Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2023 i What Motorhome

The Erwin Hymer Group has placed an order for 6,000 Volkswagen Crafters as part of a new partnership between the companies. The Crafters will be delivered to EHG in the first quarter of 2024. CEO of Erwin Hymer Group, Alexander Leopold, says, “With the Crafter as a base vehicle, we are in an even better position to meet the strong demand for powerful, compact campervans. In addition, we can very well imagine joint projects with our partner, VWCV, in areas such as alternative drive systems.” Lars Krause, of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, adds, “We are delighted to have gained the Erwin Hymer Group as a new partner that will offer its own camping solutions using our vehicles as the basis. We see the Crafter panel van as a benchmark in its…

CARADO, one of the entry-level brands of the Erwin Hymer Group, recently launched a trio of Ford-based coachbuilts and this new T447 Edition24 is expected to become one of the marque’s most-popular models for the coming season. As standard, it is powered by the Transit’s 130bhp turbo-diesel motor, coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox. However, with the option of a 150bhp upgrade and also Ford’s automatic gearbox, it would not be a surprise if the majority of the Edition24s sold here will benefit from this combination. The T447, like its T449 sibling, is 7.36m long and it is a two-berth as standard – courtesy of twin rear single beds, which have new lockers above that can hold up to 25% more than their predecessors. As is often the case, one…

THE idea of a VW Transporter campervan with a rear kitchen and cassette toilet is nothing new but you can trust Lincolnshire-based Knights Custom Conversions to add its own spice to the recipe. This is a converter that’s making its mark with some very appealing high-end campers. Here is its latest model, the Mountain Tourer, which eschews the bodykit and big wheels style for something much more subtle, and very OEM. With VW’s own 17in Davenport alloys, fully flush windows and LED headlights, it’s how a California might look if you could have a long-wheelbase version. Or one with twin sliding doors. Or a rear kitchen. Or a front-hinged pop-top… As usual, Knights uses only the best brands for the components here, so the roof is from Reimo – and…

Dolphin Motorhomes is celebrating its twentieth anniversary with a summer event, which will see a huge display of new and used campervans and motorhomes, plus great savings and offers. It takes place from Friday 14 July to Sunday 16 July at Beaulieu, the home of the National Motor Museum. The event will also see family entertainment and day visitors can attend for free with no booking required, but entry does not include access to the Beaulieu attraction. There will be live music, a dog show and quiz. Refreshments will be provided, as well as the chance to view a full range of new and used motorhomes. Josh Willis, Managing Director, Dolphin Motorhomes, said, “We are pleased to be celebrating Dolphin’s twentieth anniversary at Beaulieu. This year we are focused on…

WHILE some brands are content to offer the predictable island bed and fixed single floorplans, you can count on Chausson to offer something unique. The 720 is unlike anything else in the market – and for those seeking more than two berths (all the time or some of the time), it really is worth a close look. Based on the Ford Transit, it’s spec’d to the hilt in 2023’s Titanium Ultimate guise, with black alloy wheels, 170PS motor, automatic transmission, ESP, Stop&Start, automatic lights and wipers, lane assist and front fog lamps. The body uses Chausson’s IRP construction featuring a 65mm floor and GRP exterior panels, while an awning and solar panel are standard, along with external shower and barbecue fittings. The most important feature outside, however, will be the…

KILIG is Rimor’s latest motorhome range. It’s a comprehensive line-up of both low-profile and, more unusually these days, overcab coachbuilts, ranging from under 6m up to 7.33m. All are based on the Ford Transit chassis with a maximum gross weight of 3,500kg to suit any driver. Being all-new, it’s no surprise to find the inclusion of one of the most popular layouts of recent seasons, as seen in this 67 Plus model. With a generous front lounge, a supersized rear washroom and, crucially, a garage (but without a fixed bed above), this relatively new type of layout ticks a lot of boxes for a large number of customers. Originally developed by French maker, Chausson (like Rimor, a Trigano Group company), it’s a design that’s now offered by a number of…

In the main article we introduced you to Mike Powell from Defaqto, which compares policies across the motorhome insurance market. He sent us a very detailed breakdown of some of his findings, and to reproduce it all would pretty much double the size of this guide! So, in an effort to keep things manageable, here’s a summary. If ever you needed proof that comparing policies is key before you sign up, this is it. NEW MOTORHOME REPLACEMENT COVER Typically only provided subject to the policyholder being the first registered keeper and legal owner of the vehicle. While 10% of products do not provide new vehicle replacement cover, 28% do if the damage is 70% or more of the list price; 62% set the threshold at 60-69%. Meanwhile, 42% of policies…

Laika, the Italian manufacturer of upmarket campervans and motorhomes, has launched a new configurator, offering the possibility of creating your ideal-spec motorhome interactively. Selecting a Laika model takes you to an internal layout of the motorhome, where you can choose your favourite furniture, upholstery and cushions in a few simple clicks, as well as a wide range of accessories and optional extras that will make up your bespoke motorhome. The Laika configurator will show your choices in real time in a simulation of the interior, tailor-made for each vehicle. Through Virtual Tours, you can also have a high-quality, 360-degree view of the living space, so as to perceive every single detail on board. The 3D tours, available for all vehicles in the Laika collection, offer the chance to see the…

THE largest van conversions, based on new Mercedes Sprinters and Volkswagen Crafters, can easily sail past the £100,000 price point these days, putting them way out of reach of many would-be buyers. This is a breed of campervan that’s not often seen secondhand on dealer forecourts, but there is another way to bring prices back down to earth – use a pre-owned panel van that has had a past commercial life. Obviously, you’ll want to ensure that the vehicle you convert still has plenty of life left in it and Blitz Campers encourages its customers to find a good base van before coming to them for the conversion. This long-wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter 313 CDI (with 2.1-litre, 129bhp motor) was over a decade old and has 139k miles on the clock…

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THERE are plenty of VW California owners (and indeed those with other Volkswagen campervans) who look to move up to a bigger ’van, often to have an on-board shower and toilet. Usually, that has meant moving away from the Transporter base vehicle, too, but not any more. Both Weinsberg and sister brand, Knaus, introduced T6.1-based coachbuilts for the 2023 season and each marque offers a choice of layout. The X-Cursion Van 500 MQ has the fixed rear bed floorplan that you’d expect from a continental marque but this 500 LT model is wholly different – and almost looks as if it was designed with the UK market in mind. Like its sister ’van, it is under 6m in length and only 2.16m wide (slim for a coachbuilt motorhome). That’s still…