Let's face it: there are many cool camping vehicles out there. Some offer refined luxury; others deliver serious off-road capability. But few will match up on either front with the truly extravagant Rise 4x4 from German builder Stone Offroad Design, first spotted by New Atlas.
All-wheel drive camper vans are great, but the Rise 4x4 takes it a few steps further — using a Mercedes-built Unimog as the base vehicle in either 230-horsepower four-cylinder or 395 hp six-cylinder diesel form. SOD doesn't mess with the stock Unimog components, which include a 4x4 system with dedicated off-road gears, locking front and rear differentials and raised intakes that permit almost four feet of water-fording. Need more proof how badass this thing is? The Rise 4x4 doesn't just have a rear spare tire carrier; it has a rear spare tire carrier that can also carry an ATV.
You'd expect such an off-road beast to go utilitarian on the interior. But the Rise 4x4 has about as nice of an interior as you will find in a camping vehicle. The kitchen features a full-size refrigerator and freezer and a four-burner induction cooktop. The Rise 4x4 does have a wet bath...but it's about the nicest wet bath one could imagine, with a rainfall shower and a floating vanity. The cabin sleeps four with a sleeper compartment above the cab and another bed that floats down above the dinette/lounge area. SOD provides heating, air conditioning and heated floors.
The Rise 4x4 offers a combination of capability and luxury that would make even an EarthRomer feel low rent. And the price tag — for the Europeans eligible to buy the Rise 4x4 — reflects that. SOD only lists the price for the six-cylinder model on its website. It comes out to €899,900 with VAT included. That converts to more than $1 million at the current exchange rate, which — even factoring in recent inflation — remains a staggering sum for an off-road camper.
