Paradise unveils classy Castaway caravan

Paradise Motorhomes has unveiled its first caravan, and it’s a doozy.

It’s also a lot more expensive than the Queensland manufacturer of top-end motorhomes originally indicated, with little change from $120,000 (tow-away) for the entry-level version of the new Castaway model.

Back in April Paradise Motorhomes’ general manager, Ben MacLean, said he was hoping to price the Castaway under $90,000 to make it affordable. But after using a costly new ‘interlocking’ composite construction process and loading it with all the latest equipment, the price of the new van has soared well into six figures.

“Like what we do with our motorhomes, we decided we wanted to make it better and better, with a lot more standard features, which ends up jacking the price up a little bit,” MacLean explained.

The caravan’s fitout and finish are now closer in style to Paradise’s $241,000 Inspiration Supreme motorhome, rather than the slightly cheaper $199,000 Integrity Deluxe originally envisioned, though without the swish motorhome’s two-pack paint finish.

Some of the extras added late in development included a slide-out bedroom, external BBQ and TV, and premium leather for the lounge. MacLean said pretty much the only thing missing now is a generator, although there are a few options available including additional house batteries (one 100aH battery is standard), a 300w solar system with 20amp regulator, satellite TV with VAST and aexternal drop-down table.

Externally, the prototype finished just in time for the Melbourne Leisurefest show in early October, featured some stand-out styling including burgundy-painted checker plate over the shiny gel-coated composite body, and Paradise’s own galvanised chassis finished in two-pack white gloss paint.

Another point of difference is the aero-designed front end, which extends the front ‘nosecone’ further than usual over the drawbar. Paradise is considering other external finishes including the tough, spray-on Rhino coating used for ute liners.

The caravan's unique build utilises thick, one-piece composite panels (35mm walls, 45mm roof, 50mm floor) to improve insulation and strength as well as reduce weight.

“The body and cabinetry use a patented interlocking system which is strong enough to hold together without adhesives,” he said, although the panels are still fully bonded. “We’ve been using it on the motorhomes with the cabinetry, but on the caravans use it with the body as well.”

Al-Ko ESC and Cruisemaster independent coil suspension are standard, although the off-road variants also come with an off-road coupling, dual shock absorbers and 100mm more road clearance.

Tare mass for the tandem axle caravan begins around 2100kg, with payloads of up to 1000kg available. The prototype has a Tare of 2180kg and 3065kg ATM.

“We would rather over-engineer things, and our goal was to make the caravan light enough to tow behind a Falcon or Territory while still having some carrying capacity,” he said.

Due to the precise nature of the computer-cut, modular construction, only one layout is currently available with little scope for customisation. However, MacLean believes the airy, four-berth layout, which includes a spacious dinette/lounge and 1.6m long kitchen up front and walk-around, east-west queen bed and large ensuite at the rear, along with a huge wardrobe and pantry, should appeal to many caravanners.

The 21ft 6in (6.5m long) van also incorporates many of the high-quality features found in Paradise motorhomes such as china sink and toilet, full length piano hinges and soft-closing drawers.

“At this stage we just want to do the one layout, and do it really well, and get it absolutely spot-on,” he said.

As well as luxuries like a washing machine, two LED TVs, and comprehensive electrical system including LED lighting, the Castaway comes with the latest Truma Combi gas/240V room and water heater. The two-in-one system can be programmed via a digital display to work in tandem with the roof-mounted air-conditioner to create a more efficient ‘climate controlled’ interior.

Befitting its exclusivity Paradise expects to initially build up to 20 caravans a year, in the same Gold Coast factory where around 80 Paradise campervans and motorhomes are manufactured each year.

“We sold two (caravans) at Melbourne (Leisurefest) so there’s no issue in selling the things. And we had good solid feedback at the show,” he said.