Dating back to the 1950s, Dormobile was one of the very first campervan brands. Now it’s back with a brand-new flagship
Words & pictures ❚ Peter Vaughan
The Dormobile name was first coined in 1952 and it was once so well-known that when my parents bought their first campervan in 1979, friends referred to it as a ‘Dormobile’ even though it came from a rival brand. Its factory in Folkestone churned out conversions on numerous base vehicles, but, perhaps most notably, VW Type 2s, Bedfords and, more unusually, Land Rovers. Despite its success in the 60s and 70s, Dormobile’s Tile Kiln Lane plant sadly closed its doors in 1994. And that could have been the end of the story, had it not been for the links with Land Rover, as Dormobile conversions of the pre-2016 Defender have continued since 1997.
Land Rover campers were always going to be a bit niche, but, since moving to a new site (a former Vauxhall dealership) in Lyndhurst in the New Forest, Dormobile has been quietly reinventing itself. In 2020 (the year of the move), it built 40 type approved Ford Transit Custom conversions for rental, following that with 50 Peugeot Boxers.
Now, it has a range of models for retail buyers, based on the VW Transporter and MAN TGE, as well as the aforementioned ’vans. It celebrates the past with three classic 1972 Dormobiles in its showroom, but has up to 20 new and (more recent) used ’vans in stock and looks to a future making 150 to 200 campervans a year. Except that Dormobile doesn’t manufacture the conversions in-house, it develops them and then subcontracts the work to selected partner companies around the UK that meet its standards. The latest addition to its line-up is the company flagship, the Ballintrae (named after a seaside village near the Giant’s Causeway, Portballintrae), based on a MAN.
SUPER MAN
Dormobile had already launched its Ohana on the MAN base, but that model lacks a washroom. The Ballintrae is a more upmarket design, with a fixed double bed and a pop-top, making it a four-berth ’van. With a price tag of £99,000, it also comes fully equipped with features such as a 3m Dometic awning, leather upholstery, a reversing camera and metallic paint. Alloy wheels are standard, too, although the ones fitted here are an upgrade. The only other extra-cost items featured were the automatic gearbox and the LED headlamps.
By choosing the MAN TGE (sister van to the VW Crafter), Dormobile has given the Ballintrae a huge head start. This is the best base vehicle in its class; it has the edge over the Sprinter and shames the ageing Ducato/Boxer.
On the road, the
