Compass Corona wins at The Caravan Club’s 2015 Design Awards

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by Jo Subramaniam

Newly relaunched caravan named best Large Family Caravan

Despite only being relaunched last year, the Compass Corona is already making big waves. The 2015 Compass Corona has been named the best Large Family Caravan at The Caravan Club‘s 2015 Design Awards, held during the recently concluded Motorhome & Caravan Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

The Compass Corona 576, which walked (or drove) away with the prize, has been vamped up for 2015 with the addition of the Alde central heating system. The Corona 576 also features a new LCD control with night-time display, heated towel rails, TV points with dedicated locations, and a tilting panoramic rooflight.

The Caravan Club stated that all contenders for the award were rigorously inspected, commenting: ”The panel of independent judges for the Caravan Design Awards follow rigorous scoring checklists and assess everything from sitting comfort, standing headroom, kitchen design, storage, switches, wiring, security, repair and warranty arrangements to general safety… (the Awards) were fiercely fought due to the extremely high standard of all entrants.”

The Compass Corona 576 has a starting price of about £18,000, and doesn’t look like it’s about to slow down any time soon. Did you see the caravan at the 2014 Motorhome & Caravan Show? What did you think?

Isle of Man to decide on future of caravanning

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by Jo Subramaniam

Pros and cons of caravans on island heard by committee

Would extra tourists providing an economic boost outweigh potential damage to nature? That’s the question surrounding the debate over using caravans on the Isle of Man.

The Select Committee of Tynwald on Towed Caravans, which was set up in June this year, is discussing the advantages and disadvantages of using towed caravans on the Island.

The committee will also consider whether or not a new caravan park should be set up on the Isle of Man. New guidelines and common standards for caravan sites and camping pods are also being discussed, which is necessary as there are currently no national policies regarding caravans on the Island.

Current legislation stipulates that anyone wishing to take their caravan onto the Isle of Man must apply for a permit from the Departments of Local Government and the Environment, which seems a bit harsh to us.

But there might be a silver lining to this cloud after all.

Research suggests that a 100-pitch site could draw 8,000 more visitors a year and generate around £500,000 in tax revenue. What’s more, there are some members of the Isle of Man’s Parliament that see the benefits of caravans and are lobbying for their use on the Island. Alex Downie, a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), told Isle Of Man Today that towed caravans are a largely untapped market, adding: ”I think the Isle of Man is a fantastic place for them to come.”

Sadly, not everyone sees it that way, at least not Steve Rodan, Speaker of the House of Keys who describes caravans as congesting, inducing road rage and disfiguring the countryside. He told Isle Of Man Today that caravans should certainly not be allowed on the Island, adding: “I am very sorry to find that we are even talking about encouraging, facilitating, regulating, creating a home for, or in any way contemplating, having the presence of towed caravans.”

He also elaborated on the problems that he thought caravans cause in other parts of the country, commenting: “Anyone who has been in the Scottish Highlands and has ever been stuck behind any of these congesting, road rage inducing, countryside disfiguring vehicles would conclude that a place that is blessedly relatively free of them should be in any way contemplating having them amongst us would think we must be quite literally mad.”

This issue is quite a thinker (obviously not to us though), and the committee has put off making a decision until clearer evidence that caravanning would be beneficial to the Island emerges. There are also concerns that there could be damage to the Island’s environment.

Should towed caravans be allowed on the Isle of Man, or this truly an unfeasible move? What do you think?

Hurricane Gonzalo brings weather warnings for caravanners

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by Jo Subramaniam

Alerts issued in multiple areas

Hurricane Gonzalo may have hit Bermuda last week, but it’s still causing trouble right here in Blighty. Caravanners are among those advised to exercise caution as strong winds and rain are expected to continue in several parts of the country.

Winds of up to 60 mph caused closures in multiple areas including Humber Bridge in Yorkshire and Forth Road Bridge in Fife, with alerts issued in northern England, Northern Ireland, south Scotland and north Wales. Severe weather warnings have been issued in north west England. The Met Office has also said that fallen leaves could further impede travel as they block drains, resulting in flooded roads.

