Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i What Motorhome

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…

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…

THE 180th anniversary of German campervan pioneer, Westfalia, will see a complete relaunch of one of its popular ranges. For 2024, the entire Columbus line of Fiat-based campervans will be given an interior design makeover. The relaunch comes as Westfalia prepares to celebrate 180 years since it was formed in the north German town of Wiedenbrück. Johann Bernhard Knöbel opened a forge on 1 October, 1844, originally building heavy horse-drawn carts to transport goods arriving at the new train station. Transportation is still at the company’s core but technology has moved on somewhat! Westfalia has been converting campervans since the 1950s, with its classic VWs of the 1960s and 70s enjoying iconic status. These days it’s part of the French Rapido Group, building campers at factories in both France and…

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…

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…

ONE of the most radical and innovative novelties of the 2023 launch season was the Knaus Tourer CUV – a compact coachbuilt motorhome with a pop-top roof in the style of a campervan. Now, for 2024, there’s a second layout for this VW T6.1-based vehicle, the 500 LT. Once again, Knaus is calling this model a CUV (Caravanning Utility Vehicle) and says it combines the best of two worlds. With its elevating roof, the Tourer CUV is described as manoeuvrable and compact like a small campervan, with a low overall height that’s less wind resistant, improving fuel economy. But on site, the pop-top gives full standing height of 2.17m, with the roof operated electrically via a remote control, increasing headroom by 70cm. The new 500 LT layout has a total…

RIMOR, part of the Trigano Group, has revealed its 2024 line-up. There are no new layouts, but some significant improvements have been made to its coachbuilts to iron out any problems and respond to customer feedback. The manufacturer says the much-publicised delays in chassis deliveries that have hit the industry are now almost over. It believes Fiat deliveries are now back to normal (except for automatics), while Ford is continuing to deliver, although the facelifted Transit has just been revealed and will come with many optional features as standard, including the larger 12in infotainment screen and electronic handbrake. Chassis deliveries are still slightly lower than normal but are stable enough and of a high enough number for Rimor to plan production for this coming year, the majority – 60% –…

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.…

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 –…

LAIKA, famous for its distinctively Italian design, has revealed its 2024 line-up, topped by a new flagship, the Kreos H 5109. The arrival of this A-class marks the completion of two years of research and development to redesign the entire Kreos range. But that’s not all – Laika also has a completely new Kosmo range for the coming season. ONLY THE BEST The top-of-the-range Kreos H 5109 is based on the Fiat Ducato Heavy with 180bhp engine and automatic gearbox, coupled to an Al-Ko chassis. It is 7.89m long, has an internal height of at least 2.05m throughout, twin single beds measuring 1.95m long, and a garage with 1.29m headroom. Design touches from Laika’s partner, GFG Style (a company founded by Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro, who are famous in the…

PILOTE was the latest marque to add Ford Transit-based low-profile motorhomes to its range when it announced the Atlas at the Stuttgart show in January. Now there’s a second layout in the new line-up and both are confirmed for sale in the UK, with the first examples due here in September. Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Pilote has not built on Ford chassis for many years but its new Atlas range has a distinct style that is a refreshing departure from the rest of its portfolio. Described as being designed for “adventure enthusiasts seeking versatility and practicality in a compact format”, the company sees these models as appealing to campervan customers looking for more space. As such, they are slimmer than a typical coachbuilt motorhome, at 2.19m, and both layouts have…

THERE’S no doubt that the star of Weinsberg’s launch was the new CaraLife 630 LQ – described as “Vanlife by Weinsberg: young, fresh, active – already individual ex-works.” But there’s a big snag – you can’t have it in the UK because, we’re told, “Fiat refuses to sell us any Ducatos in right-hand drive that have a fixed factory bulkhead, as these are designed for professional use.” The CaraLife features exterior design that’s customisable according to customers’ taste. But where it differs from other mainstream campervans is its unusual layout. The transverse bed at the rear looks conventional, but it can also be converted into a sofa and used as a media lounge, or for watching the 32in TV. The bed can also be extended to the front with a…