Carawagon de Luxe

History

Carawagon International's 1970 range topped out with the Carawagon de Luxe, the fully equipped version of R.J. Searle's long-running camper conversion of the 109-inch station wagon: the folding wood-and-metal elevating roof gave standing room and an upper berth for 'spacious double-level sleeping', while below the seats converted to a dining table and beds around a fitted kitchen, all trimmed to a higher standard than the basic Carawagon. Hermen Vlothuizen's brochure archive holds the four-page de Luxe leaflet, whose artwork shows the car camped in the mountains with its roof raised and interior photographs of the sleeping and dining layouts.

The registry's model, as directed, is built from the registry's Carawagon in dark blue with a cream elevating-roof cap, chrome waist and sill trim and chrome-capped wheels, without the expedition roof cargo of the base model.

Imagery

Registry record

Manufacturer

Land Rover (Series IIA 109-inch station wagon) with Searle conversion

Manufactured

Brochure dated 1970

Modifier / coachbuilder

Searle Ltd (Carawagon) ↗

International Ltd (Carawagon de Luxe)

Engine type

Rover 2.25 L four-cylinder petrol or 2.6 L six-cylinder

Production run

Production conversion; count unknown

Country of origin

United Kingdom

Operated in

United Kingdom

Status

unknown

Catalogue data

Record kind

Named model

Model line

Series IIA

Wheels

4

Nominal wheelbase

109″

Catalogue fields describe the vehicle's structure and body as this registry records it. They are not certified factory measurements, and no performance figures are published here.

Sources & citations

Researched sources

• Searle carawagon de luxe — Carawagon International brochure, 1970 ↗ — Hermen Vlothuizen Land Rover brochure collection (accessed 2026-09-11)

Catalogue references

• https://landrover.vlothuizen.nl/show/list/7080-3.html https://landrover.vlothuizen.nl/show/list/7080-3.html ↗