Caravanners in particular are vulnerable to the impact of strong winds as towing can be quite a task during adverse weather conditions. Keep these simple tips in mind if the weather ever does catch you off guard: position the caravan to face the wind, take your awning down, weigh the caravan down with heavy objects, and drive as slowly as possible.

Has your caravan been affected by Hurricane Gonzalo?

Swift starts 2015 season with record-breaking sales

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by Jo Subramaniam

Swift Group sales over £45 million since September

The Swift Group has (excuse the pun) swiftly broken sales records since the start of the 2015 season. Swift has seen over £45 million worth of sales in touring caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes since this September, not the least of which took place at the Motorhome and Caravan Show that ran from 14-19 October.

Commercial Director Nick Page was very pleased with the results, commenting: ”With promising sales and interest early on in the year and a product line-up that we felt was very strong across all market sectors, we were optimistic going into the NEC show but still a little unsure about the level of recovery in the economic market.”

Nick also hinted at what one could expect from Swift next year, adding: ”We are delighted with the results, which show a highly encouraging sign of resurgence in the caravan market, right from entry level to the top of the range. Sales have been so good our order book is full well into next year”.

Swift’s motorhome sales have been 40 per cent higher than last year for all sectors, including the new Kon-tiki range, newly added Fiat cabs and Bolero which have all received Swift’s Black Edition treatment.

Touring caravans have also performed well, with the new Elegance and Continental ranges already requiring extra production to meet growing demand. Sales for the already popular Sprite have gone up 80 per cent, so it doesn’t look like any of these models are going anywhere for a long, long time.

What do you think of the new Swift ranges? Have you recently purchased a Swift caravan or motorhome? Let us know what you think!

A round up of the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014

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by Jo Subramaniam

CaravanTimes‘ take on some of the highlights of Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014

It feels like a cloud of gloom and despair has descended over CaravanTimes Towers, and we’re not talking about Hurricane Gonzalo here either. No, it’s all because the Motorhome & Caravan Show is over. But who are we to just sit there and dwell on the past? We know that you, just like us, can’t resist one last chance to relive everything the show had to offer, so here’s a round up of all the highlights, launches and much much more that wowed us at the NEC in Birmingham this year.

Day one started off with a big bang of futuristic proportions, as Nigel Mansell and Fiona Bruce opened the show alongside the caravan of the future, the Caravisio. That was only the beginning of celebrity appearances at the NEC though, with British Touring Car Champion, Matt Neal, making a special guest appearance, comic genius Rowland Rivron and President of The Camping and Caravanning Club Julia Bradbury all sharing their love of-what else -caravanning!

Product launches throughout the week kept the festivities in full swing, as well as the debut appearance of a new premium motorhome from Elddis, the Encore; promising us sporty looks and improved handling, Elddis certainly delivered in terms of this as well as providing luxury on wheels.

But wait, there’s more! Bailey of Bristol‘s new Approach Autograph and Unicorn models certainly went down well with all who took a look at their spacious layouts, with Bailey offering a lot more space inside the new third generation Unicorns for 2015. It was also quite a moment when we got to interview Mat Neal, three-time British Touring Car champ who, along with teammate, Gordon Shedden, took control of a Bailey Pursuit 550-4 earlier this summer.

And who could have gone to the show without taking a good long look at Swift‘s new 2015 Rio range? With a fully opening rear tailgate and everything you could possibly need, the Rio 320 and 240 left us pretty impressed. We were also excited by Swift’s take on flexible living by way of the S Pod, along with the company’s other offerings including the Espirt, Bolero, Kon-Tiki, Escape and Autocruise motorhomes, as well as new caravan offerings for 2015 including the Challenger Sport and Challenger SE, Conqueror and Elegance.

Those of you who were at the show will be wondering why we haven’t mentioned it yet, but don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten the personal luxury bubble that is the 2015 Flair motorhome from Niesmann + Bischoff.

It wasn’t all fun and games though, the Motorhome & Caravan Show means business. That was certainly proved with the signing of a tri-party agreement by the Highways Agency, The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club. The three organisations pooled their collective focus on road safety and commitment to easy and fun caravanning with the agreement, which included objectives on sharing more information and a closer collaboration to create a better environment for caravanners and motorhomers on the road.

