by Damien Sharkov
It has been 17 years since the Subaru Outback first tumbled its way to dealerships in Europe in 1996 and with each subsequent incarnation it has managed to take a more than noteworthy portion of the towcar market.
Now the Japanese giants seem keen to propel the vehicle to new heights as they introduce a ‘crossover’ philosophy to the Outback, which sees the manufacturer blend easy handling and a family-friendly interior with a robust exterior.
The most noteworthy additions to the 2014 Outback are the Diesel engine combined with the continuous variable transmission system.
All this is done in an attempt to perfect the smoothness of the ride on any terrain. It is not merely the visage of the 2014 Outback that smacks more than a little of Colin McRae’s Impreza, as Subaru do pull out all the stops to make sure the new SUV has plenty of brawn for when it ventures outside the city.
The new engine and gearbox are also designed to provide optimum energy consumption and minimal CO2 emissions.
With that in mind, Subaru claims the 2014 Outback will return 44.8 mpg and emit just 166g/km CO2 on the combined cycle.
The new Outback provides Subaru’s characteristic low centre of gravity.
Still the SUV is not to be taken as an exercise in pure towcar muscle as it promises a family friendly interior, seating up to five passengers, as well as carrying enough gadgetry to satisfy everyday urban needs.
Features include dual-zone automatic air-conditioning, a Bluetooth hands-free system, a premium audio system with USB connectivity and a VGA centre display with rear vision camera – perfect for hitching up with ease.
The new Outback has a maximum luggage space of 526 litres and will be available in two new colours – Deep Sea Blue Pearl and Dark Grey Metallic.
No word yet has been given on the 2014 Outback’s weight, but it is expected Subaru has produced a better turnover than its predecessor, which had a maximum towing capability of 1,225kgs and boasted a kerb weight of 1,553kgs.
The 2014 Subaru Outback will go on sale this November with prices starting from £29,995.
Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes
VIDEO: First look inside the 2014 Swift Challenger SE and Sterling Eccles SE
by Chris Jefferies
Last year, the ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/swift/swift-challenger-se/">Swift Challenger SE and Sterling Eccles SE were launched to great acclaim, bringing plenty of premium specification such as Alde central heating to the mid-level market.
In fact the Challenger in particular was so successful that it won the much-coveted CaravanTimes Caravan of the Year award.
So how would Swift improve on this winning formula for the 2014 season? In this video we find out.
Gary O’Brien from Swift Group talks us through the key improvements, from the Duvalay memory foam mattress to the new L-shaped layout that’s being introduced.
For full details of the new Swift Challenger SE range click here.
We also hear more about Swift’s new ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/swift/smart-construction.htm">Smart Construction system, which underpins every new caravan being built for 2014.
And Gary tells us about the new interior design on the Sterling Eccles SE range, which draws on the company’s first concept caravan, the Colour Concept, for inspiration.
Melanie Sykes confirmed to open NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show
by Chris Jefferies
TV personality, model, and all-round Northern lass, Melanie Sykes will officially open the 2013 NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show, it has been confirmed.
The show opening will take place at the Birmingham NEC on Tuesday 15 October, with Mel due to give an opening speech at 10:15am in The Expert’s Advice and Cookery Theatre in Hall 9.
Melanie rose to fame in the 1990s as the face of Boddingtons Brewery, starring in a series of hilarious TV adverts.
These days, she is better known as the presenter of ITV chat shows ‘Today with Des and Mel’ and ‘Let’s do Lunch with Gino and Mel’.
Her passion for caravanning stems back to her childhood family holidays, and she has recently toured across America in a motorhome.
“I have some golden memories of caravan holidays from my childhood,” Mel said. “It was a time when the family all got together to relax and have fun; playing sports on the beach, climbing trees and building sandcastles.
“Now I am looking forward to enjoying those experiences again with my own children.”
Mel is also a keen fan of outdoor pursuits – she took up competitive shooting in 2012 and trains three times a week with Olympic Gold medallist Peter Wilson MBE.
But for all her exploits and anecdotes, we at CaravanTimes remember Mel most fondly as the no-nonsense Northern gal from the Boddies ads.
To relive one of Mel’s finest Boddington’s adverts, click on the video below:
Other celebrity appearances scheduled for the show include TV chef Ed Baines, who will be sharing his top tips for creating amazing al fresco meals.
Advance tickets for the NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show are on sale now, with prices starting at just £8 for adults and £7 for seniors (including parking), while under 16s can come along for free.
Specialised Covers talks Bailey Australia and off-road towing
by Chris Jefferies
Earlier this week, when ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/bailey/">Bailey of Bristol announced the results of their latest Australian off-road towing test, some of our more eagle-eyed readers may have spotted one key detail.
The caravans in question were all sporting a towing protector to defend the nose-end against dirt, stones and general debris.
Towing protectors are becoming increasingly popular, not just in Australia, but in the UK as well, and this particular cover was made by Yorkshire based firm ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/specialised-covers/">Specialised Covers.
The company has been working on tailored storage covers for caravans for many years, but the towing cover is a newer development.
