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Welcome In this issue of What motorhome Is Fiat’s dominance of the campervan and motorhome market slipping away? And, if so, is that a deliberate policy now that the brand is part of the larger Stellantis conglomerate (which also includes Peugeot and Citroën)? At times, Fiat’s Ducato has claimed over 80% of the European leisure vehicle market, but increasingly manufacturers appear to be breaking away from relying solely on a single chassis supplier. Last month, the Erwin Hymer Group announced a new cooperation with Ford, using both the Transit and Transit Custom in future, although it’s not yet clear which brands or which ranges will use Ford cabs. In the UK, both Auto-Sleepers and Swift have launched small campers on the Transit Custom – will larger Fords follow? It’s not…
This month Weinsberg launches its first Mercedes-based motorhomes With two new additions to the portfolio of German motorhome manufacturer, Weinsberg (part of the Knaus Tabbert Group), the company is marking the beginning of a new era of cooperation with Mercedes-Benz. The CaraCompact 640 MEG and CaraCompact Suite 640 MEG, which is similar but with a drop down bed over the front lounge, will now be offered on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis, reflecting the similar philosophies of the two German brands, which each focuses on aspects such as safety, comfort, premium quality and reliability. And, typically for Weinsberg, the new motorhomes are said to have a unique price performance ratio. From the outset, the new vehicles are also available in special Pepper Edition trim, which results in savings of more than…
NEW Q&A SESSIONS AT THE NATIONAL MOTORHOME & CAMPERVAN SHOW After two years of Covid disruption and date changes, the UK’s longest-running outdoor motorhome show returns to the East of England Arena in Peterborough on 22 to 24 April. The show is renowned for its huge trade area and superb line-up of evening entertainment. Head of Events, Sally Dodds, commented, “We’re looking forward to starting the season with all the bells and whistles. Four nights of fantastic live acts, an exhibition area showcasing the best available stock from across the country, welcoming the return of free seminars and manoeuvring courses, and once again offering coach trips to Peterborough or Stamford for campers.” Camping pitches are £70 (Thursday to Monday) when booked before 2pm on Wednesday 6 April, or £90 on arrival.…
This month Mercedes updates the Sprinter With new engines, a new transmission, and a new all-wheel drive system, Mercedes-Benz has given its Sprinter commercial vehicles a comprehensive update that promises increased driving comfort. At the heart of the change is the adoption of the 2-litre OM654 diesel engine, which is already familiar from Mercedes’ passenger car portfolio and the smaller Vito van. The four-cylinder unit will be available in up to four different outputs – depending on the drive and body variant selected – 114bhp, 150bhp, 170bhp and 190bhp. All versions meet the relevant emissions standards, Euro VI-E or Euro 6d. The new power units also boast improved noise and vibration compared with the previous 2.1-litre and 3-litre engines. Smoother running characteristics and greater pulling power is claimed for the…
New ’vans Ecowagon Expo+ Ecowagon Expo+ Is this the ultimate VW T6.1? We spend a week with a £109,000 campervan to find out… BACK in the December 2016/January 2017 issue, we compared a dozen VW T6 Transporter campervans, including the California Ocean – usually the standard by which all others are judged – and 11 rivals from all of the top converters in this market. The surprise winner was the Expo from the then relatively young and less well-known Cornish firm, Ecowagon. Since then, Kenny Green, who signs his emails The Big Cheese, has been beavering away near Redruth, refining and improving his ’vans. He ruefully comments that buyers have to pass virtually every other converter in the UK to reach him and is not put off by social media posts…
Special feature Campervans from Ford, Mercedes & VW The OEMs Ford, Mercedes and Volkswagen all offer their own campervans. In this special report, we look at which offers what and whether you should consider one ahead of aftermarket conversions… WHAT exactly is an OEM? Well, the letters stand for Original Equipment Manufacturer and the phrase is generally used for automotive spare parts, so OEM items are the same as your vehicle will have been fitted with originally by the factory (rather than possibly cheaper, or sometimes inferior, items offered as an aftermarket alternative). When we turn our attention to campervans, most are built by specialist companies – anything from the huge multinational groups, like Erwin Hymer Group and Trigano, to small converters who might only build between one and 10 vehicles…
