Rare Porsche-Powered Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper: A One-of-a-Kind Classic

Ingenious Fusion - For many car lovers, the idea of a Porsche camper sounds like the punchline to a joke or a wild “what if” daydream. When you think of Porsche, sleek sports cars and roaring engines come to mind—not cozy interiors, sleeping bunks, and portable stoves. But sometimes, history surprises us. And in the case of the Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper, it gifted us with something truly one of a kind: a rare blend of Porsche performance and aircraft-inspired comfort, all rolled into a quirky but fascinating camper van that still raises eyebrows today. 

The Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper was a bold reimagining of what a camper could be—quirky, fascinating, and still turning heads today. (Picture from: Revivaler)

The tale begins in post-WWII Germany, a time when industries were forced to adapt or vanish. Amidst this economic reawakening, two unlikely collaborators crossed paths. One was Tempo, officially Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werke GmbH, a company that had already made a name for itself by transforming the humble Volkswagen Beetle platform into the utilitarian Matador—a light truck that cleverly positioned a VW engine up front and used a ZF transaxle to drive the front wheels
.  

The Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper showcases a cockpit with a wooden dashboard equipped with classic VDO instruments. (Picture from: Revivaler)

The other was Mikafa, a former aircraft manufacturer now turning their aeronautical craftsmanship to the road, repurposing their knowledge of aluminum bodywork to create travel-ready vehicles. Mikafa’s early campers carried the lightweight DNA of airplanes. Aluminum alloy panels, minimalist interiors, and even perspex windows all reflected the need for both efficiency and resilience. 

The Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper offers a light and airy dining area, made possible by its generous array of windows. (Picture from: Revivaler)

Initially, they relied on Volkswagen’s modest 25-horsepower flat-four engines, which were just barely enough to move the bulky camper vans along at about 50 mph. But the relationship between Tempo and VW soured in 1952, leading to an engine drought that pushed Tempo to look elsewhere—sometimes landing on Austin engines, and in rare cases, BMW V8s.

The Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper includes a twin-burner camping stove, perfectly suited for preparing your venison casserole with deer antler utensils. (Picture from: Revivaler)

Yet, among these clever creations, one version stood out: the Mikafa Sport Camper fitted with a Porsche 356 engine. It wasn’t just a technical upgrade—it was a complete reimagining of what a camper could be. Up front, the Porsche flat-four engine delivered around 60 horsepower—over double the output of the earlier VW versions. Combined with front-wheel drive and wrapped in a body that borrowed more from aircraft than automobiles, this camper wasn't just for vacations—it was a statement. 

The Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper features a thoughtfully designed bathroom that also includes fully functional toilet facilities for added convenience. (Picture from: Revivaler)

To add to the mystique, Porsche badging was prominently placed on both ends of the van, making it clear that this wasn’t just a cobbled-together experiment. It was a camper with serious performance heritage, even if it still had to haul around a hefty load of fixtures like a restroom, kitchen, and full sleeping area—adding up to more than 4,000 pounds of rolling mass. It was less about speed and more about style, innovation, and pushing boundaries.

While the Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper was originally fitted with a Porsche 356 engine, it is currently equipped with a more modest Volkswagen engine. (Picture from: Revivaler)

And rare it was. Only three Porsche-powered Mikafa Sport Campers were ever believed to have been built, with just two known to reside in the United States. One surviving example has remained largely untouched over the years, still carrying much of its original cosmetic charm.  

The Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper features a sleek two-tone gray color scheme, evoking the look of New York Central Railroad’s streamlined Hudson locomotives from the 1930s and 1940s. (Picture from: Revivaler)

Though the Porsche engine has been swapped for a Volkswagen unit for now—likely for practical reasons—it still retains features that made it a dream machine for the adventurous driver: pop-up fresh air roof, sliding and pop-out plexiglass windows, original VDO gauges, whitewall tires with chrome hubcaps, and the proud 1955 Porsche title that ties it all together. | HCRBWPMs5TM | 

The Tempo Mikafa Sport Camper isn’t just a curiosity—it’s a rolling piece of design ingenuity that defies categories. It carries the legacy of three distinct brands: Porsche’s engineering excellence, Tempo’s forward-thinking vehicle architecture, and Mikafa’s aircraft roots—all converging in a form that’s as practical as it is poetic. It's a reminder that even in the world of high-performance motoring, there's room for a little imagination, a bit of comfort, and a lot of personality. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOIRCES | SILODROME | REVIVALER | MOTORIUOS | AUTOMOBILISTA IN X | QUIRKYRIDES IN X ]

Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.