New budget pop-top from Olympic

With caravan features lists growing and their prices (and towing weight) following suit, there has been somewhat of a void left to fill at the lightweight budget end of the market.

Olympic thinks it has the answer with its new Sprinter pop-top, unveiled at Sydney’s Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow last week.

The Sprinter takes its basic elements (rear-door pop-top) from the Viscount Nipper and the original Roadstar Little Ripper, both vans still very popular on the used market but in the case of the Viscount at least, not in production since the early-mid 2000s. It's also somewhat similar in price and concept to the latest 13ft Jayco Freedom Expanda

The new Sprinter pop-top is available as a 12 foot (3.7 metres) single beds model or 13 foot (3.9 metres ) double bed model. The single beds model is $28,990 drive away while the 13ft model is $29,990 drive away.

Not only is the Sprinter on the more affordable end of the price scale, it can also be towed by most smaller SUVs and medium-size cars. The 12-foot Sprinter is 1100kg Tare, has a 110kg tow ball mass (at Tare) and ATM is 1400kg. The 13-foot model is 1200kg Tare, 130kg TBM and ATM is 1500kg.

The Sprinter is also garage-friendly for most as it measures 6ft 10in high (2.08 metres), 7ft wide (2.1 metres) and total length is 17ft 5in (5.3 metres).

The Sprinter uses a RHS steel 2x4in Duragal chassis on which is built the timber frame and aluminium cladding.

The compact pop-top isn’t exactly a luxury model but the features list is better than you’d think, incorporating a galvanised front boot, LED lighting, tri-lock security door, annex light, roll-out awning, roof pressure hatch, 60-litre water tank, 90-litre fridge freezer, three gas/one electric cooktop and microwave.

Wheels are 15in steel, with a spare fitted to the A-frame and a 9kg gas bottle is standard.

The layout is a front bed and rear cafe-dinette/ kitchen arrangement, while storage is covered off with the front boot.