Newlands Stylus

LAW of the Land

When you're in the market for a new van, the term "offroad" can be confusing, due to the variation of people's expectations. After all, one person's idea of offroad may encompass the Canning Stock Route while another's may stop with a smooth dirt highway.

The latest Newlands caravan to arrive on the scene - the Stylus - makes no bold claims, and even avoids the "offroad" label altogether, but its extensive alloy checkerplate, sturdy 6in chassis, suspension options and a number of other touches give more than a subtle hint of the market it's gunning for.

Newlands' sales and marketing manager, Wayne Freeman, says it's vitally important to be clear on any van's intended range of operation. "Basically we tell people that the Stylus is suitable to traverse mild corrugations and dirt roads, and we warranty it as such," he says.

"To this point, we hadn't really been into the so-called dirt road sector of the market (with the Newlands), but we decided that if we were going to produce a van targeting this segment, then we were going to do it properly," he adds.

In the case of the Stylus, "do it properly" not only means a sturdy construction and quality design, but includes a whole range of features as standard, despite the price-sensitive Newlands badge.

Those features include 15in alloy wheels, LED exterior lights (and tail-lights), a fold-out picnic table, air-conditioning, provision for solar power, and checkerplate on the front, back and sides. "It's proper 1.6mm checkerplate too - not like the pretend stuff you see on some vans," says Wayne.

FAMILIAR NAME
The Newlands name will be familiar to anyone who experienced the Aussie caravan scene back in the '70s. The moniker had disappeared until about a year ago - that was when Concept Caravans, which has been around for five years now, bought the rights to the name and revived it to complement Concept's existing range of high-spec products.

One of three Concept Caravans directors, Keir Smith, explains: "We brought in the Newlands name so we could have a range of vans in line with the products of other mid-range manufacturers," he says. "We believe Concept vans stand above most vans in terms of features, fittings and fit-out, so with the Newlands, which is available through our national dealer network, we've expanded the price point range of the products we supply."

Given its positioning in the market, you'd expect the Stylus to be a fairly off-the-rack type of affair, but Wayne says there is still some room to move. "We've got five layouts available for the Stylus," he says. "On the normal Newlands we wouldn't do a lot in terms of customisation, but on the Stylus we're prepared to go a little further."

The van itself is built upon a 6in Supa-Gal chassis, with a 6in A-frame. Roller-rocker load sharing suspension is offered as standard, but customers have the option to add shock absorbers or replace it with a Simplicity Independent set-up.

The 15in alloy wheels are a nice touch and 10in electric brakes are fitted all round. A traditional white aluminium-clad exterior contrasts nicely with the dark-tint Jupiter windows, and from the chassis up, the Stylus is constructed around a meranti timber frame.

You'll find all the usual gear up on the drawbar - Al-Ko coupling, Breaksafe Breakaway switch and a tap - plus two 9kg gas cylinders.

The front boot has a one-piece folded steel construction, i.e., with no welds or joins, and houses a quality jack from Preston Chassis. The boot also stores the CTEK Multi XS 25000 - a 25A smart charger - and a single deep-cycle battery.

Our test model came fitted with a very neat slide-out Swift barbecue near the nearside front of the van. This compact unit slides out and then pivots 90º, and Wayne says it had been developed by Swift specifically for the Stylus. If you don't want the barbecue, you can always opt for a tunnel boot instead.

Down the nearside you'll find a fold-out picnic table under the sizeable Dometic A&E 8500 series awning, along with an external antenna jack, a powerpoint and two external lights. At the rear, the heavy-duty bumper features a spare wheel and two jerry can holders.

COMFORTABLE SURROUNDS
Step through the rear Camec triple-locker door and you'll instantly feel at home amid the van's comfortable and modern surrounds. A feeling of quality pervades, with the benchtops and table edged in timber, timber pelmets over the windows, venetian blinds, and quality pushbuttons on the cupboard doors and drawers.

A white textured ceiling is matched with light, timber-style polyfinish walls, with dark laminated benchtops and chocolate upholstery. It's a traditional front bedroom, mid-kitchen, rear bathroom layout, but our test van came with a twist - the offside cupboard just forward of the L-shaped dinette houses a front-loading Dometic washing machine.

This really makes sense. There's plenty of room to move here - certainly more than having the washing machine in your typical caravan bathroom - and there's room on the benchtop above it to put your laundry basket.

You may think it comes at the expense of kitchen storage space, but that's simply not the case: it has a pull-out pantry near the door, a roll-out wire basket under the Thetford Minigrill (with four-burner gas cooktop) and plenty of other assorted overhead lockers, drawers and cupboards - including a truly massive area beneath the angled end of the benchtop.

There's also an LG microwave at a sensible height above a 150L three-way Dometic fridge, which is located on the offside between the washing machine and the bedroom.

A square bowl sink and drainer is set into the dark laminate benchtop, and a full-size splashback will ensure it's easy to keep the area gleaming.

Lighting is handled via a number of large, round fluoro fittings, with a single halogen over the corner of the dinette, and at either side of the bed. There are two Dometic Mini Heki hatches - one near the entrance and one over the bed - and the Dometic air-conditioner is centrally placed over the forward end of the kitchen.

GREAT HEIGHTS
One aspect of this van I immediately appreciated was its generous ceiling height. At 1.98m (6ft 6in) I never had to stoop, not even when under the air-conditioner, and that's a rare thing for 188cm (6ft 2in) me.

There's a JVC radio/CD unit at head height opposite the microwave, with a 19in LCD television on an articulated arm nearby. Of course, you don't need electronics to enjoy a night in, and for card games or a nice meal, the dinette offers comfy seating for two, or three if pushed, with additional storage underneath.

The queen-size island bed, with posture slat base, lifts up to reveal a massive storage area. There's the usual assortment of hanging wardrobes, overhead lockers and bedside cupboards and drawers, with further cupboard space off each foot of the bed, and an additional larger mirrored cupboard on the offside.

It's a bit of a squeeze to manoeuvre around the sides of the bed, but in general this is a very pleasant area to be, with plenty of natural light courtesy of large windows and the hatch above.

That leaves us with the bathroom behind the sliding polyfinish door at the rear of the van, with offside Thetford swivel toilet, nearside shower cubicle, and a power hatch over each. A small brushed alloy sink is provided, with a mirror and overhead lockers above. The shower door has been finished in black, instead of the usual opaque style, and - like the rest of the finish throughout the van - looks really smart.

THE BOTTOM LINE
The Newlands Stylus reviewed here attracts a very reasonable price tag of $65,000 plus on-road costs, with the range starting from $53,000. I was immediately impressed with the Stylus, from its interior decor and its lengthy list of standard features, to its high-quality fit-out and finish.

It's not about to go sailing over the Simpson Desert, but if the odd decent dirt road is a part of your travel plans, the Stylus will take you away from the madding crowds in no small degree of style.

I WOULD HAVE LIKED

Newlands Caravans
60 Barry Road, Campbellfield, Vic 3061,
(03) 9357 6190.

For more information, including your nearest dealer, visit www.conceptcaravans.com.au