Westfalia is Back! The All-New Wave hits the U.S. Market

After a 20-year hiatus, Westfalia is back on the U.S. market. But not to convert VW minivans – they’re turning RAM ProMasters into RVs. 

Westfalia converted the beloved VW T3 and T4 into the Vanagon and EuroVan between the 70s and early 2000s. These have become legendary mini RVs with a cult following in the U.S.. And to this day, VW camper vans still make van lifers drool. So it’s exciting to see the company returning to our shores.

But Does the Wave Live up to Westfalia’s Legacy? 

Westy aficionados either love it or hate it. One thing is sure: the Wave doesn’t provide the much-awaited nostalgic feeling some were hoping for. While it does have a pop to – one of its core features – the interior looks much like many other modern RVs.

The Westfalia Wave is based on the RAM ProMaster 3500, which has a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 276 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque. It only measures 20 feet and 9 inches, but it packs a lot of comfort inside.

Scoping out the New Westfalia Wave

The floor plan features a platform bed, a wet bath with a cassette toilet, a kitchen, a dinette that turns into a bed, and an optional pop-top roof. 

In the cab, two swivel seats turn to face the expandable dinette table. The dinette connects to the driver’s seat to turn into a small double bed. 

Part of the platform bed at the back slides away to create space to carry bikes and other tall gear in the garage. There’s also a pass-through under the bed, which allows you to move gear from the garage to the front of the van or store skis and kayaks.

The Wave comes with a Truma Combi furnace/heater, a 300-watt solar panel, and 600Ah of batteries, which power the refrigerator, microwave oven, and propane stove. There’s even a generator under the hood.

Upgrades include an induction stove and an extension for the dinette bed. 

It Sleeps up to 6

The Wave’s biggest selling point is its sleeping capacity, no doubt. The Wave pop-top model can sleep up to six people – two in the back, two on the pop-top roof, and two in the dinette bed. 

The pop top and dinette bed aren’t full-size, so they suit kids and young adults best. The dinette bed can be quickly set up with just one hand; it’s a new patented creation you won’t find on other rigs.

That’s pretty impressive for a van that only measures 20 feet and 9 inches. It’ll be cramped inside, but you can invite friends or family on a road trip. 

The base Wave doesn’t have a pop top – there’s a skylight in its place – so it sleeps 4 people. Westfalia figured not everyone wants or needs a pop-up roof. We think it’s a shame the base model doesn’t integrate any roof storage, though.

It Seats 4

While the Wave Pop Top can sleep up to six people, only four can travel aboard. Four belted seats are on board: the front seats and two dinette seats. 

Some of your guests will need to join your adventure by car, which is not ideal if you plan to travel with four kids.

Euro-stye Interior Design

The Wave features a modern design with natural tones and sleek lines. We don’t have the full details yet, but the cabinets and soft-close drawers look thick, and the latches seem robust.

The finish isn’t luxurious, but Mercedes Streeter wrote on The AutoPian that it’s “miles ahead of what you’ll get from a more expensive Winnebago.” The reviewer believes it’s also better than that of the Airstream Rangeline. 

How Westfalia Made it Back to the U.S.

Westfalia left America in 2006. The last Westy camper for sale in the U.S. was the Dodge Sprinter Westfalia, which Airstream distributed. They only managed to sell a few units before moving back to Europe. 

Rapido Group, the French RV conglomerate that owns Westfalia, bought Canadian RV manufacturer Roadtrek in 2019. So Westfalia can now produce campers in the U.S. again. The Wave will be manufactured out of Ontario, Canada.

It debuted at the 2024 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa in January 2024. Westfalia hasn’t announced a sale date yet, but it will likely be later in late 2024 or 2025. 

Westfalia is currently establishing a dealer network and will preview the Wave at a trade show in Indiana in September.

Will Westfalia Build VW Campers In The U.S.?

Unfortunately not, at least not anytime soon. Westfalia still converts VW vans in Europe, but the Transporter isn’t sold in the U.S. That’s why Westfalia chose the RAM ProMaster as a base for the Wave. 

The choice was easy. They currently convert Fiat Ducatos, which are virtually identical vehicles to the ProMaster, in Europe. 

So what do you think? Are you excited for Westfalia to be back on the U.S. market? Or are you disappointed in their choice of rig and build?

We think the Wave looks like a solid contender for the current market. 

While playing on the nostalgia that this iconic brand evokes would have pleased some, we like their modern take. After all, Westfalia needs to cater to the new requirements of American campers.