Indie Auto is a day late in sending out its weekly e-letter because I wanted to sneak in some camping at a national park before the federal government likely shuts down Oct. 1 (Lunney, 2023).
(I have been thinking about using AI to write stories in my absence, but that techno-trick is still in the works. Stay tuned.)
I ventured to the Kalaloch beaches on the western edge of the Olympic National Park to do the nature thing, but there’s always room for checking out cars. One thing that struck me was how the European van has transformed the camping market. I saw quite a few big vans decked out with enough gear to potentially survive the apocalypse.
Camper vans have been around since the 1960s, but what makes the newer ones different is that they are tall and boxy enough to function as viable alternatives to a truck with a camper in back.
That represents a major design change on the part of domestic automakers. For a number of decades U.S. vans were designed to be car-like, replete with “fuselage” side curvature. That may have looked nicer than European vans, with their almost vertical sides, but they were less flexible when it came to increasing the van’s height. And, of course, a box can fit more.
I also saw a surprising number of smaller trailers pulled by passenger cars. I thought that the big truck/SUV craze had vanquished that market, but not here in the Pacific Northwest. This has inspired me to start doing some research on the various choices. I have been partial to variations on the small teardrop trailer (it’s the aerodynamics, man) but saw some interesting other shapes. I generally didn’t get very good pictures, so maybe next time.
Meanwhile, Indie Auto’s e-letter will go out shortly. I feel grateful to have been able to enjoy a few days of sunny weather before the rains returned today.
RE:SOURCES
- Lunny, Kellie; 2023. “Potential Shutdown Threatens National Parks in Peak Fall Season.” Bloomberg Government. Posted Sept. 12.
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