Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2025 i Campervan

It may be like comparing apples with oranges but there was always going to be a clear winner when we picked our Campervan of the Year from the category finalists. With its pioneering extension, the Malibu Genius is a rare example of a campervan that truly lives up to its name. WHAT THE JUDGES SAID The innovative Genius is the Goldilocks of Mercedes-based ’vans. While a 6m Sprinter is too short and a 7m too long, this new Malibu is just right. Iain Duff, Editor, Campervan campervan Malibu Vans have always impressed with their clever design features, mated to Carthago build quality. Now you can have the driver appeal of a Mercedes Sprinter in the mix, too, creating a campervan that has premium spec throughout.  Peter Vaughan, Editor, What Motorhome…

For Knights Custom Conversions it has been a case of ‘close but no cigar’ over the last couple of years. This year, however, the planets have aligned for this bespoke Lincolnshire converter as the whole judging panel was blown away by its latest top-of-the-range conversion, the Prestige Tourer Plus, based on a long-wheelbase T6.1. You don’t have to look long and hard at this camper to realise that it’s something special. The quality of finish is immediately obvious, as is the passion behind each and every one of the vehicles designed by Jon Nightingale, the founder of Knights. Although this converter offers a range of standard vehicles, we suspect that no two ’vans ever leave the Fenland industrial unit quite the same – each one is tailored to its customer’s…

If you were to draw up a wish list for your perfect campervan, there’s a really good chance it would look a lot like the specification of the Autohaus Spartan. Pop-top roof with sprung bed? Check. Solar panel? Check. Family-friendly? Check. Plenty of storage? Check, again. Soundproofed, insulated and lined? All check. Of course, you’d also want to know it’s been properly built, using quality materials, fixtures and fittings. And you’d insist on assurances that everything meets safety standards. The Spartan ticks all those boxes, too. And just to top it off, it looks fabulous and drives superbly. For all those reasons our judges were hugely impressed and had no hesitation in handing it top prize in what was a hotly contested category, focusing on ’vans not based on the…

VW CALIFORNIA GETS PHEV OPTION Volkswagen is now offering its California campervan with new plug-in hybrid all-wheel drive versions. The plug-in hybrid drive produces a system power of 180kW (245hp) and comprises a four-cylinder engine (1.5 TSI evo2), an electric drive motor on the front axle and a second electric drive on the rear axle. The two electric drive motors are powered by a new lithium-ion battery with an energy capacity of 19.7 kWh – providing an electric range of almost 60 miles.…

The 2024 Motorhome & Caravan Show at Birmingham’s NEC last October attracted over 95,000 people, with manufacturers saying they experienced ‘strong sales’ at the show. The October show is the largest indoor event of its kind in the country and, despite concerns over the challenging economic climate, difficult 2024 trading season and cost of living crisis, several exhibitors said they experienced record sales. Ian Rawlings, Chief Operating Officer at Bailey of Bristol, said, “The show has been a huge success for us once again… sales have been ahead of last year on all products.” Amy Archer, Chief Executive Officer at the Swift Group, commented, " It’s been a busy and successful show for Swift, with strong sales across both motorhomes and caravans." Slavica Sterk, Managing Director at Adria, stated, "It’s…

Interesting fact: Bath is the only UK city to be a designated World Heritage Site in its entirety. The city is renowned for its stunning Georgian architecture, Roman heritage, and natural thermal springs. Founded by the Romans as Aquae Sulis, Bath quickly became famous for its baths, which were built around the area’s hot springs. Today, visitors can explore the remarkably well-preserved Roman Baths, and the beautiful Palladian-style buildings, such as the Royal Crescent and the Circus. Bath is also a vibrant cultural hub, home to numerous museums, including the Jane Austen Centre and Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein. VISIT ROMAN BATHS No visit to this historic city is complete without exploring one of the best-preserved Roman remains in the country. Once a grand bathing complex, the Roman Baths is…

