Mercedes-Benz Camper Van Series Is Now 40 Years Old

Mercedes-Benz is celebrating 40 years of the Marco Polo – a series of camper van-converted vehicles along the lines of Volkswagen’s California and Ford’s Custom Nugget. This segment may not have a massive following in the US, but it is alive and well in other markets like Europe.
 

Marco Polo started in 1984 when the German automaker slapped the moniker on the Bremer Transporter. The camper van conversion package included a roof bed, a kitchenette with a sink, a cooker, a refrigerator, and more. Other features were a Bahama beige paintwork, a beige-brown interior, and a height of 2.97 meters (9.7 feet). As expected, it only gets more functional from here.
 
The second-generation Marco Polo Vito in 1996, the Vito-based camper had movable seats mounted on a rail system, cupboards with practical roller shutters, a storable table, and clear access to the rear thanks to a foot-operated parking brake.
 
This was the iteration when a pop-up roof was introduced, which increased the headroom so passengers could stand in the cabin. However, the height was lowered to under two meters (6.6 feet), allowing the van to fit into more garages.
 
For the third-gen Marco Polo introduced in 2003, the camper model was based on the Viano. The van started to use an electrically operated pop-up roof and a bench seat with electrically folding backrests. It also had air cushions in the seat bolsters, providing better lateral support.
 

In 2015, Merc launched the fourth-gen Marco Polo based on the V-Class MPV, which is sold as the Metris in the US. However, the Metris was discontinued after the 2023 model year due to poor sales.
 
Returning to the V-Class Marco Polo version, the cabin became more modern with atmospheric LED interior lighting with optional ambient lighting, an advanced MBAC (Mercedes-Benz Advanced Control) camper control unit, and the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) multimedia system.
 
The latest iteration was unveiled last year, with improved MBUX and MBAC and new functions such as a smart control for the Airmatic air suspension. It also introduced a Marco Polo Module for the smaller T-Class, expanding the market reach of the camper van model.
 
The company may be entering a new age in the EV era with the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) but its camper series won’t get left behind with an EV architecture called the VAN.EA. Scheduled for a 2026 reveal, the Marco Polo story will continue with new mid-sized and large all-electric RVs in the pipeline.