The Hymermobil was the motorhome with which Hymer began series production in 1971, ten years after a first, short-lived attempt. It was built on a Mercedes-Benz chassis and gave the company its motorhome business; the name itself belongs to the past, while Hymer’s integrated line continues as the B-Klasse CL and SL.
Hymermobil at a glance
| Maker | Hymer, Bad Waldsee, Germany |
|---|---|
| Series production | from 1971 |
| Base | Mercedes-Benz chassis |
| 1972–1974 models | on Mercedes-Benz 407 and 508 bases, 100 vehicles in total |
| First Hymer motorhome | Caravano of 1961, pop-up roof on a Borgward B 611, three built |
| Body construction | PUAL sandwich with aluminium skin and polyurethane foam from the 1980 season |
| Company | Hymer, founded 1957 by Erwin Hymer and Erich Bachem with Eriba |
| 100,000th motorhome | built in Bad Waldsee in October 2004 |
| Museum | Erwin Hymer Museum, Bad Waldsee, opened 29 October 2011 |
| Current integrated line | B-Klasse CL and B-Klasse SL |
| Name today | Hymermobil no longer used; Mobil is listed among the former names |
No Wikipedia article covers the Hymermobil on its own: the model history comes from the German article on the Erwin Hymer Group, with the names of the integrated line from the Dutch article on Hymer; these are in effect a single source.
History of the Hymermobil
1961: the Caravano
Hymer’s first motorhome was the Caravano of 1961, a vehicle with a pop-up roof on a Borgward B 611. Only three were built: production stopped when Borgward went bankrupt, and the company waited a decade before trying motorhomes again.
1971: series production
Series production of motorcaravans under the Hymer brand began in 1971 with the Hymermobil on a Mercedes-Benz basis. In 1972–1974 further vehicles were built on the Mercedes-Benz 407 and 508, 100 in all. By then Hymer had grown from a workshop into an industrial company: it had built its 10,000th caravan in 1966.
1980: PUAL and the merger
For the models of the 1980 season Hymer developed the PUAL construction that has been typical of the brand ever since: a sandwich wall with an aluminium outer skin and insulation of polyurethane foam. In the same year the Hymer and Eriba companies formally merged.
After the Hymermobil
The integrated motorhome line continued under other names. The Dutch Wikipedia lists Mobil, B-Klasse, S-Klasse, B-Klasse Classic and Business Line among the former names of the class that is now sold as the B-Klasse CL and SL. Hymer’s 100,000th motorhome left the Bad Waldsee factory in October 2004, and the Erwin Hymer Museum, which keeps early motorhomes such as the Hymermobil, opened in the town on 29 October 2011.
Design and features
- Mercedes-Benz base: the first series Hymermobil was built on a Mercedes-Benz chassis, and the 1972–1974 vehicles used the 407 and 508.
- Start of the motorhome business: the Hymermobil of 1971 was Hymer’s first motorhome produced in series.
- PUAL walls: the aluminium-skinned, polyurethane-insulated sandwich construction introduced for the 1980 season.
- Museum pieces: early Hymermobile are preserved in the Erwin Hymer Museum in Bad Waldsee.
- A retired name: the range is now called B-Klasse CL and SL.
Hymermobil versions
- Caravano (1961): the pop-up-roof predecessor on a Borgward B 611, three built.
- Hymermobil (1971): the first series model, on a Mercedes-Benz chassis.
- Hymermobil on Mercedes 407/508 (1972–1974): 100 vehicles in total.
- Later integrated names: Mobil, B-Klasse, S-Klasse, B-Klasse Classic and Business Line.
The Hymermobil was the ancestor of the integrated Hymer B-Class and of the S-Class covered with the Hymer S 700, while the alcove line is described in the Hymer Camp article. More models are in the Hymer collection.
Video: Camping cars anciens, Hymer Mobil 540 ALDS
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Erwin Hymer Group, German Wikipedia: Caravano, 1971 series production, 407/508, PUAL, 100,000th motorhome, museum
- Hymer, Dutch Wikipedia: former names of the integrated line
- Hymer, English Wikipedia: company history
