Bailey brightens Aussie Rangefinders

Bailey Australia has given its new locally-built Rangefinder caravans a significant interior upgrade for 2016 in response to feedback from its dealers and potential buyers.

Bailey deliberately gave the new Rangefinders a relatively utilitarian look when the three-model range was launched at Melbourne's Leisurefest back in October, believing that Australians would warm to the marriage of high-tech Euro construction and proven local strength and features.

However to their surprise they found many prospective customers were shopping the local Baileys against the company’s more luxurious-looking British models that are being sold alongside the Aussie vans.

So after consultation with dealers and design consultants, Bailey Australia halted production and went back to the drawing board and has now added more ‘bling’ to its 2016 range that is making its public debut at the Adelaide Caravan Show this week.

This new look is much more welcoming and inside consists of gloss upper and lower cupboard doors, gloss bench tops, microfibre leatherette upholstery, a microfibre leatherette skylight surround and optional curtains and pelmets.

The standard colour scheme featured on the SA show vans was 'Volcanic Ash', but there are many colour variations available, from subtle hues to daring ‘Cherry Red’ on upper cabinetry.

Outside, the new 2016 Rangefinders can be distinguished from their pre-production brethren by their new twin side flashes that break up the ‘whiteness’ of their large fibreglass sandwich panel walls.

Technically there have been no changes to the two prototype vans that crossed the heart of Australia from West to East in August last year with surprising ease, other than Vehicle Components’ CRS (Country Road Suspension) coil spring trailing arm independent suspension is now available as an option to the Rangefinders’ standard roller-rocker leaf spring tandem system.

All Rangefinders have a class-leading 500kg payload and a fresh water capacity of 210 litres, making them well suited to long distance Australian touring.

Prices have risen slightly with the upgrades, with the entry model 1820kg tare weight, 20ft 2in Astro with front island queen bed now costing $60,550.

The 1950kg, 21ft 7in Gemini family bunk van is now $63,950 and the range-topping 1950kg, 22ft 6in Nebula with its front U-shaped entertainer lounge and rear queen bedroom now costs $67,950 in base spec form.