Avida adopts in-house chassis

NSW-based Avida RV is set to join a select group of Australian caravan manufacturers including Jayco and Roadstar that build their own chassis in-house.

The 50-year-old NSW manufacturer, formerly known as Winnebago Australia, made its name building motorhomes before introducing a new range of caravans in 2013.

But now Avida is set to upgrade its entire range, including replacing the Preston Duragal steel chassis that underpins its current Sapphire and Topaz caravan models with a new, lighter steel chassis designed and manufactured in-house by Avida.

Avida RV’s dealer development and sales and marketing manager, Billy Falconer, said the new chassis will deliver significant weight savings without compromising on strength due to the inherent rigidity of Avida's ‘monocoque’ fibreglass composite body.

“Because of the way we do the construction, including thicker walls and floors, we don’t need the bigger chassis because we have the strength in the body to hold it together,” he said.

“We’re not relying on the chassis to hold it together which a lot of the other manufacturers do with their lighter floors and walls. Our (49mm sandwich panel) floor supports itself.”

As an example of potential weight savings, he said the Tare weight of an 18ft touring model will be around 120kg less, which will allow more standard equipment to be fitted as well as allow for a bigger payload if required.

Like Jayco’s, the chassis will be hot dipped galvanized for improved rust resistance.

“Avida is always looking at ways we can be at the forefront of the industry and (the new chassis) is another thing we are looking at with the caravans,” he said.

Another major change across the range is a new design for the one-piece roof that will allow more room at the front of the van for storage or for a lounge setting.

“Massive changes” to the Topaz model will also see it head further up-market, with all new Topaz layouts to feature slide-outs.

For the first time Avida will also offer buyers the option of fitting Cruisemaster CRS 'rough road' independent suspension on a new model called the Emerald, which Avida unveiled a prototype of at the recent Queensland Caravan Supershow.

Priced from $65,490 with the CRS suspension, the 19ft 4in tandem axle model (pictured) was loaded with equipment including 184 litre fridge and 240 water tanks and featured a Tare weight of 2014kg with up to 886kg payload.

Falconer said full details of the upgraded and expanded Avida caravan range will be available “in a few weeks time” when production models are launched to dealers and the public.