JUST when you thought the German car-makers couldn’t find another niche to fill, Mercedes-Benz has created the Marco Polo Activity – one of the most unique vehicles on the market today.

Is it a van, a people-mover or a camper van? Or maybe a little of everything? The answer, as we found out, is closer to the latter, with the Marco Polo providing most, if not all, of the camping necessities – bar a built-in toilet and shower.

Unfortunately, plans for a weekend camping trip that would’ve truly put the Marco Polo to test were unexpectedly cancelled at the last minute, meaning we were unable to assess it in its natural environment. Nevertheless, we attempted to make the most of its diverse feature set in an urban context.

So, how did the Marco Polo fare? Is it a case of innovation for innovation’s sake? Or has Mercedes-Benz found another niche that really did need filling? Read on to find out.