Laika
The story of the traditional Italian brand Laika Caravans is closely bound up with the spirit of new beginnings and the enthusiasm for space travel in the 1960s.
🚀 The beginnings of Laika (1964)
Laika was founded in 1964 by Giovambattista Moscardini in San Casciano in Val di Pesa (in Tuscany, Italy).
Name & logo: Moscardini was fascinated by space research. He named the company after the dog Laika, the first living creature in Earth orbit (1957). As the company logo he chose the distinctive red winged greyhound.
Philosophy: the aim was to build compact, futuristically styled and extremely functional caravans that could also be towed by small Italian cars.
🛠️ The legendary Laika 500 (1964)
The Laika 500 was the manufacturer’s very first model and a genuine design innovation in camping.
Special features & technology:
- Developed for the Fiat 500: the small Fiat 500 shaped Italy’s streets at the time, but had very little engine power. The Laika 500 was built so light and so aerodynamic that it could be towed by a Fiat 500 without any trouble.
- Lowerable telescopic roof: the heart of it was the mechanical lifting, or telescopic, mechanism. While driving, the upper part of the caravan could be lowered:
- Height closed (on the road): approx. 1,55 m
- Height open (parked): approx. 2,25 m (full standing height inside)
- Lightweight construction: with an unladen weight of only about 180 kg and a permissible total weight of approx. 300 kg it was an absolute featherweight.
- Space wonder: despite its dimensions (body length approx. 2,31 m) it offered berths for up to 3 people (a double bed and a child’s bed) as well as a kitchen unit.
🏔️ The Laika 1000
The success of the Laika 500 was followed shortly afterwards by the larger Laika 1000 model.
- Concept: while the Laika 500 was tailored to the absolute minimum for the Fiat 500, the Laika 1000 was aimed at families and at owners of somewhat more powerful tow cars (such as the Fiat 1100 / 1000 class).
- More comfort: the Laika 1000 offered considerably more interior space, more extensive kitchen and cupboard fittings and a larger area for standing and sleeping.
- Construction: here too Laika relied on the rounded, well-insulated lightweight GRP construction (glass-fibre reinforced plastic) that is still regarded today as the hallmark of historic Laika trailers.
🚐 How the brand developed
- 1977 – The first motorhome: after the successful caravan series, Laika entered the market for motorised campers with the Motorpolo model.
- 1992 – Ecovip series: with the presentation of the legendary Ecovip range, Laika finally established itself in the premium segment.
- Since 2000: Laika belongs to the German Erwin Hymer Group. Production still takes place in San Casciano in Val di Pesa in Tuscany.