If you want to go on difficult off-road and off-grid camper van trips, Australia is one of the best places for it. Living in a van in Australia can be difficult because there is a lot of heat and humidity, and the weather changes abruptly. But, camper vans like the Lazuli Beast will not have these problems. It is based on a 2024 AWD Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a 144 "wheelbase.
Its name comes from a blue stone lapis lazuli. This van has been made by Summit Vans, an Australian company that specializes in making good Vans. This van is built to take you with confidence into the forest. Its name is due to its excellent Cavansite Blue metallic paint job.
Many improvements have been made outside in this van. This van has Owl Vans Talon wheels with all-terrain tires. These wheels also have a quick deflation valve and a secondary air fill point. The suspension has also been improved.
It is equipped with Van Compass rally struts, and Stage 4.3 kit with front and rear Falcon shocks, and rear mini leaf spring pack. Up front, it features two LP6 and five LP9 light pods from Baja Designs, and two squadron lights.
When all these lights are lit, the night can also look like the day. Summit Vans has also installed an Owl Vans Pismo bumper with two recovery points and a warning winch. There are running boards and flares (capsules) on the sides to increase the width of the van, so that the bed can be placed from east to west. These flares have window and Raptor protective coating on them. There is also a Mission 4x4 Maxtrax table on the passenger side.
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The back of the van is also a good place to put luggage. Summit Vans has made good use of both rear doors. One is a spare tire carrier / ladder combo and the other is a carrier to hold an aluminum cargo box and two 1Up bike trays. On the roof is a roof rack with a Fiamma Awning, a StarLink Mini, and three solar panels totaling 560 W.
It also has space for a Dometic A / C unit and Maxxair vent fan. Upon opening the main door you will see a clean, very modern interior. It has grey woven flooring, grey cabinetry, black trim, and a bamboo roof with LED lights.
The layout inside is open, which means there is no wall between the driver's cabin and the living space. This makes the van feel very open from the inside and you can rotate the driver and passenger seats. There are also Lagun table mounts for these seats, so you can eat or work on a laptop.
The first part of the living space is the kitchen, which is divided into several parts. Behind the driver's seat is a small counter with a drawer and a microwave.
Above, the van's control panel in an overhead cabinet. It has several switches for water tanks, dimmable light switches, a battery and monitor of the water tank, and two outlets. Next in the kitchen is a long 140-litre fridge that also has a freezer, a portable two-burner induction stove, and a deep sink with a lid on top.
It has five drawers that can be used to store luggage. The biggest drawer is on the heavy-duty slide-outs which has a composting toilet. Its hinged top panel serves as a ladder to climb on the bed. Despite the small space, Summit Vans has also built a bathroom.
It is very small, it does not have a toilet, but it has showers and L-tracks where you can hang any rails or other accessories. The bathroom has a heated air vent, which also makes it a room for drying clothes and other items.
The bedroom is in the back of the van. It has a large bed, reading lights with charging points, two cabinets, a Sirocco swiveling fan, and three overhead cabinets. There are two windows with sliding screens that let air in, and a roof-mounted A / C unit keeps you cool.
Due to the fixed beds in the van, the space under the bedroom serves as a garage. It can be accessed from both the inside and the outside. Utility systems have boxes in the sides, while in the middle there is a pull-out tray and a large storage compartment with a massive slide-out tray.
Plumbing equipment is on the right. This van has a water filter, water pump, water heater, outdoor shower, and a large fresh water tank. The electrical system is in the box on the other side. It has a 700 Ah battery bank and a 3,000 W inverter/charger.
Batteries can be charged by solar, shore power, or alternator charging (via DC-DC charger). Overall, Summit Vans has done a great job of this camper van conversion. It's a great mix of off-road capability and good comfort.
