Luxury camper vans tempt empty nesters
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CASHED-UP Baby Boomers and “empty nesters” are splashing out for a life of luxury on the road to retirement.
Mercedes-Benz has reintroduced the “pop top” camper van made famous by the Volkswagen Kombi in the 1960s and ’70s and the first examples have arrived in Australia.
The Mercedes Marco Polo camper — which is imported from the factory with an extendable roof and two double beds — costs more than most four-wheel-drives and caravans.
But the $65,000 price tag for the starter pack hasn’t stopped cashed up buyers with almost 100 orders for the “turnkey” ready-to-go camper in only its first month on sale.
Computer software technician Bill McCarthy took delivery of his Marco Polo last week and then took off on his first trip within the first few days, driving from Geelong in Victoria to Noosa in Queensland.
Mr McCarthy, 53, previously owned a Honda CR-V but had rented campers in recent years.
“When I saw the Marco Polo I just had to have it,” he said. “I’d rented campervans of different sizes over the past few years and some are too big; this one is just the right size.”