High-tech CrzrVan raises off-road bar

There's a serious new player in the large off-road caravan market, with the innovative Victorian-built CrzrVan full composite caravan making its debut at last week’s Melbourne 4x4 show.

Blending more traditional off-road caravan design elements from established players such as Bushtracker and Kedron  with the sort of cutting-edge innovation seen in forward-thinking brands like Zone and Bruder, the boxy CrzrVan (pronounced Cruiser van) is currently available in two body lengths -- 18ft 6in and 19ft 6in -- with either a two-berth couples or four-berth family ensuite layout.

Tare weights are around 2500-2600kg depending on specification, and while height might be a limiting factor the (1950mm wide) body should make it easier to navigate bushy tracks.

Marketed as “remote travel caravans” the cutting-edge tandem axle models are a “game changer in the off-road caravan world" according to CrzrVan founder Rhys Conti.

“We wanted to create a product that would take people further than the average caravan,” said Conti, an off-road enthusiast who also runs a transport business in Shepparton, Victoria.

“We wanted the car to be the limiting factor at the end of the day, not what you’re towing, so if your car has the muscle to tow two and a half tonnes up a track, we want the van to be able to follow," he said in an online video.

Conti said he wanted to build a high-tech, full composite caravan that was big enough to accommodate his family but also narrow enough to tackle off-road tracks.

Underpinning the CrzrVan is a “super strong” 150x50x3mm steel chassis with a “one piece member front to back”, incorporating a DO-35 coupling up front and built-in Ironman 4x4 winch and recovery points at the rear.

“The big thing that separates us from the rest is that we’ve got live axles which gives us a big advantage with water tanks,” he explained. “We can place all our water tanks directly over the axle so whether they’re full or empty they don’t contribute to our tow ball weight.”

The Air Ride suspension set-up includes extra-large Firestone airbags delivering up to 200mm of travel, with ride height at each corner adjustable via a smartphone app, which Conti said allows the tow ball weight to be adjusted to suit the tow vehicle.

The custom set-up features Cruisemaster axles and brakes along with radius arms, bump stops and panhard rods from the Toyota 79 Series, while the adjustable shock absorbers from Superior Engineering feature off-road buggy-style remote reservoirs to prevent the shocks from overheating on jarring corrugations.

Chunky Mickey Thompson MTZ tyres on 16x8 rims with a five stud Landcruiser stud pattern complete the hardcore off-road underpinnings.

“(The LandCruiser and Cruisemaster) parts are all easily sourced if some-one is in the middle of nowhere and something does happen,” he said.

A mesh stone shield and liberal use of Raptor paint helps protect lower sections of the one-piece composite fibreglass wall panels, while other points of difference include stainless steel cappings and a 4x4 roof rack-style Yakima rack on the drawbar, which can be used to tie down various items including gas bottles and jerry cans.

The rest of the premium fit-out includes a 300Ah Enerdrive lithium battery system with 3000W invertor and four 160W solar panels, Redarc Redvsion smart management system, Eberspacher diesel heater, and Dometic slide-out kitchen and pull-out 95L portable fridge.

The contemporary interior features the latest lightweight ply gloss cabinetry, along with a double bed (and bunks in the family version), dinette/lounge, ensuite with shower and toilet, and a kitchen with sink, cooktop and two 30L drawer fridges.

Other appliances fitted to the show vans include a Dometic Harrier roof-top air-conditioner, microwave, LED TV, 12V fans and wireless phone chargers.

Pricing for the custom-built vans is expected to start around $115,000, with the top-spec versions costing up to $140,000.

Conti recently completed some harsh Outback testing of the first two CrzrVans, and said he's also working on a CrzrVan toy hauler and ute tray.

Victorian outlet Wangaratta Off-Road and Caravans, which also stocks High Country caravans and campers, is the sole retailer for the new CrzrVan models.