VIDEO: Saving weight and petrol with the new Sprite Lite range

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by Chris Jefferies

The new Sprite Lite range from Swift Caravans is an attempt by the manufacturer to cut out any unnecessary features from the caravan to make it as lightweight and fuel efficient as possible for towcar owners.

The design team at Swift Group claim that there is a real demand for ‘back to basics’ caravans that come with a more flexible level of specification.

They discovered that many caravanners prefer to use on-site amenities at caravan parks, so features such as the shower and the oven are often rendered obsolete.

Earlier this year CaravanTimes visited Swift HQ in East Yorkshire and sat down with Chris Milburn, design director on the Sprite Lite range, to get the details behind the project, and what kind of caravanner it may appeal to.

First look and pictures of the new Hyundai Santa Fe towcar

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by Cameron Bird

The third generation Hyundai Santa Fe has been unveiled this month at the 2012 New York International Auto Show, and Hyundai promises several improvements and additions to the popular SUV.

An initial look at the new Santa Fe reveals its new ‘Storm Edge’ design concept, which presents a more masculine and aggressive appearance than its predecessors.

The towcar will also feature a hexagonal-shaped grille finished with dark chrome, which will be accompanied by large, tear-drop headlights above the bumper that will be matched in shape by fog lights below.

The new Santa Fe is longer, lower, and wider than previous models and the new body shape hints at its added strength and power, with the imposing front-end and muscular flanks.

Click here to see more images of the new Hyundai Santa Fe

Upgraded Engine

Offering three different engines, two diesel and one petrol, the range-topping diesel engine remains the 2.2-litre Hyundai model with variable geometry turbo that Santa Fe owners will already be familiar with. This all-aluminium beast generates around 197bhp, and its CO? emissions have been drastically reduced.

There is also a smaller 2.0-litre diesel engine available which can generate 148bhp, significantly less than the larger model, and also emits slightly more CO2. This suggests that the larger diesel engine will most likely be more expensive option, although the prices have not been released at this time. The third engine model is a 2.4-litre petrol version, with 194bhp.

The kerbweight for the new Santa Fe was not released at the auto show, but the
previous version carried a 1,946kg kerbweight. Hyundai claimed its maximum tow weight was 2,000kg, but according to the Caravan Club’s 85per cent rule, the tow weight for the older Santa Fe was only 1,654kg. Either way, the new Santa Fe is bigger and more powerful, and should be able to tow some seriously heavy-duty caravans.

New safety features

The new Santa Fe also has several new safety features, which include a lane-departure warning system, an automatic cruise-control system which monitors traffic in front of it through radar, and safety systems like ABS and vehicle stability management.

This towcar also provides drivers with improved visibility with high-intensity HID Xenon headlights which switch on automatically if conditions require them.

As a result, Hyundai expects the Santa Fe to follow in the footsteps of recent Hyundai models and attain a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is expected to launch in late 2012, and more details on this powerful new towcar will be revealed as the year progresses.


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New online service Towsafe matches towcars with caravans

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by Tom Lowenstein

If you’re on the look-out for a new car but aren’t sure whether it will be up to the job of towing your touring caravan, then a new service designed to help car dealers secure sales could be a major help.

Towsafe is an online service provided by vehicle data specialists HPI designed to match cars to caravans that they are safe to tow.

Though the service has been around for more than ten years, only now is the service being rolled-out to car dealers around the country.

In a bid to help them increase sales to caravan owners, dealers will be able to show customers exactly which cars they sell that can legally tow their caravan, but the benefits will be experienced by both buyer and seller.

Many caravanners are still unaware that towing their tourer with a car deemed unsuitable can result in three penalty points and a fine of as much as £1,000, so making sure that the car fits the caravan is essential.

According to HPI, there are more than one billion different combinations of caravan and towcar, but using the firm’s in-depth database when buying a vehicle provides all of the information needed to tell whether there is a match.

At the moment, the firm is marketing the service to vehicle dealers, but private customers can sign up at the Towsafe.co.uk website to carry out a match, with prices starting from £2 per match.

“Dealers can sell with confidence with Towsafe, helping them improve their customer service and safeguard their name,” said Kristian Welch, consumer director at HPI.

“[They] can check out caravan and car combinations for added peace of mind for them and their customers . helping secure the deal and build lasting customer relationships.”

HPI was formed in 1938 and offers the UK motor industry, dealers and consumers a primary source of vehicle information.

Dometic launch the new CC11 energy-efficient caravan hob

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravan appliances specialist Dometic has launched a new ceramic hotplate that will replace its best-selling PI 8023 gas burner.

The new CC11 energy-saving hotplate is innovatively designed to use the flue gas from the front rings to heat a simmering hotplate behind, allowing two pans to be heated with just one ring on.

As efficient as they come, the new CC11 can bring a litre of water to boil in just seven and a half minutes, while the cooking areas use just 210g of gas per hour while producing either 1.3 or 1.6kw of heat.

Dometic also says that it is easy to retro-fit the new hob and it also features a hot light indicator to make using it even safer.

