Because the Ineos Grenadier launched in 2021, the overland aftermarket has been slowly building it into the competent all-terrain micro-camper its non secular successor, the unique Land Rover Defender, as soon as was. However nobody has accomplished it fairly like Storyteller Overland. The corporate places to work the journey RV craftsmanship it is honed on bigger off-road camper vans and expedition vehicles, however on a smaller scale. The Grand Bohemian arrives as a compact, go-anywhere micro-camper so versatile and purpose-focused, you would not be unsuitable in describing a Swiss Military knife or Leatherman as “the Grand Bohemian of pocket instruments.”
Since its personal 2019 debut, Alabama-based Storyteller has been centered on turning into the American model title of overland journey, a extra mainstream, RV dealership-stocked face in an business patchwork of smaller boutique builders and customizers. It began the journey with increasingly rugged, versatile all-terrain camper vans earlier than stepping into larger, burlier expedition trucks by the use of buying World Expedition Automobiles in 2022.
Now Storyteller steps within the different path, launching what hopefully turns into a 3rd product line of compact off-road RVs put in inside the inventory footprints of great off-road utility autos. Beginning with the Grenadier, a 4×4 that epitomizes what Storyteller phrases “analog safari vibes,” the corporate develops a segment-defying RVIA-certified camper specced to spend indefinite chunks of time within the distant, treacherously stunning locations accessible solely to the Grenadier and a handful or two of comparably rugged autos.
Storyteller Overland
“Even earlier than we ever totally constructed out our first Mode Journey Van again within the day, we have been dreaming about making a world’s first turnkey micro-camper just like the Grand Bohemian,” Storyteller founder and CEO Jeffrey Hunter stated in an announcement this month. “But it surely wasn’t till Jim Ratcliffe and the great folks at Ineos dared to convey the Grenadier to market that we lastly had the best platform to go stay on. With its iconic styling, body-on-frame structure, full-time 4×4 design, and world footprint for serviceability, the Grenadier offered the proper canvas to design and ship one thing like no different.”
Whereas Storyteller’s earlier campers have all been primarily based on succesful car platforms upgraded to even greater ranges of off-road worthiness, none has had the old-school 4×4 spirit embodied by the Grenadier. Powered by a 3.0-liter BMW turbo six, the Grenadier strikes throughout the Earth’s floor by way of 4 completely pushed wheels with energy funneled by way of a full-time 4WD system with two-speed switch case and middle differential.
Storyteller Overland
When pavement offers approach to slipperier floor, the driving force can throw the middle differential lock on in order that each solid-beam axles rotate on the identical actual charge, guaranteeing that the axle with the perfect traction has torque to work with. Entrance and rear differential locks synchronize the left and proper wheels for even higher traction, and the two-speed switch case lets drivers drop to low 2.5:1 gearing to multiply torque for the perfect likelihood of muscling slowly by way of tire-sucking mud, sand and snow.
Storyteller improves upon the Grenadier’s factory-given rough-terrain items by putting in an aftermarket Evictus dual-piston pre-runner suspension that mechanically adjusts stiffness primarily based on the circumstances under-tread – whether or not that is stability at highways speeds or comfortable articulation in boulder fields. The corporate additionally provides in a twin onboard ARB air compressor for filling tires again up after obligatory air-downs, a full 360-degree auxiliary lighting system for darkish trails and campsites, and a bull bar with embedded 12,500-lb (5,700-kg) entrance winch.
Turning thrilling day journeys into epic prolonged adventures, Storyteller continues its work by sourcing a Silenus pop-up roof conversion from South African overland provider Alu-Cab. Developed particularly for the Grenadier, the Silenus offers the Grand Bohemian a main double mattress whereas additionally opening up standing peak above the rear car ground, excellent for cooking inside or altering garments. The mattress makes use of a two-piece lift-away panel system to filter overhead house, folding down at night time to sleep two folks.
Storyteller Overland
Under that roof, the Grand Bohemian ground plan contains an L-shaped couch setup simply behind the cab seats. The passenger-side bench has a foldable backrest so campers can lie again whereas gawking on the surroundings by way of the open tailgate doorways, whereas the transverse bench sits atop a pass-through storage cage with entry from each rear doorways.
The longitudinal sidewall bench comes outfitted with a slide-out growth that turns it right into a single mattress, the full-length again cushion doubling because the second half of the mattress. So the Grand Bohemian can sleep a complete of three folks or serve successfully as a one-person stealth camper without having to pop the roof for low-key solo adventures.
Storyteller Overland
Regardless of the compact dimension of the brand new camper wagon, Storyteller is ready to set up a flexible galley with indoor and out of doors meal prep choices. This flexibility hinges on a single-burner induction cooker that may be plugged in and used on the driving force’s aspect inside countertop or on one among two fold-down outdoors tailgate worktops. Each areas have 110-V electrical retailers for plugging within the cooktop and different home equipment and extra work house for prepping components. A rear drawer under the inside countertop homes the 20-L Iceco fridge for straightforward indoor/out of doors entry.
The sink is positioned farther inside on the inside galley space, and comes full with a main faucet and a smaller indoor/outdoor-accessible faucet plumbed on to a Guzzle H2O filtration and purification system for delivering clear consuming water from untreated supply water. Water shops in a 40-L contemporary tank.
Storyteller Overland
The tailgate space contains an out of doors bathe hookup with sizzling water delivered from the onboard hydronic air/water heating system fueled by the car’s gasoline tank in order to get rid of the necessity for a separate gasoline tank. The rig additionally comes commonplace with a transportable composting bathroom. About the one factor it appears to be lacking is a drop-down bathe/bathroom tent, although a few of the passenger-side pictures seem to point out one thing that appears similar to a packed bathe tent hooked up to the rear sidewall nook – maybe it will be an possibility. Regardless, the place this factor’s made to camp, there will not be many peeping neighbors.
Storyteller Overland
The Grand Bohemian features a 30-A shore energy hookup, however the actual enjoyable would not get began till you are miles away from {the electrical} towers. Storyteller wires up a 5.4-kWh Lithionics battery system, with a 2,000-W inverter serving up energy to the 110-V electrical retailers. That battery expenses from a 400-W photo voltaic panel setup on the pop-top and off the working car’s battery, and a Redarc administration system offers quick fingertip management.
As you have most likely realized by now, Storyteller hasn’t accomplished a complete lot to maintain prices down and ship an everyman’s adventure-mobile. Past the impressively complete bundle of high-end parts and furnishings, it additionally opts for premium supplies like actual hardwood, customized leather-based upholstery and SeaDek flooring.
Storyteller Overland
And whereas we would choose to see one thing extra attainable, Storyteller would not shoulder all of the blame – the US$71K+ Grenadier by no means got here significantly near being an inexpensive, utilitarian workhorse and has at all times been a extra pure selection for makes use of like underpinning an expensive, well-equipped two-person overlander that prices a whopping $198,888. That is some loopy eights to associate with a fair crazier 190K.
On the intense aspect, Storyteller has accomplished a pleasant job totally outfitting the Grand Bohemian and would not even record any choices – so in case you pack your luggage and Uber over to your Storyteller supplier, you’ll be able to basically push off on a years-long intercontinental expedition straight out the lot.
Supply: Storyteller Overland
