Touch of Paradise for caravan buyers

With demand for traditional caravans increasing and motorhome sales on the wane, it’s no surprise some of Australia’s leading motorhome manufacturers are looking to expand into the towable RV market.

Although Avida (formerly Winnebago) has yet to reveal any firm plans, Queensland’s Paradise Motorhomes recently confirmed it will have its first caravan on the market by early-2014.

Paradise Motorhomes’ general manager, Ben MacLean, said it will initially “test the waters” with the introduction of just one, tandem axle caravan model, featuring a 21ft long body and rear slide-out.

MacLean said the four-berth luxury caravan will have a similar layout to the company’s 'cut-price’ Integrity Lite Deluxe motorhome, including a full-width rear ensuite and east/west ‘walkaround’ double bed, albeit with a kitchen and U-shaped lounge towards the front.

Similar to Paradise motorhomes, the caravan will utilise a hybrid monocoque construction for the body, including a one-piece composite floor and walls up to 70mm thick and a tough, gel coat finish. Sitting on a Paradise-designed steel chassis, it will feature an interlocking panel system not unlike that used by the UK’s Bailey.

“If we stick with that same kind of construction, it means we can build much better caravans than what’s available now,” he said.

The well-equipped, leather-lined Paradise caravan will also follow the move towards lightweight, full-size vans towable by a wide range of vehicles, with an anticipated ATM of just 2100kg.

Both on-road and off-road versions will be available, utilising Al-Ko components as well as the popular Cruisemaster suspension.

Despite admitting it will be “a pretty flash caravan”, MacLean said he hopes to keep the price under $90,000 to attract a wider range of buyers.

“It would be very easy for us to go build a caravan that’s worth $130,000, but there are less people that would want to buy that sort of thing,” he said.

The caravan is still in the design and development stages (see a picture of the proposed layout), with early prototypes set to be tested at an automotive proving ground in Victoria. Like Paradise motorhomes, which come with an industry-leading three-to-five year warranty, he said the new caravan will be “over-engineered” for strength and safety.

It will be built at Paradise’s new, larger factory on the Gold Coast, which the company moved into last August after it was previously occupied by Swagman Motorhomes.

Initially, annual production will be limited to around 50 caravans. Paradise currently produces around 70-80 motorhomes a year, which range in price from $128,000 to more than $500,000.