VOTED FOR BY YOU, THE READERS With so much competition on the campervan conversion scene, it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd – especially for relative newcomers. But in just two years, Spartan Campers has certainly made its mark. Every one of its conversions, based on used VWs, is handcrafted in the workshop in Coventry. And each one is stylish and modern, but comes with a dash of retro appeal. One of Spartan’s key aims is to open up the campervan lifestyle to a wider audience – not just high earners. Spartan campers are typically in the £45-50k price range. Spartan wants to be known for innovation, quality and reliability. But it’s the customer-centric approach it takes that means it’s no great surprise that the company has…

This was one of the hardest categories to judge, simply because of the huge number of worthy contenders from which a winner had to be picked. Having selected our top three, the new Eriba Car 600 (this German brand’s first-ever campervan) really impressed us with its build quality and panache, as well as a host of features that help it stand out from the crowd. Plus, being based on the Volkswagen Crafter, which is a class leader behind the wheel, its starting price of £71k was a very pleasant surprise that puts it in direct competition with Fiat and Ford-based rivals. The stunning duo-tone paintwork (white/blue, white/red or silver/grey) is included, whichever combination you order. The spec also features front fog/cornering lights, a heated multifunction leather steering wheel, Light Assist,…

Nine cairns, of varying shapes and sizes, stand like sentinels at the southern end of the Eden Valley. Nine watchmen, keeping a protective eye from the top of the modest hill that dominates the market town of Kirkby Stephen. They’re called the Nine Standards, and they are a row of impressive cairns near the summit of Nine Standards Rigg. They appear in records going back as far as medieval times, yet to this day their purpose remains unclear. When I got an opportunity to conduct my own personal pilgrimage to these stone towers, the day was bright, but with a strong, biting wind at my back the higher I climbed. My chosen route led me along Ewbank Scar and traversed pleasant pastures, before joining upland tracks on the Coast to…

HI Last month, I told you how I was out and about solo travelling again. I was honest that I was a little nervous, but it felt great. I’m so glad I did it as I had a fantastic time. In fact, as I’m writing this, I am out in Fabio, my little micro camper, again! This time it is to run some ‘life errands’ but that doesn’t mean I can’t turn it into a mini adventure. I really do feel like I’m rediscovering myself and solo travels again. Anyway, I said I'd share my last trip so here it is! I ended up in Cirencester. I’d opened up my map app and picked a spot that looked interesting within a couple of hours of where I was. I booked…

Discover this year’s best campervans, why they won and how they will improve your vanlife It’s time to reward the best of the best… the new campervans that have impressed us most over the last 12 months. The annual Out & About Live Campervan Awards, in association with Creation Personal Finance, are all about helping you decide how to spend your money wisely. It’s always a tough job to pick the winners but some campervans stand out from the rest. In finding those campervans with the X factor, we take into account value for money, innovation, versatility and style. Over the summer and autumn, the judging team of Iain Duff, Peter Vaughan and Rachel Scholes saw dozens of new campers in their quest to seek out the star ’vans of…

Bailey won this category last year with its first-ever campervan, the rear lounge Endeavour B62. A year on, and its van conversion range has doubled from two to four models and its new B63 has grabbed the trophy for the Bristol-based brand for a second time. The new B63 is a development of the four-berth B64, but designed around just two people and without the pop-top roof. It, therefore, has none of the compromises around storage and living space found in its sister model. The format is a classic, with a front lounge featuring a side sofa opposite the sliding door. The kitchen (offside) and washroom (nearside) are at the rear and access is retained through the rear barn doors. The lounge is central to this Bailey’s appeal, with swivel…

WATCH THE VIDEO motorhome.ma/trekker We all have slightly different ideas as to what is cool, so our judging team had to deploy its cool-ometer here, influenced not just by our own tastes but those of the folk we meet when out testing ’vans. The reaction from those on the road and on the campsite often tells you all you need to know. The Trekker has the looks of a £200k off-road adventure van, without the cost or complexity. In fact, the price is £72,995, but we’re not talking value for money, we’re talking about design. This is the most exciting campervan Swift has ever launched, with the looks to go with it. From the on-trend pale grey paintwork to the black alloys and map-like graphics, it shouts fun. It’s cohesive,…