The new hob comes in both black and white while a ceramic top sits flush with the work surface, making it incredibly easy to clean.

What’s more, ceramic hobs don’t give off sticky residue that gas burners do, so the whole caravan will be cleaner because of it.

CaravanTimes road tests the new SsangYong Korando towcar

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by Chris Jefferies
When thinking of buying a sturdy 4×4 for towing your caravan, SsangYong may not be the first name that springs to mind, but the Korean company is aiming to change that.
This year, under new Indian ownership, they are making a concerted effort to win over the British caravanning public, including an upcoming appearance at the Caravan Club’s National Rally to give away one of their brand new Korando models.
Naturally, we were curious to find out how this new name will fare among hard-nosed towcar buyers, so CaravanTimes borrowed one of the new Korandos for a day to see how it handles.

Launched last October, the first thing that strikes you about the Korando is the exterior design. Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro (the Italian behind the Fiat Panda and the Delorean DMC) it has a very sleek and keen look to it.
However, our road test got off to a faltering start as it took us a short while (and a rather sheepish phonecall) to figure out that you have to put your foot on the clutch to turn on the engine.
The thinking behind this is logical, as it will stop you from driving into your garage door or fence post if it’s been left in gear.
Steady and sure-footed
On the road, the Korando certainly feels smooth, stable and unflappable, thanks in part to its monocoque chassis, which SsangYong claims is the way forward for towcars, as it gives you the strength of a double chassis, but without piling on too much weight.
In terms of towing it certainly fits the bill – you can use all 175 bhp as and when you need it and the 265 lb ft of torque is delivered across a low and broad range.
The six-speed manual gearbox on our version delivered effortless shifting and, while the noise insulation was brilliant, even at high speeds and in heavy rain.
Manoeuvring in tight spaces can often be a big drawback of these kinds of towcars, but with rear parking sensors fitted as standard, we found parallel parking surprisingly stress-free when popping into town.
SsangYong could do British drivers a small favour by repositioning the handbrake, however, as its annoying location (just to the left side of the gearstick) left me grasping at thin air on more than a few occasions – a telltale sign that this car was originally built for those who drive on the wrong side of the road.
Green machine?
In terms of fuel economy, this tug was particularly impressive – it racked up more than 300 miles and still got back to base camp with more than a quarter of the tank left. SsangYong claims that the Korando will do more than 43mpg solo and this is very easy to believe.
What’s more, its CO2 emissions levels (169g/km) are not too bad for a car of this size, so that will help qualm any nagging sense of environmental guilt. And with prices starting from just under £17,000 for the entry-level model, you certainly get a lot for your money.
The only major drawback was the slightly dim-witted Garmin sat-nav, which was slow to respond when presented with the problem of a closed single-track road – this is one optional extra that we wouldn’t recommend.
Only time will tell if this plucky Asian newcomer can win over the notoriously savvy towcar buyer, but for long motorway drives, manoeuvrability and all-round comfort, it certainly gets the CaravanTimes seal of approval.
Vital statistics:

  • Price: From £16,995
  • Engine: 2.0-litre diesel
  • Top speed: 112mph
  • Fuel economy: 43.5mpg
  • Kerbweight: 1,591kg



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Friendly Club announces that hosepipe ban will not affect caravan holidays

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravanners heading on a touring holiday will not be barred from using a hosepipe at their pitch despite the widespread ban announced by several leading water companies last week.

Holidaymakers could have been forgiven for worrying that the hosepipe ban would make it illegal to fill up their water tanks or containers, but the Camping and Caravanning Club has told people not to fret.

The legislation enforcing a hosepipe ban – the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 – does not restrict use when it comes to filling containers for consumption, meaning caravan holidays will be largely unaffected.

“We have been in contact with a number of water companies and we are quite clear the current regulations regarding the temporary hosepipe ban do not affect the usage as outlined above,” said Ian Hewlett, technical manager at the Club.

Where the ban remains in force, however, is when it comes to washing your caravan. Anyone found using a hosepipe to wash their vehicle could be fined up to £1,000.

NCC recognizes top caravan repair shops of 2012 with AWS awards

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by Tom Lowenstein

The top workshops carrying out caravan and motorhome services and repairs have been announced by the National Caravan Council (NCC) following the results of its 2012 Approved Workshop Scheme (AWS) Awards.

Leisure Tech North East picked up the Approved Mobile Workshop of the Year award, with Hampshire-based BC Caravan Services named ‘runner up’ in the category.

Approved Workshop of the Year (Fixed Base) went to Tilshead Caravans Ltd in Salisbury, with Worksop firm GW Caravan Services Ltd picking up the ‘runner up’ award.

The NCC chose its winners from 300 workshops that are part of the AWS, carrying out rigorous quality assessments as well as looking at customer satisfaction surveys to find the best workshops.

AWS manager John Hartley offered his congratulations to the winners.

“These awards represent a fantastic achievement by all workshops, but highlight those that have managed to attain incredibly high scores in the requisite areas,” he said.

More than 80,000 services will take place at AWS workshops this year, official figures show.

