Salon Style 2005

The summer launch season is always a hectic time for us overworked European motorhome journalists (I can see you’re not overwhelmed with pity), so it’s always with affection that we look forward to the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon in Germany as it marks the end of the crazy season.

Britain has two major indoor trade shows, but you could fit both of them, easily, into the Caravan Salon’s floor space. It’s so large that buses circle the myriad halls throughout the day to take you from one end of the show to the other.

Motorhome Swarm

It’s for this show that all the European manufacturers have been busily completing their newest models but, for all that, in many ways the most impressive aspect of this event is the rally fields.

Just a short (and free) bus ride away from the conference centre is the motorhome parking area, otherwise known as the ‘Caravan Centre’. This literally reaches as far as you can see, with row upon row of motorhomes varying from the most modest camper to huge, frescoed monsters.

This year, the official number of campers staying here during the show’s ten-day duration was more than 26,000 vehicles. By adding up all the vehicles and multiplying their average price, that total means that around 1.3 billion Euros (or $2,161,523 Australian dollars) passed through its entrance gates. It may not be life-changing information, but hopefully interesting nonetheless!

Flash and sparkle

But there’s more to the Caravan Salon than the free entertainment tent and cheap Alt beer (reputedly). Inside the conference centre are hall upon hall of brand new motorhomes, and this year there were a couple of big surprises.

The first was from the German firm Knaus, who launched what it claims is the smallest A-class motorhome the world has ever seen. Who knows if this is a fact, but the C-Liner (pictured) certainly is compact at only 5.74m long. Inside its stunning body shell is a modern interior that everyone, without exception, loved. The lounge was comprised of leather heated seats, and at the rear a permanent bed had a feather and spring core mattress. And, based on the new Renault Master, it’s great to drive as well.

The other excitement was from another German company, Bürstner. It surprised all of us who thought we were ‘in the know’ by showing a brand new low-profile prototype: the Mega Van.

Again based on the Renault Master, and again boasting a phenomenal interior, it was the rear bike carrier made it stand out from the crowd. This is electrically-powered and slides smoothly out from the back panel so you can load your bicycles or small scooter with ease. The exterior was stunning too, with its flame-coloured bumpers and duo-toned light and dark grey body. Production starts in March.

But these were just two of the 530 exhibitors that were displaying their products within the many conference halls. Not all of these were selling motorhomes or caravans, however – many were plugging their country of origin, trying to convince everyone that their campsite or local region welcomes motor-caravanners with open arms.

A little cajoling also goes on with wine tasting, free balloons for the kids and pens for the adults. And at night it feels like the entire world descends on Düsseldorf’s old town centre, where benches and tables are set up on the street for people to congregate and drink, and restaurants badger you to come into their establishment for what they say is the best food in town.

If you happen to be passing through Europe at the right time, and are fanatical about motorhomes, then you won’t regret a detour to Düsseldorf for next year’s show, which will be held from August 25 to September 3.

Homeward bound

What you won’t find at the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon are many UK-built motorhomes – for those you’ve got to wait for our home-grown shows.

At the time of writing, things have been a little quiet back in the UK, as they always are leading up to the beginning of the indoor show season. It starts with a brand new show at the Excel in the Docklands area of London in November. But just a week later is the traditional annual indoor show situated just a few miles down the road at Earls Court.

It’s become a cat fight as to which show will survive, although the camping facilities at Excel’s car park is bound to lure campers away from the chaotic London Underground or the packed buses that must be negotiated to reach Earls Court.

But before I head to our capital, I must first make the journey across Europe to Slovenia. Adria is a large employer within this small Eastern-European country, where few companies are as well known and respected throughout the EU. It builds both motorhomes and caravans – very good ones at that – and the company is looking forward to opening its brand new factory.