What Was The First Campervan Ever Made?

The modern history of leisure vehicles began in the 1950s with the first generation of campervan conversions in the United Kingdom made from Bedford vans.

However, four decades before this, one of the most famous luxury car companies of the early 20th century created an unusual, exclusive conversion that inadvertently made history.

Whilst The Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company made a wide variety of automobiles, they were famous for making luxury car models designed for comfort and reliability such as the famous Great Arrow.

However, in 1910, the company produced the Touring Landau, inspired by and designed to look like a landau caravan carriage that would have typically been drawn by four horses.

Based on the 66 Landau model put into production the same year, the Touring Landau has the distinction of being the first motor car to have a toilet, but this was far from the only innovative luxury the Pierce-Arrow machine had.

It had room for seven passengers, with the rear seats able to fold down to form a bed, it also had a rear convertible roof, telephone communication with the chauffeur and even a working fold-down sink that worked using a pressurised water tank.

It even had an automatic fold-down step to allow the rear passengers to simply step down from their vehicle.

The motorhome also had a lot of storage, with up to five suitcases storable in the back, as well as a roof rack and other compartments around.

It is not only the first motorhome but also one of the rarest even in an industry known for one-off conversions and custom models.

It cost over £200,000 and only three were seemingly ever made, one of which belonged to the president of Pierce-Arrow.

Unlike modern campervans, which are designed to be a place you could live for quite some time, the Touring Landau provided only the basics where the car was practically the only habitable place to stay.

However, it did provide a blueprint for what would come next.