What Motorhome September 2023

This time of year is both exciting and exhausting in the motorhome world. All over Europe, manufacturers are readying their new products to reveal to the press and dealers, before launching them to the public at the Caravan Salon Düsseldorf at the end of August (then, in the UK, at the NEC in October). But, with continuing delays concerning chassis deliveries, this year was never going to be one of wholesale revision of ranges. That’s not to say there aren’t some exciting new ’vans coming this way. Ever innovative, the French firm, Chausson, has expanded its ‘X’ range of campervan/motorhome crossovers to include a second model with a garage (the X650, above). And there are newcomers in every sector, from Adria’s Active Duo and Active Pro pop-top campers to the…

The 200,000th VW California campervan has just been produced at Volkswagen’s Hanover factory in Germany. The specific model which marked this milestone features 4Motion all-wheel drive and a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox, two-tone paint finish (Reflex Silver and Fortuna Red), and an electric pop-up roof with red canvas. California production moved in-house at VW in 2004 with the advent of the T5 Transporter; prior to that (from 1988), around 61,000 California campers had already been built by Westfalia on the T3 and T4-generation vans. In the first year of Volkswagen manufacturing the California itself, 2,104 vehicles left the assembly line, built by around 35 employees. The location has grown continuously in size over the years and, as the model has progressed from T5, through T6, to T6.1 versions, production has…

AT last February’s NEC show, Adria previewed the Active Duo, a model which is well established on the Continent. This Renault Trafic short-wheelbase pop-top camper has since seen further refinement for the UK market and the first examples are already appearing on dealer forecourts here. Significantly, Adria delayed British sales so that we would get the very latest version of the Trafic, with new lights, bumper, etc, externally and a new dashboard design (à la Captur, Kadjar) and improved multimedia. Crucially, Renault has stated that the van will now remain unchanged until 2027 – a clear advantage over Ford and VW which are in the throws of being replaced by new models. The Active Duo enters a busy sector for side kitchen campervans but it’s not just a run-of-the-mill design.…

CARADO, Hymer’s budget brand, broke with tradition by revealing its 2024 range super-early this year, but, as part of our special new model issue, here’s a recap of the news from the Capron factory. Months ahead of its rivals, Carado confirmed that the UK will be getting three all-new Ford Transit-based low-profile coachbuilts for the forthcoming season. The trio of Transit-based low-profiles – the T338, T447 and T449 – all carry the Edition24 moniker and are based on the 130PS Ford as standard (although standard-spec versions of the T338 and T447 continue on the Fiat Ducato). EDITION24 The shortest of the new Edition24 trio, the 6.99m-long T338, has twin rear single beds above a garage, with an optional drop-down bed above the lounge providing a further two berths. The layout also…

CARTHAGO has revealed its new C-tourer 145 RB LE in either low-profile (T) or A-class (I) versions for 2024. The addition of these new models brings the total number of variants now available from this premium brand to 60, across five A-class ranges and two low-profile line-ups. Other than the arrival of the 145 RB LE and the addition of a new Superior special edition, Carthago is leaving the rest of its line-up largely unchanged. FIAT OR MERCEDES Both versions of the new C-tourer 145 RB LE are available on either a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or a Fiat Ducato cab, coupled to an Al-Ko chassis. Two different engines are available in each: 140 or 180bhp for the Ducato and 150 or 170bhp for the Sprinter, as well as the choice of…

WITH chassis availability still causing issues, and seemingly having spread from Fiat to Ford, there has been further reduction of the main Chausson portfolio, but that doesn’t mean that there’s a lack of excitement from this part of the Trigano Group. The company describes 2024 as “the year of flexibility.” First, though, let’s focus on the bread and butter of the range – the Ford-based Titanium Ultimate low-profiles. For 2024, the slimmed down line-up consists of the 640 (large front lounge, rear garage and XL washroom), 777 (single beds) and 788 (island bed). All three get the 170PS Ford motor and six-speed automatic gearbox. Gone are the one-of-a-kind 660 and the flexible family ’van, the 720, but extending the range is a lower-spec version of the established 650 layout –…