Wave Tank

The new ride of choice for California surfers

November 15, 2006—Ever since the days of the woody, surfers have had a knack for turning even the boxiest cars into objects of cool. That helps explain how the Dodge Sprinter, an odd-looking delivery van that debuted in Europe in the mid-nineties but only recently arrived here, has suddenly become a fixture along the California coastline. "I've seen surfers all over the place with them," says Jeff Johnson, a wave-rider who bought his earlier this year and installed a bed in the back. Surfer-photographer Moses Berkson, who spent $5,000 customizing his Sprinter (above) with solar panels, a collapsible desk, a queen-sized bed, and a ceiling fan, agrees: "A lot of surfers say it's the best van they've ever seen." Both Johnson and Berkson reckon the Sprinter's appeal stems from its high fuel economy (its 2.7-liter, five-cylinder turbo diesel gets 22 miles per gallon) and cavernous storage space (at 473 cubic feet, it's roughly the size of a New York apartment). And then there's its unusual, vaguely menacing design. "I get so much attention with this thing, it's ridiculous," says Johnson. Adds Berkson: "It looks like a CIA truck. Everyone's like, 'Is that a SWAT van?'"

Dodge Sprinter, from $29,735 plus customization cost, www.dodge.com/sprinter.