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Motorhomes come in many different shapes and sizes which can be confusing. This is a rough guide to the different types of motorhome and the terms used. Basically there are 3 types of motorhome depending on how much the conversion into a motorhome changes the original van i.e. Fiat Ducato, VW LT, Peugeot Boxer.

In an B Class the motorhome manufacturer uses only the chassis & engine from the original van. The motorhome structure is completely built by the motorhome converter. This has the advantage of making a better use of the cab area which becomes more integral to the motorhome. Most B-Class motorhomes have a large over-cab bed area which lowers easily at night. Because of the better use of the cab area the motorhome can be shorter than a comparable coach-built motorhome.

A coach-built motorhome retains the cab of the original van. The motorhome manufacturer replaces the roof of the cab and the area behind the cab. This is more cost effective than the B Class so these motorhomes are cheaper. The coach-built motorhome is the biggest seller. These come in a wide variety of layouts, sizes and different engine options. Available on Fiat, Peugeot, VW, Mercedes & Ford engines

The traditional camper van was a VW with a canvas, elevating roof and basic facilities. While elevating roof vans are still built the majority of panel van conversions have a fixed roof. These are called Hightops. Apart from the fixed roof the rest of the body work belongs to the original chassis. While VW remains one of the most popular chassis, Ford, Renault, Toyota & Mercedes are all used.