World’s Fastest Motorhome Is a Fancy 2007 Fiat Doblo Conversion That Sleeps Two in Comfort

Simon Robins is a van conversion specialist, but he is also the kind of man who performs at his best when he challenges himself out of his comfort home. He and wife Gemma run the Creation Campers shop in Wales, England, and they have quite the reputation among locals for thinking outside the box, both in their business and passion projects.

This seemingly-unassuming van is a little bit of both, a solid example of how much you can achieve with a basic van (both in terms of a motorhome and of a high-performance vehicle) and a good display of Simon and Gemma’s skills. Speaking with Motorhome Channel back in 2014, Simon said that the last reason fueled his desire to do the project, because he wanted to build something that he could show off and say “look at what I can do.”

And what Simon can do is build the world’s fastest motorhome, as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2014, and still holding that title to this day. When they picked up the project, Simon and Gemma had already done several projects, to the point where they could call themselves specialists in Fiat Doblo conversions.

Their “get” is packing as much functionality and creature comforts in the least amount of space, and this also applies to this conversion, which was designed for speed but is still a functional RV. On a 2007 Fiat Doblo, the pair transplanted a Fiat Coupe GT28 turbo engine, capable of developing 337 bhp (342 ps) and 306 lb-ft (414.8 Nm) of torque, so it would be able to break the previous record of speed, of 137 mph (220.4 kph).

Simon’s biggest challenge at this stage was getting the engine to fit inside the bay, and there were moments when he actually thought the project was doomed to fail. Further upgrades included a race clutch, and racing brake pads and disc, and an oil cooler.

Inside, the van sleeps two people in total comfort and with the basic creature comforts for an extended stay. It is still a very compact layout, though, so don’t expect it to be suitable for weeks-long vacations, but it tries to make up for the lack of extended functionality with a dash of fancy.

Simon and Gemma designed this one with a gorgeous lounge that converts into a sleeping area by simply shifting the pillows. There’s a small kitchen on the opposite hand, with a two-burner stove and quite a sizable sink, and enough storage underneath. The fancy touch comes from a starlit headliner, because who wouldn’t want to feel like they’re sat inside a Rolls-Royce at camp?

Since no amount of starry ceilings will make up for the lack of the most basic of creature comforts, the duo included a port-a-potty in a cupboard under the mattress of the couch slash bed. It’s not the most elegant workaround, but it is efficient.

On October 21, 2014, after 12 long months of working on the project (and Gemma seemingly losing patience with Simon for the way he kept babying it), they took the van to Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire where, in the presence of Guinness officials, they set out to break the existing record. The first run ended prematurely when a bird crossed Simon’s path and he braked to avoid it. The second run, which was conditioned by the use of a single mile (1.6 km) of track and influenced by heavy wind, resulted in an average of 141.3 mph (227.35 kph). The new record had been set.

No word on the budget for the conversion or, for that matter, where it is now, but Creative Campers proudly lists the hard-earned Guinness badge on the official website. We reached out to them for more details and will update the story when and if we hear back.