VIDEO: Family caravanning on a budget with the Elddis Xplore

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by Chris Jefferies
Despite being one of the lightest caravan ranges in the UK, the Elddis Xplore collection still has plenty of space for fitting all the things you need for a family holiday.
In this video, we meet Angela Robson, one of the designers at Elddis, who has actually lived and holidayed with the old version of the Xplore before creating the updated 2012 range.
She tells us how her experience with her two children informed her design decisions in this compact, lightweight range of tourers.
We also take a look at the handy new television bracket, which promises to keep both parents and kids happy…
Prices in the Elddis Xplore range start from just £10,799 and MTPLM weights range from 930kg to 1,365kg

A look inside film star Vin Diesel’s million dollar caravan

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by Cameron Bird

Vin Diesel’s two-storey mansion on wheels isn’t exactly a typical, everyday caravan. The massive vehicle, which the action movie star is using while filming the new Chronicles of Riddick film, cost him a whopping $1.1million (roughly £700,000).

What’s more, with over 1,100 square feet of interior space, it is around ten times larger on the inside than the average British touring caravan.

The technology alone inside the trailer is worth about $70,000, with fun toys like 3D flat-screen TVs and Blu-Ray players scattered throughout.

This behemoth also features a pop-up top floor and granite countertops in the kitchen, the Daily Mail reports.

The 44-year old actor has had a media lounge put inside, as well as private office space, and he had part of the upstairs turned into a dedicated play area for his kids to enjoy.

The notorious hardman, whose real name is Mark Sinclair Vincent, brings the monstrous trailer with him on various shoots, and last year he even had it shipped to Puerto Rico where he was filming Fast Five, the latest instalment in the Fast and the Furious movie series.

Anderson Mobile Estates are the company behind this luxury vehicle and they are no strangers to this kind of work – in the past they have custom built trailers for the likes of Mariah Carey and Sharon Stone.

Another famous client of theirs is Will Smith, who recently got into trouble when his $2million ‘van had to be removed from a New York street during filming of Men in Black 3 due to complaints from local residents.


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Cheshire caravanners offered free tyre inspection at local garage

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravanners in south Cheshire have been offered a free tyre inspection by a local garage to make sure they are in optimum condition before hitching up for an Easter bank holiday trip.

Middlewich Barry & Wilkinson garage on Brooks Lane has invited caravanners to head down for the free check-up to make sure that they are in a safe condition before hitting the road, the Crewe Chronicle reported.

As CaravanTimes reported last week, the need to conduct a thorough safety check of your tyres before taking your caravan out for the first trip of the season is essential, but the generous garage has offered its expertise up for free.

Robert Wyatt, manager of the garage, told the newspaper that too many drivers fail to carry out the basic safety checks that can prevent them running into trouble on the road.

“Winter storage conditions can sometimes have a detrimental effect on caravan and trailer tent tyres,” he said.

“We recommend owners carry out some simple checks to ensure their safety during their journey.”

Tottenham football legend Gary Mabbutt tackles caravan cleaning

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by Tom Lowenstein

With a new hosepipe ban set to affect 20 million people across the south-east of England, caravanners have been offered help cleaning their vehicles by an unlikely source.

Not content to sit out his retirement on the golf course, former Tottenham Hotspur captain and England footballer Gary Mabbutt has ventured into the world of caravan cleaning products, the Welwyn Hatfield Times reported.

The former central defender is now defending the environment as the director of WOW – With-Out Water – a cleaning product which cleans caravans (and other vehicles) without the need for a hosepipe or tap and is even biodegradable.

Having teamed up with a physicist to develop the product, Gary has helped create a product that works by creating a gel that absorbs dirt and can then be polished off.

While many people might expect such a product to scratch their caravan or towcar, Gary says that it does anything but, and the results are staggering.

“People don’t believe it until they see it,” he told the newspaper.

“With the way the world is going, water is becoming more precious and more expensive.”

“This ticks all the boxes. It’s completely harmless, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.”

Flaming stunt man set to jump caravan on a motorbike on Easter weekend

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by Tom Lowenstein

Easter eggs will melt at a north-east caravan park this weekend, when stuntman Flyin Ryan brings his flaming motorbike show to the Golden Sands Holiday Park in Cresswell.

To celebrate the Easter bank holiday, the caravan site that sits on the picturesque Northumbrian coastline has organised a day packed full of family activities, including a trailblazing two-wheel performance from the stunt man.

Ryan will fly through fireballs in a feat of gravity-defying pyrotechnics, before he then attempts a whopping 35-foot jump over one of the park’s caravans, the News Post Leader reported.

Speaking to the local newspaper, the park’s Nigel Thompson said the Easter Sunday stunt would be the first of its kind in the north-east.

“We hope everyone will come along and cheer on Flyin Ryan and his team and enjoy a special day of Easter entertainment with a stunt show that’s like no other in the UK,” he said.

The stunts are just one part of a whole weekend of Easter fun at Golden Sands, with celebrations beginning on Good Friday and running right across the bank holiday weekend.