by Chris Jefferies
When it comes to luxury, the pinnacle of the Elddis range is the Crusader, a name which has stood the test of time for over 35 years.
With competition at this end of the market more fierce than ever, the Elddis Crusader has been given a major redesign, just in time for the 2014 season.
In this video, CaravanTimes catches up with Rob Quine, Managing Director of Elddis, to find out what has changed.
We discuss the new panoramic skyscape sunroof and how it compares to other competitor caravans on the market.
Rob also explains how the introduction of Solid Construction has freed up his creative team to design this bold new look.
Finally, we discuss the three revised layouts and two new transverse bed layouts that will be on show at the 2013 NCC Motorhome & Caravan Show.
Rolls Royce announces plans to design an SUV
by Damien Sharkov
“What would happen if the factory at Derby produced a bad car?”, Sir Henry Royce was once asked. “Madam,” he turned to his host, “The man on the gate would not let it out of the works. ”
It is an anecdote Rolls-Royce owners rejoice in perpetuating as true and in all honesty, it may as well be. There is hyperbole in every industry but it is rare to hear complaints about a Rolls-Royce vehicle.
Indeed, much like caravanning, until not so long ago the brand was associated almost exclusively with the country estates of society’s proverbial crème de la crème.
Yet a Rolls with a caravan in tow has seldom been seen. Of course there are many reasons for this, they are hardly lacking in kerbweight, but the lack of off-road ability and sheer price of the Derby luxury vehicles were largely at fault for that.
It seems, however, that the day when you will see one of Sir Henry’s modern creations pulling a caravan to some quaint corner of the world may be nearing, as Rolls Royce has announced the possibility of building an SUV.
“I have tasked our designers to come up with some ideas on paper how they would imagine our car, the Rolls-Royce, would look like in this segment,” chief executive Torsten Müller-Ötvös said this week.
With luxury car competitors Bentley already having announced plans to have an SUV out by 2016, the diamond encrusted gauntlet has well and truly been thrown down.
Yet Müller-Ötvös acknowledges how absurd the project will sound, considering the lofty reputation Rolls Royce has cultivated since the release of its first model in 1906.
“Rolls-Royce is not sporty, Rolls-Royce is not utility (and) it is not in the genes of this brand,” he admits.
“There is no decision yet made, and we aren’t rushing it, and there is also really no need to enter that segment. It only makes sense if this can be credibly represented by Rolls-Royce,” Müller-Ötvös said.
There is no word yet on when the concept could see the light of day, let alone how many, if any, would be produced. It would take quite a caravan to outshine a Roller towcar though, wouldn’t it?
IAM advises blue badge holders on parking motorhomes
by Tom Walsh
The Institute of Advanced Motoring (IAM) has delivered advice to blue badge holders on parking, that could aid people who are driving motorhomes.
Peter Rodger, chief examiner for IAM, laid out a number of tips to help blue badge users, hoping that this will help people see the benefit of the scheme.
Among the advice he gave was that users stay within the lines of parking bays to allow plenty of space, this is to ensure people have room to get wheelchairs out.
He also suggested that if it is the blue badge user who is being driven and parking spaces are in short supply, that they be dropped off at their destination so that the driver has fewer restrictions on where they can park.
Blue badges are recognised in 29 countries and give holders the same disability rights as citizens within these countries.
These can be useful for people with disabilities who are travelling with their motorhomes as they will not have to struggle as much with their vehicle when they are abroad.
North Runcton site reaches 12-month stay agreement
by Tom Walsh
Caravanners using a North Runcton site will be able to keep their tourers on the land all year round after a new agreement was reached.
West Norfolk planning committee confirmed that members will be able to keep their caravans at North Runcton for 12 months following a dispute over the practice.
Lynn News reported that members had previously been told they could not occupy their caravan between 4 and 31 January every year but would not be forced to move.
The latest amendment to the agreement has caused concern among councillors with James Moriarty questioning how the residence conditions would be policed.
However, King’s Lynn Caravan and Camping Park noted that planning consent for a similar system had been granted at other sites in the area.
The park is set in rural countryside near to the Hardwick roundabout and provides a prime position for visitors to tour Norfolk and the Fens.
The Caravan Club taking bookings for 2014 overseas breaks
by Tom Walsh
Members of the Caravan Club can start planning their 2014 summer holiday as the organisation is beginning to take bookings.
Officials stated that its overseas sites will be reservable for next year from 15 October and there is a treat in store for members.
The Club announced that it now offers 22 newly selected, inspected European sites which feature in the Continent Caravanning brochure.
All of the parks have been given the approval by the Club and is a great opportunity for caravanners and families alike to visit a different part of the world.
Those who book with the Club will be able to take advantage of a number of special offers available on both the new and current sites provided by the organisation.
The Club will be at the upcoming NCC Motorhome & Caravan Show at the NEC in Birmingham handing out brochures, alternatively people can call 01342 316 101 or simply ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/shop-and-offers/overseas-travel/continental-caravanning-2013" target="_blank">order one online.
Land Rover to discontinue legendary Defender model
by Damien Sharkov
Every once in a while a name comes along that is destined for iconic status. The necessary recipe for such an accolade is usually nothing short of the perfect blend of pragmatic practicality and sheer stylistic brilliance.
