Those were the days when campers built on genuine commercial vehicles! I can still remember how happy I was as a young volunteer in the caravanning business when I was allowed to drive a mobile on a VW T3.
The Crafter (with which the MAN is practically identical in construction) was still called the LT and was a comparatively hard-nosed noisemaker. That was in the late 1980s, so not that long ago.
A chance for the VW Crafter, its MAN brother TGE and the Mercedes Sprinter to show their merits. A comparison between the Hymer Free S 600 and Westfalia Sven Hedin shows how good they are.
Hymer Free S 600: short and sweet
You have to snuggle up a bit on the Hymer’s bench seat so that it fits for two.
Homer Free is the cool camper series from Bad Waldsee: compact, innovative and not nearly as solid as the larger Hymer motorhome models. And the S 600 is, so to speak, the crowning glory of the entire series.
Our test car looks very elegant in black and is equipped with a high roof plus a pop-up roof. A really clever solution that offers a reasonable standing height even in its normal state and also has two sleeping places on the upper floor. However, that alone adds up to 4490 euros, and the overall height of the vehicle also increases to an impressive 2.87 meters.
motorization
Engine/Type/Cylinder/Mounting position
displacement
kW (hp) at rpm
Nm at rpm
top speed
transmission
drive
Brakes front/rear
test car tires
tire type
Tank capacity/fuel type
Trailer load braked/unbraked
Length Width Height
wheelbase
Basic price (with basic engine)
test car price
8-speed automatic converter
75 l/diesel + 18 l AdBlue
9-speed automatic converter
65 l/diesel + 22 l AdBlue
This is the Hymer Free
A luxury camper for customers who also expect something extraordinary in the panel van segment. And the Free S 600 offers a lot of that. It starts with the basic vehicle.
It has to be a Mercedes, of course! The most modern van you can currently buy. With assistance systems so numerous and modern, as it is otherwise only known from luxury class sedans: adaptive cruise control (1290 euros) or blind spot assistant (590 euros), for example.
Lights suspended in rails provide sufficient brightness even for nighttime reading.
In addition, multifunction leather steering wheel (250 euros), large screen with the great multimedia system MBUX (2590 euros), reversing camera (500 euros), seats with good lateral support, adjustable leg rests and armrests. Just great!
The large control panel is located in the headliner between the driver and front passenger, where it is easy to reach and easy to see. The passage to the rear is very airy thanks to the high roof. However, the uneven ground can become a tripping hazard if you are not careful. So be careful here!
The S 600 has that
A well thought-out and very routine expansion. The layout is classic with a two-seater bench, table, narrow kitchen block, bathroom and transverse bed in the rear.
Exterior material wall/roof/floor
Insulating material wall/roof/floor
Wall thickness wall/roof/floor
window
roof hoods
stove
fridge/freezer
model toilet
Seats/with three-point belts
heating
Sockets 12V/230V/USB
to shine
body battery
fresh water tank
waste water tank
gas supply
Eberspächer Hydronic 4.8 kW + heat exchanger for boiler
Sheet steel/GRP/sheet steel
Compared to the very automotive appearance of the Sven Hedin, the Hymer looks more like a mobile home: in addition to the comfortable front seats, fabric-covered walls, a fully-fledged kitchen block, even with a worktop extension, wall unit and a separately installed, classic fridge ensure cosiness.
There is also a practical washroom, a small wardrobe and a mirror on the bathroom wall.
This is how the Homer Free drives
Like in another dimension – lonely top! Totally comfortable and safe. There are also no complaints in the slalom or evasive test. The ESP always intervenes quickly and safely.
If the bed is raised, the loading space can also be used for bulky goods.
Westfalia Sven Hedin: Clear and demanding
Sven Hedin, that’s a real classic in the motorhome industry. It is named after the Swedish geographer and explorer Sven Anders Hedin (1865-1952), who undertook daring expeditions to the mountains and deserts of Central Asia.
Originally based on the VW LT, the current edition of the spacious panel van from East Westphalia is based on the VW Crafter twin, the MAN TGE.
This is Sven Hedin
A first-class campervan with a great history. Even the greeting in the cockpit display with “Welcome” lettering and a lion symbol is a show.
The interior of the Sven Hedin is also optionally protected from mosquitoes by an air-permeable sliding door.
Otherwise, the relationship to the VW is obvious: dashboard, cockpit, seats – everything as you know it from the Crafter. There are also many great details from the camping specialist Westfalia, which also equips models from Mercedes or Ford: super-solid furniture construction and well thought-out equipment with many practical helpers.
The bed extension solution, for example, is downright ingenious. Unlike the Hymer with its bulges at the back, the Sven Hedin is narrow there when driving. The extension can only be extended at the touch of a button when the transverse bed is needed. That brings the last necessary centimeters.
The Westfalia has that
A classic panel van conversion, but in the solid version. The ergonomically well-contoured two-seater bench seat can be moved forward a few centimeters for a more comfortable seating position; then the seat backs are no longer so steep.
They have always had steep prices – today but the premium vans offer comfort on par with that of a passenger car.
The solid table with extension is enough for four people. While driving, he can take a designated place in the rear under the bed. The long and narrow kitchen unit with a two-burner stove offers significantly more worktop space than that in the Hymer. There are three drawers on the front side, the upper one with a cutlery tray. The bottom two belong to the compressor refrigerator.
There is also storage space on the front in three drawers and a cupboard. The gas shut-off valve is also located there. There is no wall unit, only three open compartments in the wall. Very pleasant: the diesel-powered hot water heating system with four convectors as standard, which can be supplemented with underfloor heating.
That’s how the Hedin drives
Top notch – albeit a clear trace tighter than the Sprinter. As a result, the TGE feels much more grippy and active in the slalom and in the evasive test.
