First the Microbus, and now the Westy. Iconic German camper van brand Westfalia, still beloved coast to coast across America for the pop-up Volkswagens it made decades ago, is deep in plans for a grand American return. Its new van won’t be based on a Volkswagen, but it will be a classic pop-top with sleeping space for the family.
2003 is sometimes confused as the year Westfalia left North America, but that was merely the last year Volkswagen sold the Eurovan/Type 2 van series on the continent. Volkswagen had moved its camper production in-house by that time, as DaimlerChrysler owned Westfalia.
DaimlerChrysler’s decade at the helm brought a new Westfalia to America – Europe’s Mercedes Sprinter-based James Cook was sold as the Dodge Sprinter Westfalia with help from another iconic camper brand: Airstream. Airstream imported close to 200 of the vans in 2005 and 2006, but when sales didn’t meet expectations, it canceled the model, leaving Westfalia to quietly exit the US.
Nearly 20 years later, Westfalia has officially returned with the help of Canadian campervan brand Roadtrek. Roadtrek was acquired in 2019 by France’s Rapido Group, which also owns Westfalia. Roadtrek, which owns Westfalia, has focused on the Zion and its other campervans since the acquisition. It’s been working with Rapido to bring Westfalia back to market, where they are still revered as an icon of freedom.
Westfalia
Westfalia North America will host its official relaunch in 2024, and it will be showing potential dealerships its first product this month. Westfalia will reveal its first product exclusively to dealers in Elkhart in Indiana at the RV Dealers Open House later in September.
The initial teaser photo of the van that’s simply being called a „North American Westfalia Van“ is mostly blocked out by a couple of vibes-and-breaks seeking surfers, but it shows what’s clearly a full-size van – no surprise there since small and midsize vans are dead in North America. We can’t say we immediately recognized the van by its nose and forehead, but a closer comparison of those dimples and lines shows this one to be a Ram ProMaster. That makes sense because Westfalia has plenty of experience working with the ProMaster’s Italian-surnamed cousin, the Fiat Ducato. The van in the teaser also flashes a peek at its pop-up roof.
Westfalia
In Europe, Westfalia currently offers the Fiat Ducato-based Columbus camper van with an optional pop-up roof. Columbus features a traditional floorplan, with the rear bed raised above the cargo area. The campers will find the kitchen on the passenger’s side, and the wet toilet on the driver side. In the front, there is a dinette and two-seater rear bench. The driver’s seats are swivel. On some models, the dinette is optionally foldable into a mattress. We suspect Westfalia will simplify its American relaunch by bringing an adapted version of one or more of the existing Columbus vans over.
Westfalia
We won’t see the details as quickly as we’d like, but with Westfalia’s American launch coming next year, it won’t be too long a wait, either. It will manufacture its American campervans in Ontario, and sell them via an exclusive dealer network.
Source: Westfalia North America via RV Business
