Greatest RV show on earth

If you ever get the chance to attend Caravan Salon Dusseldorf, the “world's largest fair for caravans and motorhomes”, wear good walking shoes. At least by Australian standards, the show is huge.

The 53rd running of the annual German show saw 580 exhibitors from 25 countries (including two from Australia) occupy 11 giant halls, or 185,000 square metres of undercover floorspace, at the impressive Dusseldorf Fairgrounds.

To put that into perspective, the Melbourne and Sydney Supershows each occupy around 40-50,000 square metres, split between indoor and outdoor space and with up to 300-400 exhibitors.

Caravancampingsales spent four exhausting days pounding the gleaming white floors at this year's Dusseldorf show, and even that was not enough to fully appreciate everything on offer.

A record 192,000 people went through the turnstiles over nine days – more than twice the number of this year's Sydney Supershow, which runs over the same time period.

But size and scale aren't the only things that set it apart from your average Aussie Supershow. Unlike in Australia, motorhomes far outnumber caravans at Dusseldorf, reflecting Europeans' preference for motorized RVs.

And they come in all shapes and sizes, from smaller, $40,000 van-based models to massive coach-based motorhomes with in-built car ‘garages' and all-conquering off-road motorcampers with million dollar-plus pricetags.

Unlike the Aussies shows, you don't see rough-road or off-road caravans at Dusseldorf. Instead, it's all about road-hugging aerodynamics, super-lightweight construction materials, car-like design and apartment-style fittings and finishes, as well as innovative solutions to traditional RV ‘packaging' problems.

Some of the more novel concepts included campervans with full-width rear ensuites; pop-top caravans with internal ladder access to a double bed on the roof, and motorhomes with Transformer-style rear bedrooms that cleverly convert from single beds to a double bed layout by sliding and rearranging the furniture.

It also has more of an international motor show feel about it, with big Euro manufacturers like Hobby, Knaus/Tabbert, Fendt, Adria and Burstner putting on big, expensive displays, incorporating restaurant-style areas for wining and dining prospective clients.

Adding to the trade fair atmosphere are numerous OEM (original equipment manufacturer) suppliers, from doors to LED lights and taps, composite panels, furniture finishes, and appliances, all spruiking their wares as much to manufacturers as consumers.

Officially, 25,000 foreign visitors (including more than a few manufacturer and industry players from Australia) attended the 2014 Dusseldorf show.

“Trade visitors come here from throughout the world primarily to meet business partners and gather information on innovations,” explained show boss Joachim Schäfer.

But for your average visitor, it's a mind-boggling display of the latest models, technology and cutting-edge innovation, and an eye-opener to trends and new products that will make their way onto the Australian RV scene.

An emerging trend this year was

pre-printed aluminium body panels, which are being increasingly used by Euro manufacturers to create distinctive exterior looks with infinite possibilities in regards to colours and patterns.

Also apparent was the increased adoption of latest technology from other industries, from key-free doors to app-based automation systems. While some products like snow-proof awnings aren't relevant Down Under, others like the enviro-friendly incineration toilet could find favour with free-camping motorhome enthusiasts.

Dusseldorf also had a back-to-the-future feel about it, and we're not just talking about the impressive vintage caravan display in Hall 5. Knaus hopped on the retro bandwagon with its

eye-catching Travelino concept, while Adria also went for the minimalist interior look including the latest handle-free cabinetry on its

bold Altea4Four caravan.

We also saw signs of European manufacturers offering more Aussie-style interior space, with Knaus under its upmarket Tabbert brand unveiling a rare slide-out model with spacious, full-width rear ensuite, which could provide a hint of how the revised layout will look on the new

Knaus by Avan Eurostar caravan due in Australia in early-2015.

While Burstner broke the unofficial 1.95m interior height ‘rule' of European manufacturers with an Averso Plus caravan boasting a ruckman-pleasing 2.12m headroom.

Outside the dedicated ‘halls' at Dusseldorf were various side-shows, including a portable lake for testing canoes, large electric bike display, caravan test-drive circuits, and the obligatory beer gardens.

Like Aussie shows, Dusseldorf also had sections dedicated to accessories, tents, annexes and tent trailers, and RV travel destinations.

But everything at Dusseldorf is big and impressive, including the trade fair's own campsite, the Caravan Center, where Caravancampingsales in a rented campervan joined 28,200 other visitors (mostly in motorhomes) that stayed on-site during the show.

For €15 (around $20) a night for an unpowered site and basic facilities, it meant easy access to the show every morning, via a 10 minute ride on the free shuttle buses that ran throughout the day.

The only drawback was the massive campground's proximity to Dusseldorf Airport, which meant a rude 6am awakening every morning as the first jumbo jets started roaring overhead.

The 54th Caravan Salon Dusseldorf runs August 28-Sept 6, 2015. See the

show website for more.