Drop $50K on an HQ12 Australian Glamping Machine Enhanced for Off-Road Survival

Folks, Australia is a land known for being home to some of the most inhospitable weather and terrain on this planet. Naturally, it makes sense that a manufacturer of mobile habitats from this country is bound to have something to show the world. In the case of Black Series, they sure do.

Black Series is a crew that traces its experience back to 1995 when they started working with all-glass fibers and reinforced plastics. Years down the line, campers just became something they were naturally good at, and today, they operate on five continents and boast that they've sold over 100,000 units. Time to see why.

To give us an idea of what makes this team so unique, we can look at the HQ12 camper, an off-road-ready machine meant to be your very own turtle shell. Your family of four will end up being its inhabitants.

Overall, the HQ12 comes in with an exterior length of 19.6 ft (5.9 m), is 7.8 ft (2.4 m) wide, and open comes in with a height of 10.3 ft (3.14 m). While traveling, it'll only be 8.4 ft (2.6 m) tall, and the interior yields 6.7 ft (2.04m) of space while open.

These dimensions are brought forth with the use of hot-dip galvanized tubular steel for a frame. That's then set up on an independent suspension with dual shock absorbers and coil springs. Throw on a pair of alloy wheels, off-road tires, and electric tow brake, to name a few, and you should be starting to get the idea. All in all, this beast yields a dry weight of 4,422 lbs (2,005 kg) and is fit to carry 7,500 lbs (3,402 kg).

Black Series uses aluminum composite for exterior paneling and adds diamond plating on the lower half for extra strength and protection. R16 spray-foam insulation fills the roof and walls, and a one-piece aluminum roof tops everything off. Once you pop the roof, you'll expose polymer-coated embedded canvas with mesh screens. This should be perfect for making you feel at one with nature.

Now, onto the more serious things like the interior habitat. Inside the HQ12, a double bed, modular lounge, bunk bed, fully-loaded kitchen, and even a wet bath are available. Then you have to note things like endless storage overhead and under the bed and part of the galley unit, not to mention pass-through storage outside. Keeping you comfortable will be a 16,000 BTU furnace and a 13,500 BTU AC unit, both under control via a panel.

Even though the interior already features a kitchen with a microwave, three-burner stove, and fridge, the HQ12 comes equipped with an extra kitchen outdoors. This time you'll find a slide-out sink, another stovetop, and a table for meal preps. The inclusion of an exterior shower is there to make sure you drag no dirt into the habitat.

Plumbing is ample in this unit, too, and features the showers and bathroom I mentioned and includes 64 gallons (291 liters) of fresh water and a hot water system to keep water at optimum temperatures. Drinking water is provided by a 16-gallon (73-liter) triple-filtered system.

One system needed for successful off-grid living is electrical, and the HQ12 boasts two 100 Ah batteries, four 150-watt solar panels mounted on the roof, a 2,000-watt inverter, and countless LED lights and power plugs. Again, all are controlled via a panel with digital gauges.

Want anything else? Well, just let your dealership know what you want your dream HQ12 to look like, and they should do the best they can to make that happen for you. Just bring along some extra bucks.

Speaking of bucks, expect to pay anywhere from around 50,000 USD (44,207 EUR at current exchange rates) and up for one of these puppies, but I'm sure you can understand why.