We could go on, but now it’s time to hear what your highlights of the 2014 Motorhome and Caravan Show were. Whether it was simply having a look at what 2015 has in store in the world of motorhomes or caravans, or buying anything from a Specialised Cover to a brand spanking new home on wheels, whatever it is, we want to know!

Phantom engine mapping system designed to increase engine performance and enhance fuel economy

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by Joe Jeffrey

Can your tow car performance and fuel economy be increased with Phantom’s remapping system? CaravanTimes went to find out more

We all know that, when towing a caravan, the weight imposed on your car can cause it to be sluggish and less efficient. Phantom also seems to understand this and claims to have come up with a solution by way of their engine mapping system, claiming to provide more horsepower, as well as better fuel economy.

Phantom’s innovative mapping tool looks to provide more top-end power when it comes to towing and adds more miles to the gallon to boot. Developed specifically for each individual vehicle, this is one engine mapping system that seems to provide the perfect solution for all your towing needs.

CaravanTimes went along to speak to Phantom to find out more. So take a look at our video and let us know what you think. On another note, have you gone down the remapping route and did you notice any improvements? It would be interesting to see what your experience has been.

Setting the record for the fastest way to fit a full caravan cover

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by Joe Jeffrey

CaravanTimes paid a visit to Specialised Covers in West Yorkshire to watch the experts at work and see how easy it can be to fit your own caravan cover

When it comes to caravan covers, we’ve got to admit, we’ve got a bit of a love/hate relationship. Despite the good work caravan covers do in ensuring our caravans are protected from the elements of bad weather, as well as those annoying window chips that can occur when towing on the motorway, we always find them quite cumbersome to fit properly.

The above said, when CaravanTimes were invited along to Specialised Covers in West Yorkshire, we jumped at the chance. “You won’t believe how easy our covers are to fit,” they said. “Bring it on,” we said. Not exactly being the biggest fans of caravan covers, we considered this to be the test of all tests.

Each caravan cover produced by Specialised Covers is tailored to each specific order received and we were very impressed by the process, as well as the pioneering techniques used, but were we impressed with the speed and efficiency in fitting one? Well watch on to find out. We think you’ll be pretty surprised – we certainly were.

New Fiat cabs for all Swift motorhomes for 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

Swift has introduced an all-new Fiat cab for all motorhomes for 2015 and CaravanTimes went to the Swift HQ to find out more

For 2015, Swift has introduced a brand-new Fiat cab to all motorhome ranges.

Said to have been designed to provide more of a presence on the road, Swift’s sleek new cabs with black accents, daytime running lights and much more on the outside certainly look the part, and the new Sky-View skylight at the front adds an abundance of light when required.

New captain-style chairs on the inside were certainly comfortable, with a higher neckline providing a lot more support when driving, and the new automotive dashboard is on hand to provide entertainment via an updated radio and MP3 player with a USB socket for charging those battery-draining smartphones – all providing practicality and comfort to boot. Three-year an-European breakdown cover comes as standard for 2015 too, so it seems like Swift has got everything covered.

Check out the video above and let us know what you think. Is Swift onto something with the new cab for 2015?

Elddis launches NEW Encore live at Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014

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by Joe Jeffrey

Elddis has launched the brand new Encore at the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014 and CaravanTimes was there to take a look at the premium showstopper

Elddis has unveiled its latest offering in what has proven to be a successful motorhome itinerary and CaravanTimes has got the footage to prove it!

Having first heard about the Encore last week, we were slightly surprised to hear that the new luxurious offering would be joining the likes of the Accordo and Autoquest and be shown off alongside its award-winning older siblings at the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014.

The new Elddis Encore is sight to behold in more ways than one and, with a whole host of additional extras coming as standard, it certainly looks like the new motorhome is set to impress.

Coming in two layouts for 2015, the four-berth Encore 255 and two-berth Encore 275 – both of which are built on a Peugeot Tempo Libero low-line chassis providing a sporty look and improved road handling – personify luxury, all at an appealing weight and price.

So check out our video above and let us know what you think. Will you be checking out the Elddis Encore at this year’s Motorhome & Caravan Show?