Elliot Long, Managing Director of Specialised Covers, explains that the company’s top of the range product, the Tow Pro Elite, was designed with Australian Outback conditions specifically in mind.
“It’s doing the job we intended it to do. Bailey Australia was the driving force to help us redesign our new product, and it’s really taken off over there.
“The Tow Pro Elite is now standard spec in Australia, as many caravanners will tow for 5,000km and they need a product that can withstand anything the elements throw at them, from hailstones to extreme UV and loose rocks.”
Even if your average towing journey is a little less dramatic, then a towing cover could still prove to be a very savvy investment.
“We all know how expensive those windows are to replace, the cost of a cover in comparison is negligible,” Elliot explains.
“When customers use these covers on their caravans, the dealers tell us that when it comes to part-exchange they’re not knocking off £1,000 for towing damage anymore; they’re paying for themselves and more.”
Caravan Santa Claus rescues Ed Sheeran after karaoke accident
by Damien Sharkov
Homegrown music talent, turned global superstar, Ed Sheeran may be jet-setting across the world with the likes of Taylor Swift now, but the Suffolk local boy does not seem to be above a good caravan party.
While on tour in the United States the Lego House singer decided to let his hair down for an evening and went about exploring the nearest caravan park.
“I was in a trailer park in Tennessee called Santa’s Pub and it was a karaoke caravan,” shared Sheeran.
Always happy to flaunt the talents that have won him two BRIT awards, among countless other accolades, he sang and partied unto the early hours of the morning. Slowly he began to feel a little queasy, however.
“I looked down at my shoes and they were covered in blood and the floor was covered in blood,” said Sheeran, who quickly discovered a giant piece of glass protruding from his hand.
“I cut it drumming with beer bottles,” explains the singer, as he was tended to by the white bearded owner of the caravan establishment – affectionately referred to as Santa.
“Santa obviously sees it all the time so he just pulls it out and wraps it up and we carried on drinking,” added Sheeran.
Ed has three dates left as he wraps up his tour of the US, after which he will take to the studio to record his sophomore album.
He admits he has no plans of making a permanent stateside move, despite his house renovation not exactly nearing completion.
“I bought a house in England and it’s being done up. It was falling apart and now it’s half falling apart,” laughs Ed.
We at CaravanTimes could always recommend a few excellent caravan parks in Suffolk, should he come down with a bout of homesickness.
Caravan Club to host ‘Your Club in Your Region’ event in Luton
by Tom Walsh
Members of the Northern Home Counties Region of the The Caravan Club are being invited to a special event held by the organisation.
The ‘Your Club in Your Region’ talk will be held at the Holiday Inn Luton South (junction nine of the M1) on 5 October between 1pm and 4pm.
It will give members the opportunity to share their views and ask questions to Club officials who will be on hand to talk about all things caravan.
The event is designed to make members to feel even more welcome in the organisation and follows on from a successful ‘Meet the Members’ weekend held at the Burford Club in June.
Both the Caravan Club executive and regional council representatives attended the summer bash and gave members the opportunity to voice their opinions.
A full variety of refreshments will be on offer and For more information on the Luton event visit ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="http://northernhomecountiesregion.info" target="_blank">northernhomecountiesregion.info.
Caravans in Festival of Thrift are a ‘roaring success’
by Damien Sharkov
When Wayne Hemingway speaks about trends, and he does so often, there is a quality about him that captures the attention.
Perhaps there is something in his voice which betrays the fact his fashion label spent 21 consecutive seasons on the catwalks of London Fashion Week, or perhaps it is his appearance that conveys him as the champion of vintage style.
Either way he has been talking about caravans recently, in senses both literal and figurative and we cannot help but listen.
“Caravans, camper vans and thrift are natural bedfellows,” Wayne tells CaravanTimes, “and at the inaugural Festival of Thrift they consummated this relationship.”
As we reported the Festival of Thrift, Wayne’s attempt at organising a celebration of thrift parallel in magnitude iconic status to what festivals like are Glastonbury to music, featured a huge caravan element.
Dragon’s Den star Max McMurdo upcycled a caravan from scratch in two days, while famished festival-goers were treated to a smorgasboard of options from five classic campervans transformed into pop up boutique restaurants – known as Bistro du vans.
Both, Wayne tells us, were a “roaring success”.
“Vans and caravans were to be found all across the Festival of Thrift site – from proud owners of VW campers (including the Little Artivan showing off their handiwork in the vintage car area), to itinerant campervan caterers Lulabelles, to the five extraordinary renovated vans which became restaurants for the weekend,” festival director Stella Hall adds.
Wayne and company will be heading down to London next, as he has lined up a chain of vintage caravans to serve as stalls for all kinds of thrifty goodness on the banks of the Thames come 12 October.
Click below for a behind-the-scenes look at the Festival of Thrift:
Walsall woman narrowly escapes caravan fire
by Tom Walsh
A Walsall woman had to look on in horror after a caravan parked on her driveway burst into flames.
The tourer was sat outside the home on Bridge Road in Shelfield when it caught ablaze with fire crews being called to the scene at 03:30am on Sunday (29 September), Express and Star reports.