Britain has produced a handful of memorable automotive icons, among them the mini, E-type Jaguar or James Bond’s own Aston Martin DB5.
All are impressive in their own right, but none are capable enough to outdo the Land Rover Defender in absolute brawny muscle.
The Defender spans a history of seven decades, having carried royals and 007 himself aboard. With new strict emissions regulations, however, it seems the illustrious 4×4 will finally bend to the demands of history, as Land Rover has announced it is to be discontinued.
With this in mind, CaravanTimes would like to take a moment to pay tribute a British icon, as it sings its swan song.
The story of the 4×4 is not unlike James Bond himself as its conception of dates back to World War II as its earliest incarnation was modelled on a World War II Jeep, immediately being drafted into royal service.
The earliest versions of the Defender were used by Her Majesty the Queen on many a foreign visits.
One of the Land Rover Defender’s recent models even joined forces with MI6’s infamous employee on the silver screen in the biggest British blockbuster of all time – Skyfall.
“A grand old warship being ignominiously hauled away for scrap,” laments Q, as a greying, battered Bond scowls through his colleague’s running commentary of Turner’s ubiquitous painting.
“Age is no guarantee of efficiency,” Q adds. “And youth is no guarantee of innovation,” Bond retorts.
Steve Fowler of Auto Express hails the popular car’s “iconic status”. Admitting the Defender also captures “a very important market for Land Rover, one of its three pillars with the Range Rover and the Discovery.”
The Defender has made a name for itself, which is almost synonymous with durability as an estimated two thirds of its two million strong unit production history are still in use today.
Land Rover has announced a replacement for the beloved 4×4 will be introduced in 2016 which will comply with stricter regulations. Its design is to pay close homage to the legendary Defender.
However, if the DC100 concept is anything to go by, the influence of the popular Range Rover will be present in the next regeneration of the Defender.
We do not expect the Land Rover Defender to stay down for long, as it has proven time and time again it is not in its character to bend or break.
Until we are treated to its successor, however, we take a moment to salute its 67 years of towing reliability and off road excellence.
Court orders caravan company boss to pay £2,000 in damages
by Myron Jobson
A caravanning firm boss who cheated customers and an insurance provider, gaining tens of thousands of pounds in the process, has been ordered to pay a measly sum of £2,000.
Plymouth Crown Court concluded that the culprit, Shaun Cole, 46, pocketed £72,740 by fraudulent trading, according to thisisplymouth.com.
The 46-year-old sold caravans and kept the money himself, without informing the owners, and gaining a staggering sum before going bust.
However, the total of his “realisable” assets only amounted to a small percentage of the amount he swindled , at just £2,000.
The boss of the now defunct Plymouth Caravan Centre lied to clients, informing them that their caravan had been sold for a cheaper price, while pocketing the difference himself, the court heard.
He was also found guilty of overcharging customers for vehicle servicing and inflated an insurance claim following damage to 14 caravans.
Last year, Shaun pleaded guilty to 13 charges of fraud between January and October 2007.
He returned to court having recently finished serving a 31-month term in jail.
The court heard last year that vendors and the insurance company lost sums ranging from £561 to almost £11,000.
Cole has been given six months pay the £2,000 sum.
Camping and Caravanning Club to offer towing advice at NEC show
by Myron Jobson
The logistics of towing a caravan can be confusing, but the Camping and Caravanning Club are looking to educate the nation on what can be legally towed within the maximum authorised mass (MAM) of your car.
Drivers who passed their test after 1 January 1997 with an ordinary category B car licence can tow a caravan as long as the combined weight of the MAM of the tow vehicle and unit does not exceed 3,500kg.
Such information will be made available by the club at the hotly anticipated NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show, which is taking place next week from 15 – 20 October at the Birmingham NEC.
The Club will partner with Hyundai – the show’s tow-car provider – to allow drivers to test such a vehicle and caravan combination, using two of Hyundai’s Tourer models.
Towing experts will be on hand to give free 15-minute sessions providing intimate one-to-one tutorials on how to tow a touring caravan safely, efficiently and economically.
Drivers with category B licence, who have passed their test after the aforementioned period, will be granted a unique opportunity to tow with a larger vehicle at the show, accompanied by the Club’s approved driving instructors – without the need to take an additional B+E driving test usually required to tow a caravan and vehicle combination weighing more than 3500kg.
“We’re encouraging those thinking about caravanning, not to be put off because they don’t have the B+E entitlement on their license,” Ian Hewlett, the Club’s Technical Manager, said.
“We do, of course, always urge drivers to check their license before they travel to ensure they are adhering to the rules and regulations that are in place.”
To book a towing session with the Camping and Caravanning Club, visit: The NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show website, or just turn up on the day.
West Highlands holiday park named among ‘greenest’ in Scotland
by Tom Walsh
The Scottish Highlands are a real jewel in the crown of the UK’s countryside and one of the area’s holiday parks has been given a real seal of approval.
Sunnyside Croft in Arisaig, around 35 miles away from Fort William, has been given the accolade of being one of Scotland’s greenest places to stay on holiday.
This comes after the site received a gold level David Bellamy Conservation Award for its commitment to providing an environmentally friendly holiday park.
Professor Bellamy praised the family-owned site run by Julie and Ian Bryce and their two children.
He was impressed with the wide variety of indigenous trees which the couple have planted and also applauded the maintenance of hedgerows.
Julie and Ian are also committed to a “buy local” policy which sees them purchase Highlands produce and lay down pathways of stone chips.
“Living and working in this part of the Highlands has always been our dream, and we feel even more privileged to be doing so with the support of someone like David Bellamy,” Julie said.
Caravan MOTs: UKIP MEP makes impassioned speech against EU plans
by Chris Jefferies
One of the most contentious issues of the year has been the prospect of new MOT-style tests to determine the roadworthiness or otherwise of all touring caravans that weigh over 750kgs.
The proposals are currently being debated in the European Parliament and could be made into law before the end of the year.
Opposition to this development has been widespread and forthright, with ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="http://www.caravantimes.co.uk/news/insurance/safety/ncc-reacts-to-caravan-mot-debate-in-european-parliament-$21382790.htm">The National Caravan Council and the Government both voicing their objections.
But now a UKIP MEP has delivered what may be the most memorable defence of caravanning that the European Parliament has ever seen.
Derek Clark, MEP for the East Midlands, spoke up in Strasbourg on behalf of all British caravanners to argue that annual servicing is enough to ensure a tourer’s roadworthiness.
He continued by claiming that caravanners know the potentially fatal dangers of towing an unsafe trailer and so would not take the risk.
“Caravanners, in spite of what they might look, are not mad,” Mr Clark claimed.
His argument is backed up by years of towing experience, as he is a former member of the Caravan Club who has towed all across Europe.
“I’ve towed [my caravan] all the way from Calais to the south of France. I’ve taken it over the Alps, into Italy. I’ve gone round the Alps in Switzerland and other places, all without an accident of any description, nor did I see one with any other caravan,” he continued.
Mr Clark’s words seemingly fell on deaf ears, as he later posted on his blog: “They did not listen, of course, to my one-minute effort on Monday evening. Same problem as always.
“Neither the rapporteur, nor any other speaker, has any experience of towing a caravan. We are in the hands of idiots who just want to make a name for themselves.”
Perhaps Mr Clark could find an understanding ear by speaking with fellow MEPs ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="http://www.caravantimes.co.uk/news/industry/west-midlands-mep-vows-to-fight-mot-proposal-$21383351.htm">Nikki Sinclaire and Jacqueline Foster, who appear to share his views.
To watch Mr Clark’s impassioned Strasbourg speech in full, click on the video below:
Vanmaster Caravans set for NEC show relaunch
by Chris Jefferies
Vanmaster Caravans are preparing for a major relaunch under new ownership at the Birmingham NEC next week (15-20 October), it has been confirmed.
The luxury caravan brand, which was bought out by entrepreneur Phil Narey earlier this year, will be making a return to the caravan industry on the biggest possible stage, with more than 90,000 visitors expected to attend the NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show.
Caravan lovers will be able to take a look inside two brand new models, the 2-3 berth V580 and the 2-4 berth V640.
Precise details are few and far between at the time of writing, but the company promises opulence and luxury in abundance, with classy extras like monogrammed towels and Vanmaster bone china included.
What’s more, anyone placing an order at the NEC will get a Powrtouch motor mover fitted at no extra cost.
The new owner will be at the show to speak to Vanmaster customers both old and new, and answer any questions about the new models.
“The stylish new Vanmaster brand… has been designed with our current customers in mind, whilst acknowledging that we can introduce some subtle and innovative changes,” Phil explains.
“We are firmly focusing on the very hallmarks of Vanmaster caravans – the classic appeal and superior build quality – whilst introducing further enhancements to make our caravans even better and a luxurious home-from-home.”
Prices are yet to be confirmed, but these models will not be cheap – and for good reason. Each Vanmaster that rolls off the Wigan production line is the product of 800 man-hours of craftsmanship.
To take a look at the new Vanmaster V580 and V640, head to Hall 27, Stand 18, but be prepared to queue for a look inside.
Bailey Approach Compact: Prices confirmed ahead of NEC launch
by Tom Walsh
Bailey of Bristol has announced the prices of the Approach Compact, as its latest motorhome range nears its debut.
The company has stated that the latest model will be on display at the Motorhome & Caravan Show at the NEC, Birmingham between 15-20 October with demonstration units arriving at approved Bailey retailers shortly after.
Officials explained that Approach Compact will offer people lower running costs but have the same design flexibility seen in other models but is fitted with extra interior space.
Bailey has worked hard to improve the performance of the vehicle and draws on the very best aspects from other offerings from the company.
It has used a combination of a Peugeot Boxer cab, an AL-KO AMC chassis and an Alu-Tech bodyshell.
Bailey describes the exterior as being “stylish yet practical” and inside there is a level of comfort which holidaymakers have come to expect.
The Bailey Approach Compact 520 will retail from £43,460, while the three-berth 540 model will set you back £44,460.
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