Ford launched the all-new Nugget High Roof in icy blue on the 2025 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon final summer time, exhibiting it once more a few weeks ago at CMT 2026. However whereas Ford’s high-rising, hard-sided “winterproof” Nugget is accessible to order with purchaser’s alternative of rear rest room or prolonged cabinetry, it isn’t accessible with all-wheel drive. Feeling this a slightly massive market hole, aftermarket conversion store Nugget Schmiede has launched its personal glossy excessive sleeper roof atop a manufacturing facility long-wheelbase Nugget with all-wheel drive.
Headquartered south of Munich in Kochel, Germany, Nugget Schmiede acquired its begin on the rental and sale facet of the Ford Nugget, ultimately honing its expertise at customizing Ford’s small camper van and growing aftermarket parts and equipment for it. It is most likely most well-known for its in-house skylight designs for each excessive and pop-up roofs, and just like Terranger, it is moved into the position of a Ford-recognized conversion specialist, broadening the Nugget market with various layouts and tools Ford does not supply immediately.
So when Nugget Schmiede came upon Ford did not plan to get its personal all-new excessive roof aboard an all-wheel-drive-equipped Nugget till someday round 2027, it determined to step in and fill that individual market gap. And it really looks like a win for everybody – Ford nonetheless sells a Nugget camper van, and Nugget Schmiede consumers have the choice of an all-wheel-drive Excessive Roof camper.
CC Weiss/New Atlas
Referred to as the Excessive Roof Twin, the reworked Nugget has a barely totally different type of laborious roof than Ford sells itself. Whereas Ford’s newest high-roof has been sculpted and crisped up from last generation’s roof, it nonetheless includes a critical entrance lip pushing previous the highest of the windshield.
Schmiede takes a special tack, making a extra swept-back excessive roof design that is basically a easy, near-continuous arch from the A-pillars. The corporate says it is sculpted the insulated roof this fashion for superior aerodynamics, and the brand new form nonetheless permits loads of room for an upstairs mattress. In truth, the mattress is barely wider than Ford’s personal mattress, providing a sleeping space of 205 x 140 cm (81 x 55 in). It features a mattress atop a Froli spring system for cushier help and luxury.
Nugget Schmiede
Like Ford, Schmiede affords a window on all sides of the excessive roof, guaranteeing the upstairs mattress does not get too darkish and gloomy for a correct morning wake-up. Built-in mosquito screens and blackout blinds let campers alter to the situations.
Schmiede affords a rear window and ensuing 270-degree panorama optionally. It additionally contains a typical 70 x 50-cm (28 x 20-in) rectangular skylight immediately over the mattress. This one brings in views of the starry sky and likewise comes with a tilt-open perform, mosquito display and blackout blind. Schmiede additionally tops the roof with a 120-watt+ photo voltaic panel.
Dropping down from the customized excessive roof, the remainder of the Nugget Excessive Roof Twin’s tenting facilities are left largely to the usual Nugget conversion bundle from Westfalia. That features the two-room idea with rear kitchen and entrance dinette/fold-out double mattress. As a long-wheelbase mannequin, it additionally contains the rear rest room.
CC Weiss/New Atlas
One function Schmiede provides to the usual van flooring plan is a tilt-and-turn window over the kitchen space for added airflow and air flow – Schmiede actually likes its home windows! Patrons may also go for an electrical fan.
The Nugget Excessive Roof Twin comes powered by Ford’s 168-hp 2.0-liter EcoBlue diesel engine mated to an eight-speed computerized transmission and the aforementioned all-wheel drive. It costs in at €95,980 (approx. US$114,175) earlier than extra choices. For reference, the Nugget Excessive Roof with rear rest room debuted at a worth of €83,245 ($99,025) final August, outfitted with a 148-hp front-wheel drive with six-speed guide transmission.
Whereas the all-wheel drive is not but an possibility for Ford’s Nugget Excessive Roof, we do know upgrading from the 148-hp engine/six-speed guide to the 168-hp all-wheel drive with eight-speed computerized provides €7,378 to the Nugget Pop Up camper’s worth, so Ford’s Nugget Excessive Roof AWD would possibly in the end be a number of thousand cheaper than Schmiede’s. Nonetheless, Schmiede’s is accessible proper now, not perhaps subsequent 12 months, and includes a sleeker design some consumers would possibly want.
Supply: Nugget Schmiede
