New ’vans the latest from the forecourts and the factories
NEC numbers up, but Swift backs out
Swift has decided not to exhibit at the NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show in February, although there will be some Swift vehicles on display on dealership stands.
The company, one of the UK’s largest motorhome manufacturers, says it will rely instead on dealer events and its online Swift Live platform, which it says has been “incredibly successful”.
In a statement, the company said, “The attitude in our market regarding digital has shifted. We acknowledge that industry shows, including the February NEC exhibition, have played their part in Swift’s success. However, in light of the evolution in consumer behaviour, we have made a careful decision to reduce our presence at industry shows in the coming year.”
And as for the future, it adds, “We recognise there is a place for this type of event and we aim to accommodate those consumers for whom a visit to an exhibition forms an integral part in their buying journey and experience.”
Swift made its decision in the same week the show’s organisers revealed that 26,000 tickets have already been sold for the event, 10 times the number usually sold at this stage.
NCC Events chief executive John
Lally said this was a sign of pent-up demand: “We know that not only are there a lot of new buyers coming in, but many of the core market have held off upgrading their outfit.”
Monza is Swift’s first campervan
Swift is breaking into producing campervans for the first time, with the new Monza.
Based on a Ford Tourneo Custom, the vehicle, which starts at £58,395 OTR, is the latest beneficiary of Swift’s new digital approach to marketing, with an online launch last November.
The ’van has five travel seats, including three across the rear rock and roll bench, and four berths. The kitchen includes a 42-litre fridge and two-burner hob. External BBQ and shower points are fitted as standard.
You get a 2.2kW Eberspächer heater, a 100W solar panel, and a Dometic portable toilet with storage space.
The cab features a DAB radio with a nine-inch touchscreen and Apple Car Play/Android Auto/Bluetooth connectivity, with controls on the leather steering wheel. There’s also cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera.
’Van life grows in popularity
More than one in 10 Britons (13%) would like to sell their home and take to life in a campervan on the road, a new survey has suggested.
The survey, carried out by Sterling Insurance, which has just launched a new ‘van life’ policy, also found that although 64% of respondents felt such a lifestyle has been glamorised by the media, 41% had changed their opinion of campervans since the pandemic started. Some 68% now plan to take a campervan holiday in the next 12 months, and 37% say they would like to buy their own campervan.
Sterling interviewed 750 people who either owned or had rented a campervan, in early October.