What to expect at the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014 this weekend

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by Joe Jeffrey

With just two days left to go of the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014, our video roundup provides you with a further insight into the event of the year and reasons to attend this weekend

The Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014 at the Birmingham NEC is certainly well underway and the general consensus here at CaravanTimes is that it’s bigger, bolder and better than ever before.

Don’t just take our word for it though – check out our video and see for yourself what’s in store for you this weekend if you’re thinking of heading along.

From top names in the caravan and motorhome industry, live launches and exciting talks in the Experts’ Theatre, as well as special celebrity guest appearances, the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014 seems to have something for everyone. Oh, and it goes without saying that there’s plenty to see and do when it comes to brand spanking new motorhomes and caravans for 2015 – all under one roof.

So, with just two days to go, if you haven’t got your tickets yet click here. If you’re anything like us, this is most definitely the show for you. Watch our video to find out why.

Design the caravan of tomorrow!

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by Tom Walsh

Residents at a Dorset caravan park are amongst those being challenged to design the caravan of the future in a competition launched and backed by television architect George Clarke

We’ve all seen or heard of the Caravisio by now, but that particular range is purely a concept and looks set to remain so. However, Do you have what it takes to design the caravan of tomorrow? That is the question of a new competition launched in Dorset.

Shorefield Holidays, operator of Swanage Coastal Park Holiday Park, amongst others, is challenging its residents to come up with a design for a new caravan and all entries are welcome, no matter how wacky.

The George Clarke Challenge, backed by the television architect himself, is aimed at finding new innovative ways to reinvent one of the nation’s most beloved holiday vehicles.

Simon Pitman, group head of marketing of Shorefield Holidays, said: “We are always looking for ways to innovate. And selected lodges, for example, offer the latest in technology and comfort including multi-media systems and hot tubs on the deck.”

The final entries will be assessed by a judging panel as well as representatives from the British Holiday & Home Parks Association.

So if you think you’ve got what it takes to create the caravan of tomorrow then get your submissions in by 23 November.

Oh, and you know that Caravisio we spoke about earlier? Well it’s currently at the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014 and available to view. Make sure you’re quick though, as it’s proving to be a popular showstopper at the NEC so we’d advise you to get there pretty early if you’re looking for inspiration!

Niesmann + Bischoff unveil new Flair motorhome

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by Jo Subramaniam

Luxury caravan unveiled at Motorhome and Caravan Show

Niesmann + Bischoff lived up to their reputation for building motorhomes that combine luxury and comfort at the NEC in Birmingham, with the unveiling of the 2015 Flair 920 LF. The German company’s exclusive dealer Travelworld Motorhomes were at the Motorhome and Caravan Show with the shiny new silver motorhomes, and we just couldn’t resist taking a peek and having a bit of a poke round the area. Don’t start hating us just yet, we’re going to tell you everything that we found out.

The 2015 Flair 920 LF can best be described as the ultimate premium liner, according to Travelworld, and feature brand new automotive styling. In fact, units were already beginning to sell like hot cakes at the NEC, so Niesmann + Bischoff have definitely done a lot of things right. Right from the running gear and chassis to the customisable interiors, every element of the 2015 Flair has clearly been given a lot of thought. And in case you’re scared of denting your new luxury liner, the Flair has got you covered. Seven panels manufactured with scratch resistant GRP, including a front and rear mask, make sure that the Flair doesn’t lose any of it’s flair. There’s also an optional rear view camera so you can keep your eyes, and your mind, on the road in front of you at all times.

The interiors of the 2015 Flair can only be described as a personal luxury bubble. Hydraulic lifting technology ensures that doors and shelves operate with minimal noise and maximum convenience, the three layer foam cushions and mattresses feel oh so soft, and the rain shower will leave you wondering whether you ever left home in the first place. And did we mention double sided aluminium coatings on the Flair guarantee that you won’t ever be taken by surprise when it comes to the weather? It’s no wonder we didn’t want to get out of the Flair from the moment we stepped in.

So take a look at the pictures below and you’ll feel like you were with us inside the Flair, at the Motorhome and Caravan Show. And if you were at the show and saw the 2015 Flair 920 LF, tell us what you thought of it.


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes