News and innovations

If the CMT was a success both in numbers and in content, it is imperative to try to understand what trends are emerging in the world of recreational vehicles. Speaking with operators, three topics seemed particularly “hot”. The first is an indication of a return to normality in deliveries of Fiat chassis, which weighed decisively on the 2022 deliveries results. The second is the rise in prices, which is forcing manufacturers and dealers to face a new type of public, less aware of the intrinsic value and unable to make comparisons with previous years. This also entails the need for educational and informational content. Finally, the third important signal is that in the last two years all the manufacturers have tried to optimize the layout and product portfolio, with the result that the number of ‘novelties’ have been reduced. But the clear sign that this crisis has left is the multiplication of mechanical base vehicles on which motorhomes are built: if, up until two years ago, the undisputed leader was the Fiat Ducato, now manufacturers have heavily diversified and are also using chassis that previously struggled to emerge in this sector, such as Man TGE and the Volkswagen Crafter. In this regard, the policy of the Knaus group is typical as it now offers a portfolio based on five different platforms: Fiat, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, MAN and Volkswagen. In the background, the strong interest in caravanning was consolidated by a varied public. Despite everything, several innovations were presented and we will examine some of them in the following pages.

Words editorial staff

www.lmc-caravan.com

Part of the Erwin Hymer Group, LMC took advantage of the CMT to show a prototype for the public to judge: the Innovan 592, on a Ford base, combines the characteristics of its camper vans built on Fiat Ducato and Ford Transit, with total compactness (599 cm in length) and the convenience of twin beds (also convertible into a huge double bed). To achieve this, the design effort to recover the necessary centimeters concentrated on the service area: the kitchen and the bathroom. In the first case, LMC has adopted a sliding worktop: when working in the kitchen, it moves to the right, covering the foot of the bed (under which a pantry unit is also hidden), while when not needed, it overlaps the stove area. Thanks to its ability to hold up to 40 kg, it can also be used to house an espresso coffee machine. The wall of the bathroom, with a mirror, rotates 90 degrees to free up the space for showering, but also has a foldable sink and a retractable toilet which, when not needed, retracts under the bed on the left.

The German company, also part of the Erwin Hymer Group, has not shied away from the need to expand its offer of base vehicles. Thus, in addition to the Just Go range that was announced at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, the new generation of the compact semi-integrated Globebus was unveiled at the CMT in Stuttgart, which also acquire the name Go and switch to the Ford Transit. As in the past, the range is made up of two models, characterized by a width limited to 220 centimetres, a height that stops at 269 centimetres

Dethleffs

and two length measurements: 599 and 669 centimetres. The Globebus Go T15 and T45 share the lsame front layout, with a semi-dinette assisted by two swivel seats in the driver’s cab, a linear kitchen with an 86-litre compressor refrigerator (which can optionally become 140-litres), and a bathroom with variable volume, in which the shower cubicle is created by rotating the wall on which the sink is mounted by 90 degrees towards the toilet bowl. What changes is the rear part, where in the smaller T15 there is a transverse double www.dethleffs.it bed, while in the T45 the increasingly popular solution of twin beds has been adopted. In terms of mechanics, the basic versions are made on the Ford Transit with a two-litre engine with 130 horsepower and a six-speed manual gearbox. Those looking for more power, there is a 155 horsepower version available with automatic transmission. The decision to homologate the two vehicles for only two people with the aim of increasing the load capacity is curious. On request it is still possible to have the classic four seats.

The Polish company always manages to stand out for its originality in the production of camper vans. At CMT we were able to admire its latest creation: the Falcon. It is a vehicle built on a Volkswagen Crafter base with a super-high roof (made in-house) and stands out for a layout that is very fashionable in the United States: a single, longitudinal sofa that transforms into a bed, plus a small table for two people, a linear kitchen with generous dimensions and, at the back, a transverse bathroom. There is also a vertical loading compartment suitable for also containing skis or snowboards across the rear of the vehicle, accessed from the tailgate. Stowage space is abundant thanks to the wall units on both sides of the van and with a higher than average height thanks to the high roof. In terms of dimensions, the length reaches the classic 599 centimetres, while the height stops at 293 centimetres, thus avoiding exceeding the three-metre barrier which in many cases triggers – on motorways, tunnels and ferries – increased tariffs. Among the features, we would like to highlight the dry toilet, the gas hob with ceramic burners, a pair of lithium batteries for a total capacity of 400Ah and photovoltaic modules for 320W. The inverter is also standard, while a “gas free” set-up can be obtained on request.