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Australian Sports Car DNA Is Responsible for the Magic of the Air Camper

By now, everyone's caught on that Australia spits out mean and capable mobile habitats suitable for life in some of the most treacherous environments on the planet. This time around, we'll be exploring the Bolwell Air, an expandable habitat created with military, aeronautical, and sports car R&D.
The Air Camper 21 photos
Photo: Bolwell RV
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Ladies and gentlemen, the machine before us today is simply known as the Air. It's manufactured by Bolwell RV, an Australian crew that's been around since 1962. Wait a minute, where have I heard that name before? Oh yeah! Bolwell Nagari, you know, that Australian sports car that was first produced in the 70s.

Seeing as how only a handful have ever been sold, and the majority to the wealthy (prices start at 197,800 AUD for the current Nagari 300), this crew eventually went into another branch of vehicle fabrication, namely trucks, military vehicles, and even aerospace development and technology. What's even more striking is that their accumulated experience seems to be boxed up into this neat little mobile habitat.

Now, the best way for me to show and explain just what may be in store for your lifestyle is to invite you on a journey of words. I want you to imagine waking up early in the morning and opening your garage door. There, in the driveway, sits the Air, waiting to be connected to your truck. With everything in its place, you look over to your significant other, and off you go.

Air Camper
Photo: Bolwell RV
Behind you, you'll be towing a trailer that's 560 cm (220 in) long and 191 cm (75 in) tall, but as for how much weight, the available info for Air states nothing about this aspect. All we're told is that this sucker can be towed behind your average SUV, and that the shell is completed using an array of composite materials, making it difficult for the elements to eat away at your home.

Once you've arrived at your destination, you'll be able to witness just why I decided to bring this camper to light. You've unhitched the Air and are now ready to begin transforming it into the pyramid-like structure you see in the gallery. It may look complicated, but all you have to do is raise two roof segments and insert the side panels. That's it. Open, the entire contraption is 310.5 cm (122 in) tall.

But, depending on which floorplan you end up buying, the interior of your RV will be arranged differently. One floorplan yields a large double bed and a modular dinette for sleeping, while another offers owners a pair of single beds and the modular dinette. In all, three guests can rest in any of the layouts, and don't worry about storage space; there's plenty. Owners will also have access to a galley for cooking meals and a microwave and freezer drawer no matter which option they choose.

Air Camper Interior
Photo: Bolwell RV
Since off-grid life asks for more than just a place to sleep and a kitchen, the Air is also equipped with features like an 82-liter (21.6 gal) water tank, heated running water, an external shower to clean the dust off before bed, and an entertainment system too. The latter should be rather nice if you plan on throwing a little get-together in the middle of the desert; power is drawn from a deep cycle battery. For solar, you're given a plug-in, but panels will cost you extra.

With all that in mind, can you see yourself waking up to a rising sun on the horizon? I can. You put a pot on the stove to make some coffee and grab your breakfast from the fridge. While your water boils, wake up your partner and throw a couple of chairs and a table outside to enjoy the morning rays like lizards on rocks. Once fed and ready for the day, maybe you grab your e-bikes from Air's bike rack. Oh, you're into kayaking? Sure, you can add a roof rack. You shouldn't try to add a roof-top tent to this trailer for clear reasons.

As far as pricing goes, like most other campers out there, it all depends on your relationship with your local dealer, the model year, and what features may be in place. Nonetheless, prices seem to range anywhere from around 35,000 AUD ($26,013 USD at current exchange rates) to 55,000 AUD ($40,879 USD) and up. The only issue you may encounter is that this crew hasn't  been active on any platforms since 2018, so you may end up finding mostly second-hand units. Still, it helps to know a bit of RV history.

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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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