Beauer 3X Telescoping Camping Unit

French company Beauer has come up with a way of offering more living space without dragging a huge trailer.

At first glance, the Beauer 3X looks like a tiny caravan that would struggle to sleep two people with minimal gear, but in fact it expands to three times its original size. In its towing state, the unit is just as wide as a normal car at 1.9 meters, which reduces wind resistance and fuel consumption while improving handling.

There is enough room to stow your gear inside before a sizable living area folds out once you have chosen your pitch, and the Beauer 3X allows for more comfortable adventures while still providing the convenience of a tow trailer. At 1,000 kilograms, the 3X is not light, and you’ll need a vehicle with a fair amount of torque to be able to tow it comfortably.

However, for those with SUVs or pick-up trucks, the 3X is a great option which offers 12 square meters of floor space when extended. In fact the French-made unit offers more room than some cheap apartments in the capital city, Paris!

The design has been around for a few years and sales in France started last September. The unit costs $23,000, and Beauer aims to extend sales to the rest of Europe and North America in the near future.

Alongside the extendable teardrop 3X, Beauer is also working on the 3X+, a longer version which offers 27 square meters of floor space. There are also plans to build an integrated camper vehicle which sees the 3X unit built into a van chassis rather than dragged behind.