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NEWS
Cut-price Chinese campervans coming
Budget-priced motorhomes based on Chinese-built LDV vans available soon in AustraliaThe Australian camper trailer market has already been flooded with cut-price Chinese-built models, while Chinese caravans are starting to make their mark.
Now the Australian motorhome market which accounts for around 1000 sales annually, is about to feel the heat from cut-price Chinese manufacturing, with campervans based on the LDV V80 commercial van currently on sale in Australia, set to hit the market here in coming months.
At last week’s Guangzhou International Motor Show, Chinese automotive giant SAIC unveiled a new motorhome based on the cab chassis version of the LDV V80 van. The factory-built motorhome featured two beds, a toilet, shower, TV and electronic touchpad, and will be produced in a new $67 million factory that will build 'turn key' motorhomes for the growing Chinese as well as overseas RV markets.
Australian LDV importer Ateco Automotive said the factory-built motorhome “could change the face of motorhome production” and is considering offering the model in Australia.
“Such is the demand for recreational vehicles in China, let alone around the world, LDV has decided to abandon the traditional motorhome production method, where a vehicle manufacturer provides a base vehicle to a motorhome maker who then builds their design into or onto that base vehicle before selling the vehicle direct to customers,” Ateco said in a statement.
“For motorhome buyers LDV’s plans have a number of significant advantages. Costs will be reduced by fully productionising the build process, it all happening in one factory and in the hands of one company. In addition, there will be a larger dealer network to support the complete vehicle.”
LDV parent company SAIC sold more than 5.9 million vehicles in 2015 and was the first company to enter joint-ventures with non-Chinese car-makers, including Volkswagen, Iveco and General Motors.
Meanwhile, the Melbourne-based company behind Sunliner motorhomes is fine-tuning its own version of an LDV V80-based campervan.
Introduced with little fanfare earlier this year under a new, entry-level UniCampa brand at the Victorian Caravan Supershow, the cut-price campervan conversion is currently on display at Sunliner’s Melbourne RV dealership at a retail price of around $54,000.
For that you get rear seating that converts to a double bed, along with a small kitchen with 55 litre fridge, sink, diesel cooktop and microwave.
Other standard equipment includes a pop-top roof and roof hatch, 75Ah battery system with battery charger, LED ceiling lights, 20 litre water tank, a wind-out awning, and side and rear entry steps.
A rival for Toyota’s top-selling but more expensive HiAce, as well as the Hyundai ILoad, the LDV V80 van is powered by a 100kW/330Nm 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and available with a six-speed automatic transmission. It scored just two stars in a crash safety test conducted by ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Programme).
Sunliner national marketing manager Candice Brittain said the difference between the UniCampa and Sunliner brands is like “Toyota and Lexus” and the lower-cost UniCampa is likely to be targetted at younger types as well as grey nomads looking for a more affordable option than currently available.
Brittain said the plan is to sell the UniCampa range through existing Sunliner outlets as well as LDV dealerships around Australia. An official launch is scheduled for the 2017 Melbourne Supershow in February.
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Written byChris Fincham
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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