includes a heated garage for a small car. Morelo builds around 500 liners annually, though after expanding its plant in 2021 it aimed to sell 1,000 per year, including cheaper models at €300,000–€400,000. Main customers are professionals, rental and event companies, and racing teams, including Formula 1 crews. The company generates €165 million in revenue with a profit of just over €100,000.

German company Aurum Globe unveiled the first completed unit of its Aurum R1 travel trailer at the New Housing – Tiny House Festival 2026 in Karlsruhe, Germany. The R1 measures 4.6 meters long, 3 meters high, and 2.5 meters wide on the road; at camp, it expands to 4.8 meters in width, providing 15 square meters of living space. It features a patent-pending fully automatic expandable mechanism controlled via a tablet or smartphone app, which unfolds two large slide-outs and auto-levels the trailer. The unit sleeps two and weighs 2,300 kg, allowing it to be towed with a standard B category driving license. An earlier estimated starting price of €97,000 was mentioned for a version without slides, but no updated price has been released for the R1 with slides.

In Bad Saulgau, an 89-year-old man driving a motorhome scraped a hairdresser's wall and then hit it again with a bicycle rack. Police are investigating whether he was fit to drive.

A test compared the Ecoflow River 2 Pro (768 Wh) and Delta 3 Plus (1024 Wh) portable power stations as an alternative to installing an auxiliary battery, inverter and 12 V sockets in a campervan. The units, with up to 1600 W in Boost mode, cannot fully power a hair dryer or kettle, but are suitable for a fridge, charging gadgets and low-wattage appliances. Prices for models around 1000 Wh start at 500 euros; unlike fixed installations, they are not exempt from VAT when purchased for a motorhome.

At the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf (28 August to 6 September), the modular Cubivan Camping System (CCS) was presented, converting a five-seat Volkswagen ID. Buzz van into a two-person camper. The system consists of a sliding rear module with a kitchen and composting toilet, and a fold-out roof bedroom with a bed measuring approximately 2 x 2 metres. The prototype is also compatible with the Volkswagen Caravelle, Ford Tourneo Custom and Mercedes-Benz Vito. Orders will open in summer 2027, with an estimated price for a complete set of around 22,000 to 25,000 euros, excluding the vehicle.

German manufacturer Dethleffs is increasing the number of layouts in its Summer Edition range from six to eleven for the 2027 season. Family versions include the 530 FMK from €28,799, 540 QMK from €29,999 and 730 FKR from €36,999, while the premium 650 RQT is available from €37,999. A winter package at €3,399 replaces EPS with XPS and upgrades the heater. Experts note that a gross weight of 2–2.5 tonnes requires an appropriate driving licence category and a sufficiently powerful tow vehicle.