Showroom news
This month, turn to p56 to find out our test team’s verdict on the new Sprite Quattro FB, then on the following pages, we take a first look at major new-season launches, including the Bailey Phoenix 420, Compass Capiro 462, Lunar Quasar 462 and Coachman V
Peter Baber reports on the latest launches at the NEC Show
THE FINAL MODEL in Swift’s new luxury 8ft-wide Elegance Grande range was one of the star attractions at October’s Motorhome and Caravan Show at the NEC. The Elegance Grande 655 – which wasn’t ready to be unveiled at the time of the Swift season launch in July – includes an unusual wall bed that drops down at the rear end of the very large L-shaped front lounge. The 7.98m-long vehicle also has two fixed bunks towards the rear, on the nearside opposite the kitchen, and an end washroom. But the new model wasn’t the only item of interest on the Swift stand. To celebrate the centenary of the Eccles brand, Swift showed off an Eccles model from 1938. The Eccles President has two doors, but no insulation, and only a hand pump to produce cold water from an onboard tank. While it does have 12V lighting, it also has three gas lights, and a canvas and carpet floor covering. The 5.05m-long caravan’s weight, however, isn’t that much different from what it might be today, with an overall mass of 1400kg. Back in 1938, the President would have cost around £335. Eccles was founded by the Riley family father-and-son team in Birmingham in 1919. Endorsed by the likes of famous people including Gracie Fields as caravanning took off in the 1930s, the company then played a key role in supplying vehicles to the war effort in the Second World War. It was sold to Newmarket-based Sprite in the 1960s, when none of the family wanted to continue the business. It eventually became part of Swift, when Swift took over Sprite in 1994. This season, Swift has brought out an extended commemorative range to mark the centenary. Other attractions at the show included the first display at a caravan and motorhome show of motorhome and horsebox supplier Moto-trek’s new Trekaway mini-caravan. The Trekaway was originally designed as something to tow behind a horsebox for those going eventing, but the South Yorkshire company thinks that it could prove attractive to conventional caravanners as well. The 750kg caravan features seating for four that converts into two bunks. Its kitchen has a two-burner hob, storage, and a sink with a manual water pump and water container, as well as a 25-litre waste water tank. There is also a separate toilet room.
You can buy it as a basic shell Classic model for £9598.80, or go for the Excel model for £13,198.80. The latter features the most popular of the van’s many optional extras, including warm air heating, electric water supply and water heater, leisure battery, electric-flush toilet, 42-litre electric fridge and mains hook-up. Other optional extras include a folddown sink (£450), leather upholstery (£414), high-gloss interior in a choice of colours (£594) and a TV and DVD player (£714). Finally, there was also a chance for some of us to dream: the NEC show included the organisers’ idea of the ultimate fantasy towing outfit – an Airstream caravan towed by a £217,000 Lamborghini Urus, which has a 1000bhp, 4.2-litre V8 engine. Overall, some 96,000 people came to the show during the week, and advance ticket sales were 2.5% up on last year.