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NEWS
Swift goes to China
New Trail rough-road composite caravans to be built in China before production moves down underSwift Australia has abandoned short-term plans to open an Australian factory to build its new Trail off-road ‘hybrid’ vans, which were unveiled 12 months ago.
Speaking at the recent Queensland Caravan Supershow, Swift Australia boss Alex Kammerlocher said the latest batch of Trail models are built in China, using an Australian-made chassis and slighter thicker fibreglass panels to those used on the UK Swift caravans.
“We’re testing the market and then hopefully going towards a full Australian made product in the future,” he said. “At the moment (the caravans on display) are test rigs (but) we are taking orders.”
Swift has teamed up with Gold Coast-based MRK Engineering to build the chassis and is using leaf spring and independent trailing arm suspension set-ups from Al-Ko in Melbourne.
“It’s an Australian chassis with an imported body and then all the fixtures and appliances are locally sourced,” he said.
For the first time since launching at the Brisbane show in 2012, Swift didn’t display any lightweight UK caravans, just British motorhomes due to “space reasons”.
But Kammerlocker also hinted demand was dropping of in the Australian market for lightweight Euro vans, with Elddis and Knaus no longer offering current models, and the UK’s Bailey also focusing on a new range of locally-built hybrid models.
The rising popularity of dual-cab utes and other vehicles capable of towing three tonnes or more is also affecting caravan buying patterns.
“You can definitely say that the people that used to be limited to two tonne (caravans) are no longer limited, and because they can now tow three tonnes they can consider everything.”
He also expressed frustration that ‘Australianised’ UK-built Swift Explorer vans are still not ‘rugged’ enough for many buyers, despite offering similar road clearance to equivalent Australian models.
“100mm raised on the Al-Ko chassis is a lot higher than your standard spec European caravan but there seems to be the way of higher and heavier (in Australia),” he explained.
“You don’t even see that in the States, because you think a country like America (would have similar requirements to Australia).”
That said, he’s hoping to reduce the weight of the current crop of Trail family and couple vans, which in Brisbane ranged from 18ft to 21ft 6in ‘semi off-road’ and ‘off-road’ models with Tare weights between 2100kg and 2590kg.
“We’re still a bit heavy and we want to come down more in weight but the solid 150mm chassis adds quite a lot of weight.”
Priced in the $55-$70,000 bracket, the display vans came equipped with two 80 litre water tanks, gas/electric hot water system, external shower, solar panels, 3kg top loader washing machine, reverse camera, full ensuite, air-conditioner and 198L fridge, while some had leather seating and a grey water tank.
Swift Australia is also still planning to tap into the growing micro-light caravan market with the new UK-built Basecamp, although its arrival down under has now been delayed.
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Written byChris Fincham
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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