Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2022 i What Motorhome

Welcome In this issue of What motorhome It was SO good to be back. With the last two October exhibitions and one February NEC show having been cancelled because of Covid, I must admit to some personal trepidation about going. After all, it’s been a long time since any of us had seen crowds. Then there was the question of whether customers would turn up, and whether there would be anything for them to buy (with chassis availabilty and unprecedented demand causing unheard-of delivery times on many models). Many in the trade had openly questioned why the show was still going ahead… But go ahead the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show did – and in considerable style. There were major launches, such as Coachman’s very first motorhome (the Swedish-built Travel…

Thor and Winnebago reveal all-electric concepts The US parent company of the Erwin Hymer Group (EHG), Thor Industries, has revealed two all-electric concept leisure vehicles – one motorhome and one caravan. In addition, American RV manufacturer, Winnebago, has also shown its all-electric motorhome. While the models are still at concept stage, they highlight the path Thor, the world’s largest motorhome manufacturing group, and Winnebago are taking. With Thor, this is one of developing its own all-electric models in partnership with a specialist chassis developer, rather than relying on the likes of Fiat or Ford to develop and launch an electric base vehicle for it to convert. Concepts are generally revealed to gauge the public’s reaction and to make a statement of technologies that future production models will feature. While some…

Special feature A-class top tips A big decision Choosing an A-class motorhome will require a substantial outlay, even if you’re going for a pre-owned model, so here are our top tips on how to find the right one… HYMER pretty much invented the European A-class – incredibly, its first fully integrated motorhome appeared in 1972. In the UK, we were slow to catch on to this type of vehicle, but both Hymer and Pilote A-class models went on sale here in the mid-1980s. Since then, some brands have dipped in and out of the sector and, today, the only mainstream British A-class is from Auto-Trail (which can draw on the experience of its parent company, Trigano). Because so much extra design and engineering is involved in building an A-class, it’s…

New ’vans Auto-Trail Grande Frontier GF-88 Auto-Trail Grande Frontier GF-88 It’s very big and very British – and the flagship of the only mainstream A-class range made in the UK REALLY big – nine-metre – motorhomes are not as popular as they once were, if you discount the rise and rise of liner makers such as Morelo, which are in a different league and can attribute much of their success to the German market. Auto-Trail’s Chieftain tagaxle coachbuilt was, in years gone by, one of its top sellers – so much so that you can still find plenty of used examples on dealer forecourts but, while the Chieftain is no longer part of the Auto-Trail line-up, the Grimsby firm does still have a following for these super-sized coachbuilts. So, when…

Looking to buy a motorhome? Be inspired by the very best motorhome reviews in What Motorhome. Every issue is packed with more motorhome and campervan reviews than any other magazine. It also includes expert buying guides, special themed issues and advice on insurance, accessories and more. When you subscribe to the paper version of What Motorhome, you’ll enjoy all of these great benefits: • FREE day visitor entry to the Yorkshire Motorhome & Campervan Show & savings on day visitor entry to all other Warners shows • SAVE £5 on each show when you pre-book as a rallier at all Warners shows • SAVE money on the cover price • Get FREE delivery direct to your door – BEFORE it goes on-sale in the shops • PROTECTION against cover price increases…

Buying advice Vango Kela V Air Tall With its headquarters in Glasgow, Vango is a Scottish company that was established in 1966. It makes camping equipment for all occasions, from family holidays through to mountaineering expeditions. The brand likes to be at the forefront of innovation and has even sent a tent into space! Once, we pitched a Vango driveaway awning behind a light aircraft to see what would happen when the plane took off… The awning stayed put. Featured here is the Kela V Air Tall, which is an inflatable driveaway awning. It has a tunnel design with a door on either side for easy access to the front or rear of your ’van. In addition to windows on the sides, there’s also one on the roof for stargazing,…

This month ID Buzz is VW’s new electric Bulli Over 70 years ago, Volkswagen introduced its Bulli – the splitty or T1 – to the world. It became a massive hit and the base for hundreds of thousands of campervans around the world. Now VW has launched its ID Buzz, taking retro design elements of the original and combining them with fully electric drive, in either van or people-carrier forms. The ID Buzz Cargo is the van version, which offers two or three cab seats and sliding doors on one or both sides. It has a wheelbase similar to the current T6.1 Transporter but is shorter overall, at 4.71m. It is also 81mm wider. The ID Buzz was first shown in concept form nearly five years ago; now its launch…

