Big bathroomed German van coming

It will have taken nearly a year, but the uber-stylish Eurostar luxury caravan will go on sale at the Melbourne Caravan Show in mid-February at the top of the ‘Knaus by Avan’ range.

Featuring the full interior transplanted from the latest Tabbert European models released at September’s Caravan Salon Dusseldorf, with a huge across-the-rear ensuite and many other luxury features, it will be Australia’s most expensive European-sourced caravan at its expected selling price of $88,000.

We've attached some interior photos from 2015 model Tabbert vans at Dusseldorf to show what Australian-spec Eurostar may look like on the inside.

Melbourne’s Avan has been holding off launching the Eurostar until Knaus and its sister Tabbert organisation could supply the full separate ensuite expected by Australian caravan buyers in this price range.

In the interim, they have been teasing potential buyers by displaying the very stylish Eurostar in unfinished ‘shell’ form at caravan shows in Melbourne and Sydney throughout 2014 to the displeasure of some market rivals, who have complained that ‘prototypes’ are against show ‘rules’.

Like its smaller single axle Sudwind and Sport ‘Knaus by Avan’ siblings currently on sale, the hybrid tandem axle Knaus-Tabbert Eurostar will sit on a modified Australian built Avan chassis to give it local credibility and will have under-floor water tanks, larger tyres and the greater ground clearance that many ‘Australian-spec’ British and European caravans can now boast.

Front and rear boots and aerodynamic wrap-around styling will make it an absolute standout, as will the pure state-of-the-art European interior that should set new standards for a caravan on the Australian market.

As a measure of Avan’s commitment to the new model, Avan’s Jeff Van Baardwyk said Avan had initially placed an order for 32 of the Tabbert interiors, which caravancampingsales understands will arrive in flatpack form to be installed in Eurostar shells at Avan’s Pakenham, Victoria manufacturing plant.

However, the top-spec Knaus van is unlikely to be in the spotlight for too long after it arrives, with rumours that another two major European caravan brands will be introduced down under in 2015.