Caravan and boat lovers can now fuse their two passions with a new vehicle which can travel on both land and water.
The Caracat looks like any run of the mill caravan when being towed along the drizzly roads of Britain, its boxy white design reassuringly familiar.
What sets it apart - and the reason it costs between £112,000 and £260,000 - is that it transforms into a catamaran.
The makers of the Caracat say it can be used to camp on "sea, lakes and land" in "luxury", while also capable of whizzing across the water thanks to a rechargeable electric motor.
The vehicle was showcased at the 2022 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon in Germany earlier this month, when it was revealed how the vehicle can be transformed into a boat.
Deployable pontoons extend from either side of the caravan, stretching its width from 2.5m to four metres.
These provide enough stability to the Caracat that it can navigate relatively still bodies of water without getting bobbed around too much.
The largest model is 8.6m long and has space for six people, made comfortable by air conditioning units and heating.
Standard touches include teak and leather in the living areas, polished granite in the kitchen and bathroom.
As well as staples including a fridge, a cooker, a microwave and a wine cooler, the caravan has an incinerating toilet which turns waste into ash and water vapour.
There is also a flat-screen television and a speaker system to keep passengers entertained, while a solar-panelled roof pops up to create a ‘large sunbathing area’ with shaded seating.
Fresh water and wastewater, held in two 400-litre tanks, is stored in the pontoons.
"Caracat is designed and equipped with superior technology and furnished with every imaginable luxury, this vehicle is a realization of a dream," the company which builds it claims.
"When you are on board you feel most comfortable like home away from home. As a result, Caracat offering to you quality, power and comfort beyond her comparer realize a desire.
"Caracat is… more than a caravan, more than a houseboat, more than a catamaran."
The Caracat can be ordered now and will be ready for delivery after a production time of around about six months. For more information, visit www.cara-cat.com.