Flames spread to the semi-detached house causing the window sill and gutters to melt and the woman had to be escorted to safety by emergency crews at the scene.
Steve Palmer, watch commander at Aldridge Fire Station, told the news provider: “This was a serious fire to a caravan that could have engulfed the house had we not responded so quickly.”
Neighbours described the scene as “frightening” and a “bad fire”. The police are currently investigating the incident as a suspected arson attack.
Anyone with any information are being encouraged to come forward and contact the police.
Skegness police to hold meeting to discuss caravan crime
by Tom Walsh
Skegness is a big favourite for holidaymakers but caravanners in the area have recently been blighted by a spate of crimes.
Inspector Andy Morrice, community policing inspector for Skegness, has now set up a meeting with major representatives to discuss what measures should be taken to tackle the problem, Skegness Standard reports.
The meeting, due to take place on 12 November, will bring together the crime prevention and forensic team, the coastal police force, key business owners and caravan park owners in the area.
Inspector Morrice is hoping to establish a caravan watch scheme which will be run by the police to prevent the risk of further criminal activity.
“I am looking to discuss caravan crime, the effects of it and the methods used to break into caravans, what sort of things get stolen and what we can do to prevent this,” the community policing inspector told the news provider.
Caravanning experiences are rarely a one-off, according to study
by Myron Jobson
Everyone has a thing they’ve tried once, didn’t like it, and hid it under the bed, put it at the back of the cupboard or even covered over to remove it from plain sight- that forgotten impulse-bought ukulele for example.
A survey which polled the opinions of 1,000 British adults, conducted by search engine Ask Jeeves, has revealed the things that Britons have tried once and sworn never to do again.
Caravanning appears to be an enduring pastime, with only five per cent vowing never to return to caravan parks.
Holiday camps are slightly less popular with eight percent of the Britons polled deciding once was enough for them.
The survey also showed that different foods left a bad taste, including tripe and Marmite with nearly three in ten and one in four people promising never to put themselves through that awful experience again.
Interestingly, Las Vegas boasts the best statistic, with only one percent claiming they would never return to the Nevada city.
“It would be nice to know why but, as they say: ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’,” a spokesman for Ask Jeeves said.
Bailey of Bristol completes 850-mile off-road Australian towing challenge
by Chris Jefferies
Bailey of Bristol has taken caravan durability testing to the next level by completing an 850-mile off-road towing test.
This is the latest in a series of gruelling tests designed to show off the sturdiness of these caravans and their innovative construction technique.
When the company developed Alu-Tech back in 2009, it set about proving that the new system was fit for purpose by embarking upon an Alpine towing test.
‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="http://www.caravantimes.co.uk/news/industry/bailey-unicorn-passes-gruelling-australian-outback-challenge-$21381513.htm">Two years later, this was followed up by the first Australian test, which saw a Bailey Unicorn towed 3,500 miles across the country, facing temperatures of up to 35 degrees centigrade.
However, critics pointed to the fact that this test took place on sealed roads, and the rugged outback remained untouched.
Third time’s the charm
With this in mind, Bailey has carried out a second Australian test that took on the wild expanse of the Flinders mountain range, north of Adelaide.
This five-day journey was arranged by Bailey Australia and included a range of surfaces from dirt roads to gravel tracks.
The newest additions to the Bailey stable were used, in the form of a Unicorn Series II Cartagena and a ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/bailey/bailey-pegasus-gt65/">Bailey Pegasus GT65 Verona.
These models were built to standard Australian specification, albeit with additional front panel guards that were added to protect the nose-end from debris.
To give a comparison with the local vans, two heavy-duty models supplied by Melbourne-based dealer Regent Caravans joined them on their adventure.
Adrian Van Geelan, Managing Director of Bailey Australia, said: “We knew that Bailey Alu-Tech caravans were tough but I don’t think we really appreciated just how tough they were until we undertook this challenge”.
“It was a great way to demonstrate just what these UK-made caravans were capable of and the fact that they were able to go toe-to-toe with locally-built products clearly demonstrated that they are genuine all-terrain vehicles,” he added.
The full story of the outback towing challenge is due to be broadcast on Australian television before the end of the year.
To get a sneak preview and see the kind of terrain these caravans traversed in their 850-mile journey, click on the video below:
Nissan X-Trail included in worldwide recall of 900,000 cars
by Tom Walsh
One of the most popular caravan towcars is being recalled by its manufacturer as part of a global initiative.
Nissan is ordering the recall of over 900,000 models including the X-Trail, which is a big favourite with caravan owners across the UK.
Toyota is looking for the return of a series of model due to a number of “minor accidents” related to a lever problem which causes the vehicle to shift out of park mode without the driver’s interference.
Nissan stated that the affected models include the Serena, Infiniti M, Lafesta and Fuga made in Japan between 2004 and 2013.
The problem relates to a flaw in the accelerator sensor but the company has maintained that no accidents have been reported. The worst scenario is that the engine could stall.
Toyota is also recalling 615,000 Sienna minivans in the US made during 2004 to 2005 and 2007 to 2009.
Caravan Times Newsletter
Enter your email below to receive regular updates in our Caravan Times Newsletter.