Sydney showgoers caught in the Crossfire

On The Move Caravans has revived the Crossfire name on a swish new Chinese-built hybrid off-road camper, unveiled at the 2024 NSW Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow.

The Crossfire badge was last used about eight years ago on a range of compact Melbourne-built hybrid off-roaders, with the new OTM Crossfire 4.7 fixed roof, single axle camper coming in slightly larger but better equipped for its sub-$70,000 starting price.

Its designer, industry veteran 'gun for hire' Peter Naylor who was also behind the larger OTM Adventure caravan range, said the Crossfire 4.7’s 15ft 4in (4.7m) body has a new ground-breaking three-piece shell comprised of 45mm thick fibreglass composite panels.

The roof, front, rear and floor are combined as one piece, with one-piece side walls. He said this body shell construction requires fewer joins, with benefits including less opportunity for moisture ingress and improved insulation properties, as well as a stronger overall shell.

On The Move is also pushing the 'rot-free' theme with its latest import, with the only timber on the prototype caravan the slide-out kitchen’s bread board.

Like the OTM Adventure, both the Crossfire’s body and its lighter weight, off-road chassis and airbag suspension were designed by former Perth-based Coromal-Windsor general manager Peter Naylor, who was head-hunted by On The Move Caravans in 2021, but previously was instrumental in the Windsor Hybrid and Coromal Pioneer XC Evolution off-roader development.

“There are no joins, the [roof, front and rear and floor] is one-piece all the way around, all dovetailed side panels, the joins are a lock and block system, like on the Adventure," Naylor explained at the Sydney Supershow.

"The body is made of 2mm fibreglass inside and out, with an epoxy on polyurethane 40mm core. There’s also a protective skateboard decking panel decal finish.”

Naylor added that the gritty sandpaper-like skateboard decal finish, fitted on the lower half of the body, can be easily replaced if damaged.

Continuing a theme first seen on some of Naylor's previous Fleetwood-built models, the side glass windows on the Crossfire 4.7 are automotive grade, 170Mpa and 45mm thick with slider sections rather than more conventional hopper-type opening mechanisms. They're not all perfectly square and straight either, like you'll see on most other rival hybrids.

“I went out of my way to be a bit different (with the window shapes), to make it more open and airy," he explained.

There were no screens or curtains fitted to the prototype at the Supershow, but adding to the unique feel Naylor said for the production versions: “I think we’ll go with a lycra, rather than a pleated curtain, so it’s nice and clean, flat”.

Although the internal lining and cabinetry of the pre-production model was of a fibreglass foam, epoxy finish construction, Naylor said that he'll most likely go with aluminium panels for the production versions.

The interior layout includes a north-south front bed and opposing lounges with contoured seat backs (inspired by Ikea products), along with a rear kitchen, and a combined shower/toilet room in the rear corner.

While the chassis components are assembled a bit like Meccano in Australia, Naylor says he hopes there will be less handling of the body build back at the Chinese factory where the production versions will be made.

“This is designed to be robotically constructed,” he said.

The Crossfire has had a long gestation period, Naylor admitting: “I did my first sketches in 2019, then got caught up with COVID.”

The OTM Crossfire 4.7 uses a similar rivetted chassis with cut-outs and airbag wishbone suspension to the larger OTM Adventure vans launched last year, with the prototype boasting a 1525kg Tare, 2200kg ATM and 100kg ball mass at Tare.

Priced at $69,990, the Crossfire 4.7 also comes with 200 litres of fresh water and 100 litre grey water capacity, a 200Ah lithium battery, 2000W inverter and two 200W rooftop solar panels and CMS cabling. There’s also an internal induction cooktop, a fridge-freezer, reverse-cycle air conditioner, and a slide-out outdoor kitchen with built-in pantry alongside.

While it's early days, Naylor says that eventually there will be more to come in the eye-catching Crossfire range.

“I have committed to three [body sizes], but we’re just concentrating on this one for now. We need to be in the position to build 200 or 250 of these.”