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Windsor unveils unique Hybrid
WA manufacturer introduces novel pop-top alternative to hard-floor campersWindsor Caravans created a lot of interest at the Sydney Caravan Supershow with the first East Coast appearance of its new West Australian-built Hybrid 390-series pop-top camper.
Fresh from its debut at the Perth Caravan Show in March, the novel Hybrid features a front-hinged pop-top roof with a full-width lift-up rear entry door, a north-south queen-size memory-foam bed and lounge-style seating for up to six adults via rear settees that can double as additional single beds.
The stylish 3900mm (12ft 8in) long and 2200mm (7ft 2in) wide Hybrid is the personal ‘baby’ of ex-Avida RV General Manager Peter Naylor, who since mid-2015 has been Executive General Manager of Fleetwood’s RV (Coromal/Windsor) business and its interior layout bears similarities to that employed on Avida’s van-based motorhome models.
A portable dining table turns the lounge into a dining room but, in camper trailer tradition, all cooking, washing and refrigeration is accessed from the outside, via sliding under-bed and A-frame storage areas.
Naylor said Windsor is targeting the Hybrid at camper trailer buyers looking to upgrade to a more roomier and comfortable accommodation with a quicker set-up, rather than at caravan buyers, with the all-composite panelled Hybrid weighing similar to a hard-floor folding camper despite its roomier size.
Two versions of the Windsor Hybrid 390 will be offered when production gets under way in October this year: an on-road Hybrid Tourer with a beam axle and leaf-spring suspension, aggressively priced at $33,500 and an off-road 390XC model equipped with Coromal’s own twin coil spring independent trailing arm suspension, 12-inch electric brakes, greater ground clearance, additional checker plate protection, a dust-inhibiting roof-top ‘scupper’ pressurising vent and extensive external scrub bar protection plus more exterior storage, priced at $44,500.
Impressively, given it size, off-road production versions are expected to have a modest Tare weight of around 1160kg and an ATM of 1560kg thanks to the composite construction that they share with Touring models, which includes a full thickness roof panel for better insulation.
Both models have slide-out kitchens consisting of a covered stainless steel BBQ, pantry and sink, plus a wall pantry and a large drop-down serving table on their left-hand side, while there’s a front storage hatch and another drop-down table with access to the storage space beneath the right-hand rear seat on the other.
Off-road ‘XC’ models additionally are equipped with two front checker-plate storage boxes – one with a generator slide and the other with a fridge-slide. Both are protected by a mesh stone shield, but on the off-road prototype this created a problem with operating the AL-KO jockey wheel – something that Naylor said will be addressed in production models.
A regular 50mm ball coupling is fitted to the Tourer, while the XC displayed was fitted with a Hitchmaster DO-35 pin coupling. However, Naylor said the Off-Road models will most likely switch to AL-KO’s new low-profile off-road ball coupling in production.
Both models have a novel, drop-down cantilevered rear step on the rear side of the single spare wheel mount, while toughened black automotive glass similar to that used on Toyota HiAce vans is used extensively for the sliding side windows and styling features.
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Written byMichael Browning
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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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