Australia’s most hardcore caravan?

Queenslanders Toby and Dan Bosschieter are set to shake up the off-road caravan market with their radical new Bruder EXP-6 “expedition trailer”.

The experienced off-road adventurers and brothers were the official importers of the South African-built Conqueror UEV off-road campers for about five years before deciding to head off and produce their own vision of the ultimate off-road caravan.

The product of 18 months research and development, the military-inspired Bruder EXP-6 is described as a “bespoke off-road expedition trailer” and blends the best of hard-walled off-road camper design with features more commonly found on truck-based expedition vehicles used by remote travellers.

These include an integrated Warn recovery winch and “dual compression (rubber) isolation mounts” located between the chassis and body, which are designed to reduce the transfer of off-road vibrations.

Capable of withstanding three times the ADR strength requirement, according to Bruder, the bespoke chassis uses rolled and tubed materials which are said to be much stronger than a typical square box section design.

The unique four corner, multi-link independent air suspension, which includes eight vertically mounted shock absorbers, is fully adjustable on the fly and “with over 300mm of usable adjustment and travel it has up to double the wheel travel of other systems”.

“(The) rubber body mounts… in conjunction with our suspension system mean the EXP-6 body and door openings doesn’t shake, rattle or flex like other off-road campers and caravans on rough dusty roads or tracks,” the company claims.

The stealth trailer also comes with four wheel disc brakes and to keep Tare weight to 1680kg, the 16ft 6in (5.0m) long body is made from German manufactured 30mm thick composite honeycomb material that is “up to 50% lighter than conventional constructions but immensely strong”.

“With the very best in automotive seals, positive filtered air pressure, carefully considered door openings and our chassis and suspension design, we are confident the Bruder EXP-6 is the most dustproof camper available on the market,” Bruder claims.

At 6723mm long (overall) x 1920mm wide x 2120mm high, the radical RV is narrower than many tow vehicles, and the wheel track can be adjusted to match the tow vehicle’s to further improve its off-road ability.

The pop-top roof, 3.5m awning and hard tailgate section, which lifts up to provide shelter at the rear door area, all operate electronically via push button or remote control, but Bruder is working on a 'one touch' set-up system that will also incorporate automatic climate control.

The cosy interior features a queen-sized bed, some clever storage options and a small lounge with swing-around table, with sleeping for up to six people thanks to bunk beds.

The external galley kitchen with diesel-powered cooktop is accessible from both inside and outside, and there’s an internal combination shower/toilet to go with the external shower, and inside and outside fridge/freezers.

The EXP-6 also comes with 200L water storage and dual grey water tanks, a dedicated first-aid storage compartment, and a sophisticated electrical set-up including up to 400Ah battery power, 2000W invertor and 260W roof-mounted solar panels.

With an ATM of 2300kg, payload can be up to 620kg, depending on equipment fitted.

Other mod cons include adjustable LED lighting, HD TV, Bose audio, Nespresso coffee machine, and both roof-top air-con and diesel central heating to cope with all climates.

Brüder, which means brother, wants to offer the unique Expedition caravan in global markets as well as in Australia. The first production versions should roll out of the Brisbane factory in early-June, and the company already has an order book stretching out five months.

Pricing starts at $105,550 (towaway, Qld), with the top-spec version costing around $116,000, although premium extras like lithium batteries will cost more.

Check out the video below, or for further details and more videos, visit BruderX.com