You know the feeling. The weather is not that great, but then a few days become free, and you think, why not? We decided a few nights away, less than two hours from home would be just the tonic, so Norfolk here we come. Being reasonably new to vanlife, we’ve not really got to grips with CL and CS sites, so we decided to brave it and book one! What a treat and what a gem of a site – if they are all like this, then we are converted! Our destination selected and CL booked, off we went to seek a small village, Terrington St John, about five miles west of King’s Lynn. What most people know about Norfolk is that it is flat. What this also means is…

Flaxton Meadows eco-campsite is located in North Yorkshire’s beautiful countryside renowned for its wildlife and scenery. Guests have a range of accommodation to choose from, including handcrafted luxury log cabins, built using experienced joiners, touring pitches (hardstanding or grass) with natural screening and electric, and camping pitches with EHU. Flaxton Meadows provides a peaceful retreat for campers who want to enjoy nature, but stay within easy reach of a wide range of amenities. We caught up with owner, Jon Charters-Reid, to find out more about the site How long have you been running your campsite? Flaxton Meadows welcomed its first guests in 2020, it has been an interesting four years running an eco-campsite. Tell us a little about your site and how it first began I have always been passionate…

Vantage Motorhomes has launched two new 6m-long Ford Transit-based campervans – the rear lounge Vantage Sol F-Line and the front lounge Vantage Ora F-Line. “As we developed our relationship with Ford through our campervan range, launched at the NEC show in 2022, we found that more customers were asking if we had an option on the panel van for a Ford instead of a Fiat. We worked closely with Ford to see what they could offer and then looked at the layouts we would want to offer on the Ford product,” said Vantage’s General Manager, Ben Dawes. “The ever-popular Sol with its rear lounge layout on the 6m chassis was an ideal choice and, to accompany that, we added the front lounge option, again on the 6m chassis, with the…

Get ready for a year filled with music, dancing and unforgettable nights under the stars – the 2025 Warners Shows season promises to be the most exciting yet. There are seven traditional campervan and motorhome shows and two thrilling festivals coming up this year, and at each, campers can look forward to three or more nights of live entertainment included with every pitch. Whichever show you go for, there will be show-stopping headline acts, brilliant live performances across a range of genres and a welcoming community atmosphere. 2025 SHOWS The Southern Motorhome & Campervan Show, 16-18 May Theme: Sixties music extravaganza Headliners: The New Casuals – Enjoy the upbeat sounds of one of the era’s classic bands. The Fortunes – Famous for timeless hits like “You’ve Got Your Troubles” and…

A campervan, with its promise of endless adventures and a nomadic lifestyle, is a dream for many people. But before you hit the open road, there are crucial aspects to consider, from choosing the right type of ’van to understanding costs, timing your purchase and deciding where to buy. Our guide will provide you with all the knowledge you need to make a well-informed decision. WHY CHOOSE A CAMPERVAN OVER A MOTORHOME? Campervans and motorhomes both offer the freedom to explore, but there are essential distinctions. Here’s why a campervan might be your ideal choice: • Flexibility: Campervans are more compact, making them easier to manoeuvre on narrow roads and park in tight spaces. This flexibility allows you to reach secluded spots that larger motorhomes can't access • Lower operating…

SMARTWOOL MEN’S HOODIE The hoodie has become the go-to garment for young folk, but should you add this one to your campervan an wardrobe? It comes from Smartwool and is described as an everyday essential. It feels lovely and soft as a result of its mix of organically grown cotton and Merino wool, and that should allow you to stay warm and dry, instead of hot and sweaty! It comes in sizes from S to XXL and colours are Pewter Blue (shown), black or Eggplant. If you want a bargain, go for the last of those which, at the time of writing, was on offer at £47.50. Whichever shade appeals, this is a surprisingly lightweight garment (suggested use is in temperatures of 5 to 15 degrees) and much is made…