Clever South African campers coming

Australian RV buyers are already familiar with rugged South African campers from the likes of Jurgens, Conqueror and Bush Lapa, But soon they’ll have more choice with the arrival of a new range of sleek off-road hybrid caravans and compact campers from innovative South African manufacturer Mobi Lodge.

Aimed at adventurous families as well as couples, both South African-built models boast lightweight steel braced, fibreglass ‘mono hull’ body construction on a galvanised steel chassis, and feature clever design and packaging to make the most of their relatively compact and streamlined shapes.

The larger Nomad hybrid caravan (it’s called the Lodge in South Africa), features a 15ft 6in (4.7m) long by 2.1m wide body and 1.95m interior height, opening up with a double bed slide-out at the side to make room inside for a flip-up dining table and two chairs. Internally, there’s also a separate shower and toilet located in the nose cone area.

The South African model comes standard with leaf spring suspension and over-ride brakes, along with a 150 litre water tank, 105Ah battery system and hot water unit.

There’s also some interior storage cupboards at the rear, while the bed and ensuite are still accessible with the slide-out in.

There's also the option to add side walls to awnings and attach annexes to expand outside living and sleeping areas.

Cooking is outside via a large recessed kitchen 'hatch' with top-hinged cover that incorporates a slide-out fridge and two-burner gas cooker, with typical South African-style open storage compartments for a variety of cooking and eating utensils.

Like many South African campers the Nomad also comes with a spade, jerry cans, camping chairs and other camping tools and accessories, all with dedicated storage spots.

Mobi Nomad managing director Claude Marais told caravancampingsales that the lighter and more compact 9ft Mobi X camper, with a 760kg Tare and 500mm ground clearance, will be aimed more at hard-core off-roaders rather than families, although the addition of a roof-top tent will increase on-board sleeping options to four.

The Mobi X has similar fibreglass construction and external kitchen set-up as the Nomad but with a smaller double bed-sized internal space. Other features include an Ultimate Xplor-style front storage boot as well as a rear storage slide-out for a fridge and other gear. The Mobi X also comes with an external hot/cold shower with privacy tent.

Marais said he plans to have examples of both fibreglass models in Australia shortly, after which he will seek feedback from industry experts and potential customers before releasing ‘Australianised’ production versions onto the local market around early-2020.

Proposed changes to Australian-spec models include the use of midge mesh screens for the windows, as well as more appealing interior décor and fitment of locally available appliances like Dometic fridges.

Marais said the Nomad hybrid has been available for about five years on the South African market, where it’s been quite successful, while the Mobi X is a more recent addition to the sleek off-road range.

“We’re confident the concept will be well liked but we want to adapt it for Australian tastes,” he said.

The Mobi Nomad will be on display at a number of West Australian shows later this year, including the Mandurah Boat, Caravan, 4WD & Camping show (October 11-13), Perth 4WD show (November 8-10) and the Great Southern Caravan & Camping Show in Albany (November 30-December 1).

While full specifications and pricing for the Australian-spec models are yet to be announced, the Nomad is expected to start from around $53,000, with the Mobi X priced from around $33,000.

Further details: Mobi Nomad Australia.