New and improved Tvan coming

Melbourne's Track Trailer is about to release an updated Tvan model designed to counter any claims the game-changing off-road camper has fallen behind its newer rivals in some areas.

Introduced in 1999, the Tvan was a pioneer of the compact, hard-shell, go-anywhere camper market, but is facing an increasing number of challengers to its crown.

However, as Track Trailer’s best loved and most successful model, Marketing Manager Lloyd Waldron emphasized that the changes will be evolutionary rather than radical.

“The biggest change we made (to the Tvan a few years ago) was going from marine plywood to full sheet metal that the body is currently,” he explained.

“This (latest update) is more evolution, in that it’s an all-new body and lots of new stuff, but if you park it next to the current one (it looks similar).

“We’ve gained efficiencies in manufacturing, we’ve gained efficiencies in weight, it’s lighter and more competitive in the options area.”

While unwilling to discuss specific details prior to the official launch in May, Waldron said the 2015 revamp would directly address any perceived shortcomings of the Tvan in relation to rivals such as the Vista RV Crossover and Complete Campsite’s just-released Exodus 9.

“Some of our major competitors have different sales pitches that they use against our product,” he said. “This (update) will basically render them mute; there won’t be anything else they can pick on.”

However, he did rule out the addition of some of the increasingly popular off-road ‘luxury’ items like lithium batteries, or a hot water/heater option like that offered on Track Trailer’s larger and much heavier Topaz off-road caravan.

“It’s an exercise of what you leave out these days... people are believing they need things like hot water services for camping, in actual fact you just don’t,” Waldron said.

“It’s one of those things, you need just a solar shower bag and occasionally you have a shower, and occasionally you pull into a caravan park and use their facilities.

“You don’t need a 14 litre hot water heater under the bed, when you have a product that’s properly insulated and you’re up off the ground and all you need is a couple of extra blankets.

“We’re making our customers soft, as an industry.”

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2015, Track Trailer is also considering a limited run of 30th anniversary, special edition models for release later this year.