by Holly Tribe
Does your towcar double up as a vehicle that’s capable of some serious off-road adventuring? Ever wondered what it would be like to wander beyond the confines a caravan park with your ‘van in tow? Well, we have something that may be of interest.
Click here to see photos of the Innovan being put to the test
Australia has a thriving 4×4 scene and our antipodean cousins are well known for their love of the outdoors; combining these two passions, a pioneering company based in Queensland has come up with a hardcore off-road caravan called the XC Innovan.
Innovan torture test
The first prototype was built in 2005 and its makers have taken great delight in putting the van through some extreme off-road tests. Pushing it to maximum speeds over rough dirt tracks they claim the rig came through ‘no worries!’
But a true off-road vehicle should be able to handle extreme wet weather conditions – so how did the Innovan fare with a river crossing? Adjusting the suspension before traversing a local river gave the ‘van around half a metre of ground clearance, and although the firm admitted the external storage box did fill up with water, the cabin itself remained bone dry (pictured).
Pitching
After pitching up in a secluded corner of the world, adventurers are free to raise the solid sides of the caravan – increasing the internal space to around 5,000 litres. This includes space for two single berths, which can be converted into a comfortable queen-size, and room up front for a couple of bicycles; handy if you fancy a spot of mountain biking before dinner!
The new and improved XC caravan went on sale in 2009 and there are four models available: the Adventurer, the Crusader the Rover and the Voyager, each built using a light fibreglass sandwich construction system making them strong, light, durable and well insulated.
Kit list
Basic kit includes: heavy duty off-road shock absorbers, mechanical disc brakes, 6 stud 15 inch wheels, off-road coupling with hand brake, self-raising storage beds with internal storage and 12v electrics. Other available features include 85 litre fridge/freezer, toilet, shower, internal and external kitchen and prep areas, and there’s even designated solar panel housing built in.
For more information head to http://www.innovan.com.au/index.php Ever thought of using a caravan as an all terrain vehicle?
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