This month NEW HYBRID CAMPERVAN LAUNCHED With electric campervans still suffering from reduced range compared with diesel-fuelled vehicles, CampervanCo has come up with a hybrid model offering electric motoring, yet retaining the flexibility of a petrol engine for longer distances. Its new Evolution PHEV, produced under the Eco Campers brand, will offer up to 26 miles on an electric charge but also has a 1-litre Eco Boost range extender engine. It is based on the plug-in hybrid version of the Ford Transit Custom, which we reviewed in the November 2020 edition. The new campervan also has lightweight, modular kitchen units to improve the vehicle’s efficiency, enhanced insulation for superior heat retention, plus an induction hob, an elevating roof and optional WiFi system. The vehicle is fitted with 1,000W solar panels that…

New ’vans Carado I338 Edition15 Carado I338 Edition 15 Hey good lookin’! Previous Carado A-classes were great value but lacked style – not any more… THE first Carado motorhomes rolled out of the factory in Neustadt, not far from the historic city of Dresden, in 2006, so a decade-and-a-half on, the Edition15 (note no gap, which no doubt pleased some marketing guru but will incense magazine editors) arrived to celebrate the 15th anniversary – in the, err, 2022 model year. It’s the same factory – called Capron – that produces Sunlight motorhomes for Dethleffs and it has built up an enviable reputation for durable, practical ’vans. Back in the December 2007 issue, though, this was an unknown brand and the first model to grace these pages was a Ford-based low-profile that…

Buying advice Awning buyers’ guide The best way to increase your campsite real estate is with an awning. With a huge choice of brands and types, we take a look at some of the models available… Words Geneve Brand Once you’ve bought a campervan or motorhome, you will need to invest in a whole array of camping accessories, from cups and cutlery to an electric hook-up lead and levelling blocks. However, the most expensive thing you’ll buy will probably be an awning, so it’s important to get it right. There’s a lot to consider, so let’s take a look at some of the basics… Firstly, you need to think about how you’re going to use it. Like campervans and motorhomes, they come in many sizes and layouts, ranging from basic…

Isabella Levo Cosy Corner The story of how Isabella came about is a tale as old as the hills. Back in 1957, Danish-born Søren Odgaard needed a tent, but couldn’t find what he was looking for, so he designed and built his own in his basement. Of course, he didn’t stop at one and, when caravanning became popular in the 1960s, the brand moved into awnings. Isabella is, of course, renowned for its caravan awnings today, so it makes sense that it now includes motorhome and campervan awnings in its range, too. Featured here is the Levo Cosy Corner, which offers something unique, as it’s a cross between an open awning, a shelter and a windbreak and offers the benefits of all these things. It’s quick to put up, as…

Outdoor Revolution Sportlite Air 320L Based in Yorkshire, Outdoor Revolution has been designing camping accessories for over 13 years. It specialises in family tents and awnings, as well as offering everything you’ll need to deck them out, from furniture and camp beds to lighting and storage units. We’ve tested plenty of its products over the years and have always been pleased with them. Featured here is the Sportlite Air 320L, which is a fixed inflatable awning with a single inflation point so that it’s easy to put up. However, it has two deflation points for a faster pack-up. It’s designed as a porch, so it offers myriad uses, from somewhere to sit out of the elements to a place to store bicycles or dry off wet coats, for example. It…

Buying advice Easy Camp Wimberly If you’re wondering who Easy Camp is, we’re going to let you in on a little trade secret… It’s actually a sister company of Outwell (part of Oase Outdoors). The Easy Camp brand was launched to appeal to a younger audience with limited camping experience and on a tighter budget. That means Easy Camp sits below Outwell in the family hierarchy, but don’t be mistaken in thinking its products are inferior. Less technical and featuring fewer bells and whistles, perhaps, but the quality is still there. Featured here is the Wimberly, which is a glass-fibre poled driveaway awning. At the front, there’s a large roll-back door for access with a canopy above, which not only keeps the entrance to the awning nice and dry but…

Buying advice Peer-to-peer hire Hire education (Part 2) Last month we looked at how to hire out your own ’van, this month we consider peer-to-peer rental from the hirer’s perspective Words Sophie Bromley Goboony Following on from last month’s special feature, this time we’re looking at the peer-to-peer hire market from the other side – as a renter. There are certainly potential financial benefits in hiring out your motorhome, as we discovered in Part 1 of this feature, but why would you go for peer-to-peer rental when planning your holidays? One aspect is the still-growing demand for motorhome hire and staycation holidays, resulting in many motorhome hire companies struggling to meet the demand. Not only that, but private owners offering their vehicles through rental agencies are providing holidaymakers with more choice,…