While most things in life are of the "what you see is what you get" variety, this doesn't apply to transformers, both real and the fictional machines director Michael Bay brought to life on the big screen. The Rebel is a real-life transformer, albeit a very surprising one.
Slide-outs, pop-ups, pullouts, and all manners of extensions, both manual and automatic, are not a rarity in the RV industry, and some might even be encountered on smaller vehicles. As tech and construction techniques have evolved, these extensions have also been able to do away with the downsides of older variants, which brought unreliability and shorter lifecycles to the build.
Today's expandable mobile habitats are tougher, more weatherproof, and overall more reliable than their predecessors, and they live as comfortably as their non-expanding counterparts.
But even with that in mind, there are situations where you wouldn't expect any kind of expansion happening, and that, in turn, makes the vehicle noteworthy. With the booming popularity of van conversions, courtesy of the #vanlife craze that's still sweeping the world, few would imagine a standard van equipped with any type of expanding capability beyond the addition of an awning or a tent.
Photo: Starvan
The Rebel 4x4 is here to deliver that surprising – in the most pleasant way – creative punch.
It's a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based conversion that comes with an expandable bedroom, which, when deployed, creates what the builder more or less jokingly describes as "a room to dance in." We're still talking about a compact space, to be sure, but it's more than what you'll get with any other van conversion. It's definitely enough for a pair of adventurers living out of their van while exploring the world.
The Rebel 4x4 is a relative newcomer to the RV market, though it's not the only van in the world to feature an automatic pullout. The idea for it was patented for the whole of Europe in 2017 and was followed by the foundation of Starvan, the company that makes it.
Photo: Starvan
Since the end of last year when Rebel 4x4 made its debut at trade events, it's been touring the Old Continent and been put on display at even more shows. One such appearance is documented in the video at the bottom of the page, which includes two layouts for the Rebel, the 2- and the 4-person lounge option, one with the expandable bathroom and the other without.
That last part is not a typo.
The Rebel doesn't just expand by 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) to accommodate a large queen bed in the rear, but it can also be specced with a transforming bathroom. Located in the center of the habitat, right past the lounge area, it can be customized so that the module holding the toilet and the folding sink can also move toward the rear, thus doubling the shower space. It's not a massive bathroom by other RV standards, but for a van, it's pretty neat.
Photo: Starvan
The Rebel 4x4 sits on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis and comes with extensive standard equipment, including a 160W roof-mounted solar panel and battery pack, a 6kW Truma diesel heater, a medium-sized fridge, a complete kitchen, and a comparatively large garage that can hold all your gear and most of your possessions.
The front seats swivel to form the dining area, which can be customized to accommodate more people if needed, by adding a larger bench and a larger table. Options are also available in the kitchen, so you can choose between gas and electric cooktops and even change the location of the fridge so that it remains accessible from the outside.
Whichever you choose, the bedroom extension remains the same. At the press of a button, the pullout deploys to make room for a 1.4-by-2.1-meter (4.6-by-6.9-foot) bed made up of two folding parts. When fully set up, the bed is accessible by means of lateral steps and still leaves some space inside the cabin to move around.
Photo: Starvan
The large garage underneath the bed moves with the extension and is only accessible from the outside.
Every unit of the Rebel 4x4 is built to order, so there's the chance for even more customization if you can afford it. We can't stress that last part enough because whatever you gain in terms of comfort and autonomy at camp, it'll cost you dearly.
The Rebel 4x4 starts at €140,000, which is roughly $152,000 at the current exchange rate. The base model is ready to hit the road as soon as it's delivered, but anything extra you might choose, like a bigger solar array to go all-electric and ditch gas or a composting toilet instead of the standard separating one, will add to the final tally.
Photo: Starvan
In June 2024, Starvan will debut the Cruiser motorhome, which will be a rear-wheel drive but have the same layout design. To further cut costs and accommodate a smaller budget, Starvan is willing to work on your existing Sprinter 907, if you already own one, so you'll only be paying for the conversion. Lead time is a good 18 months because, according to one dealer, demand is through the roof.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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