Marije Onderwaater
EditorMarije has been camping under canvas for as long as she can remember. She travels with her partner and their two sons in a Campooz Fat Freddy trailer tent, and writes about motorhomes and camping gear for Campingtrend.
Forget everything you know about campervan layouts. Rapido proves things can be done completely differently by placing a queen bed in the new V64. And there is more that makes this camper van on a Fiat Ducato special: the dinette bench is actually located on the passenger side.
Campers stepping inside the new Rapido V64 will need a moment to adjust. The French brand completely turns the traditional camper van layout – dinette on the driver’s side, kitchen opposite – on its head. The two-seater bench is located right next to the sliding doors, which is highly unusual for a camper van!
The cab seats are – of course – swivelling, although the seating area does look slightly different than in a classic camper van layout. Choosing this position for the dinette has several advantages. For instance, sitting on the bench gives you much more of an outdoor feel than when the dinette is on the driver’s side. You also get more natural light and can easily chat with the rest of your camping party sitting under the awning.
The table is hidden under the kitchen worktop and folds out in three sections towards the bench.
The kitchen unit is spacious, featuring a large square sink, a two-burner gas hob, and sizeable drawers. The tall fridge stands to its left.
The absolute wow factor of the Rapido V64 is down to the queen bed at the rear. You never see that in a camper van! This queen bed is also fully equipped with handy features. For example, the headboards can be adjusted independently of each other. Practical if one person wants to sit up and read in bed in the evening, while the other prefers to go to sleep. Below the bed, there is space for bags or other luggage.
In the bathroom, which is also located on the passenger side, Rapido opted for the efficient vario solution. The wall with the washbasin can swing over the toilet, transforming the bathroom into a shower cubicle. Done? Then everything swings back, allowing you to use the round washbasin, the mirror, and the toilet.
Opposite the bathroom, a tall wardrobe has been placed with a mirror on the inside of the wardrobe door.
Would you like to see this camper van with its unique layout with your own eyes? You can still do so this weekend in Düsseldorf, where the Rapido V64 is on display at the Caravan Salon.
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