Every year manufacturers launch their new collection for the following camping and touring season; sometimes an entire brand new model range is introduced, a new layout to an existing model range, or modifications, new gadgetry and new upholstery to update and refresh existing line-ups. Here are the pick of last season’s new ve
CAMPERVANS & COMPACT LEISURE VEHICLES
Auto-Trail Expedition 67
Manufactured: UK | www.auto-trail.co.uk
The Expedition has to feature here as one of the best new motorhomes of last year. Why? The price. For less than £37k, you’ve a four-berth van that looks the part liveried in black and has everything motorhomes twice the price have, including a kitchen with full oven, and a washroom with shower and WC. This is easily the budget vehicle of the past season.
Hymer Free 540 BlueEvolution
Manufactured: Germany | www.hymer.com
At only 5.41m long, you’ll easily be able to make this a day van for the school run (and who wouldn’t want to arrive at school in such a cool-looking vehicle) and an adventure van for the weekend. The BlueEvolution – with Storm Blue metallic exterior and sporty black alloy rims, grill and pop-top roof – is a new special edition vehicle based on Hymer’s already existing tried/tested 540 camper. ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear seats help to make this a great family van.
Wellhouse Vivaro Blighty
Manufactured: UK | www.wellhouseleisure.com
In times when it has never been more important to support the UK economy, here we have an all-British campervan. The base vehicle for the Wellhouse Vauxhall Vivaro Blighty, to give it its full title, is made at the Vauxhall plant in Luton while the camper conversion is carried out at Wellhouse Leisure in Yorkshire. At only 4.95m-long, it’s compact enough to be an all-rounder for daily use and exciting camping trips, too. Conversions include a sliding rear seat that creates a double bed, small kitchen with fridge, sink and hob plus elevating roof and solar panel.
Revolution Campervans Noah
Manufactured: UK | www.revolutioncampers.co.uk
A new name in VW campervan conversions last year, Revolution Campervans has been set up in Northamptonshire by two brothers already experienced in the field. Campers can be converted using brand new or pre-owned Volkswagen vehicles, the latter allowing the overall cost to be brought down to widen the appeal. There are currently three models but The Noah is our pick for its six seats, allowing larger families or friends and family to head out. It’s also pretty cool for having a projector to screen films on the pop-up roof’s front canopy!
CARAVANS
Knaus North Star Selection 650 UDF
Manufacturer: Knaus | Manufactured: Germany | www.knaus.com/en-uk/
A true all-year-round caravan that’s fully winterised with comprehensive insulation and ALDE underfloor heating designed to Swedish standards. There are three layouts available; we’ve picked the North Star Selection 650 UDF, with a whopping 8 berths (useful once the ‘rule of six’ and lockdown ends) and a fabulous U-shaped lounge up front.
Adria Adora Isonzo
Manufactured: Slovenia | www.adria.co.uk
What a great layout for couples. The Adora, Adria’s most popular touring caravan, has been completely revamped for 2021. Think contemporary, Continental styling. The range has already featured in several of our recent magazine issues, but it’s mostly been the family-sized Sava that has been mentioned. Here, we pick out the Isonzo; it’s a four-berth, if you make the front lounge up into a double, otherwise couples can luxuriate in the transverse double bed in its own bedroom with full-width rear washroom.
Elddis Crusader Borealis
Manufactured: UK | www.elddis.co.uk
Crusader is the upmarket range from brand Elddis and, wow, do its looks grab you from afar! For paying a bit extra you’ve lost the white box-look of a traditional tourer and gained modish grey exterior sidewalls with a curvaceous front panel dominated by a large window. There are five layouts to the Crusader range, all four-berth, and the Borealis, new for 2021, is the only one to feature an L-shaped front lounge (all the others have parallel seating). It’s right on trend for that, along with a wide-screen TV on the side wall, making a really cosy living area. Also on trend, for upmarket vans at least, is the longitudinal island bed in its own boudoir at the rear – with a Hypnos mattress for added comfort.
Coachman Lusso
Manufactured: UK | www.coachman.co.uk
Specialist caravan manufacturer Coachman has taken caravanning to a whole new level with the brand new LUSSO, which was only launched in October 2020. There’s just one layout available – a four berth that, realistically, is a couple’s van. It has a transverse island bed behind which is a full-width washroom. The front lounge is wraparound like a cosy booth. But it’s the quality of the furnishings, the fixtures and fittings that sets it apart.
MOTORHOMES
Majestic 150 (dealership special edition)
Manufactured: UK | www.marquisleisure.co.uk
Based upon the 4-berth Elddis Autoquest 150, manufactured in County Durham by Erwin Hymer UK, this fixed rear-island-bed motorhome is added to the very popular Majestic brand from nationwide dealership Marquis Leisure. Exclusive to the dealership as an entry-level range, the dealership special includes numerous features and specifications as standard that would otherwise be regarded as extra, such as solar panel, Thatcham alarm and GPS tracker, a year’s free insurance and exclusive upholstery with ActivCare wipe-clean soft furnishings. It means you get fantastic value for money.
Malibu Generation M I490LE
Manufactured: Germany | www.malibu-carthago.com/en/
Possibly our favourite of all new motorhomes launched last year is the Malibu Generation M. What was once a ‘budget’ brand of Carthago, is now more superior and stylish than its original concept, having been totally redevised, rebranded and relaunched this year. All look sleek on the outside and simply beautiful on the inside. Our pick is the I490LE, a couple’s A-Class (integrated) with high beds at the rear – leaving space for a decent-sized garage beneath – separate shower and washroom and a practical living area with a whopper of a widescreen TV.
Rapido Serie C56
Manufactured: France | www.rapido-motorhome.co.uk
French manufacturer Rapido brought out a line-up of low-profile coachbuilt motorhomes last year the Serie C. There are three layouts available and our choice is the C56 – it packs a lot into a van that’s less than 6-metres long, including a longitudinal double bed with washroom adjacent, and a cosy L-shaped lounge that will seat five once the cab chairs have been rotated. There’s all sorts of stylish goodies, too, including a panoramic skyroof above the lounge and laminated glass with a UV coating and in-built black-out blinds for night-time comfort.
Bailey Adamo 75-4I
Manufactured: UK | www.baileyofbristol.co.uk
The Adamo utilises the Ford Transit chassis for the first time by Bristol-based manufacturer, Bailey. We’ve selected the 75-4I from the three-layout line-up, for its beautiful rear boudoir bedroom that encompasses a longitudinal island bed with wardrobes and shelving either side plus a wraparound washroom. The front lounge has parallel sofa-style seating for a spacious feel.
