Motorhome and Caravan Show - Highlights 2023
With the leaves changing colour and the autumn upon us, there was an exciting buzz across the country as industry manufacturers, dealers and suppliers came together for the annual Motorhome and Caravan Show.
Set across 11 halls of Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC), the show was enormous, and with the bright lights shining, we headed in to find the hottest trends and newest models.
Accessible Adventures…
Being the only company in the UK that we can recommend for wheelchair accessible caravan, motorhome and day-vehicle adaptions, it won’t surprise you to learn that our first port of call was Coachbuilt. They always have something different on display, and this year it was a recently adapted Swift Escape motorhome.
Starting on the outside, this latest model featured a wider access door, hydraulic lift and an upgrade to VB Full Air Suspension — to offer superior ride comfort, auto levelling and an evenly balanced load.
Moving inside, its cab was fitted with a six-way passenger seat for easy transfer from a wheelchair, and a centrally mounted wheelchair restraint system. Fitted above the lounge was a drop down double bed - We loved the LED lighting integrated into the headlining. It added a luxurious finish to this space.
There was a spacious kitchen with plenty of storage, but it was towards the back of the motorhome where the accessible magic really came to life. This is where we found the bedroom and washroom space. With a foldaway door fitted around the washroom for privacy, this space can also be fully opened up and utilised with a shower screen to create a very large shower.
The bed can also transform into a double, by sliding the top section out to reveal the second mattress beneath. What’s clever about this is that it’s the profiling half of the bed that slides out — Cant’ve been easy to engineer, but a perfect solution for the end user.
It’s important to remember that Coachbuilt build bespoke for every customer, so if this motorhome is not suitable for your requirements, get in touch and they’ll design something that’s right for you!
An Eco Swift Concept…
Having made a few modifications to our own caravan to enable us to go off-grid easily (Lithium battery, inverter + solar panel etc), something which caught our eye was an all electric concept caravan from Swift. Based on their popular Basecamp model, the Evo certainly drew in a lot of attention, so we delved deeper for a closer look.
With a strong focus on treading lighter, this concept had a few interesting features… Externally there was a rain water collection point for toilet flush and a whopping 920w of solar panels fitted to the roof. The sidewalls were built to be 11kg lighter with a thinner GRP body skin (all good for towing emissions), and insulated using 1,750 recycled plastic bottles. They’d even thought of the exterior mouldings, which were made with 85% recycled plastics and generate 75% less CO2!
Whilst the inside resembled a normal-looking Bascamp, this certainly wasn’t the case on closer inspection. Entering through the spacious rear entry door, the kitchen was the first place we spotted some changes. The all electric kitchen was fitted with a twin electric hob with an integrated microwave oven sat below. The Evo was even displayed with an air fryer, a product which has definitely caused a ripple across the country for its energy saving qualities. Towards the front, the sofa cushions were made from recycled plastic bottles, using 42 bottles per 1kg of filling. The heating and hot water system was supplied by the Whale Electric Space and Water Heating system, which, when powered by renewable electricity, reduces emissions by 92% compared to gas powered appliances!
A New Endeavour for Bailey…
Sticking with the eco theme, Bailey had their own concept, but more on that on a moment. The main highlight of the Bailey stand this year was the launch of their first ever camper van range — The Endeavour. Using a Chrome Blue Ford Transit as the base vehicle, the Endeavour is compact in design and marketed as having “everything you need for adventure on-the-fly”. Interested? Find out more HERE!
So, what about this concept then? Well, alongside the new camper van was an EV version of the Endeavour! With a concept comes questions, and we were pleased to see Bailey had two dedicated team members on hand to answer any that came their way. It’s so nice to see manufacturers testing the waters with these things. With electric seeming to be the future, Bailey are certainly putting themselves in a good position to move forward.
Turn up the Heat!..
Good comfort in a leisure vehicle is essential for a happy and enjoyable trip, and this is certainly the case for a heating and hot water system. With modern heating and insulation technology in leisure vehicles, our pastime is no longer a seasonal activity, but one that can be enjoyed all year round. Our own caravan is fitted with a fantastic system called ALDE, so, on our last day at the show we headed over to catch-up with their latest innovations on display.
It was great to see that they’ve further developed the system, and the successor to our own boiler was proudly on display — The Compact 3030 Plus. This now has a larger hot water tank capacity, and with the huge benefit of a continuous hot water supply. When this is combined with a fully serviced pitch (water, electric and drainage direct to your vehicle), it could provide a good solution for disabled people who, from our experience, take a little longer in the shower. Great work ALDE, we look forward to seeing these fitted to caravans and motorhomes soon!
Smoothing Things Over…
Accessibility is always something we’re on the lookout for, so it was nice to meet VB Air Suspension, who provide a range of vehicle suspension solutions.
They have many marketing angles, but it was nice to see a dedicated “Accessibility” sign on their stand. Having heard lots about them already, we know their products certainly contribute towards a better experience for those who have a disability — Including: Greater ride comfort, adjustable loading height, better ramp angle and an evenly balanced load.
We travel tens of thousands of miles with our own ‘Adventure Wheels’ each year, over many different terrains and road conditions, so this will certainly be an upgrade we might be looking for in the future.
Another WIN for Karla…
Last but not least, during the week we were guests at the Caravan Writers’ Guild annual dinner and awards ceremony. Karla was delighted to be announced as the winner for the Douglas King Award for Written Journalism. Read about her award HERE!
These are just a few of our highlights from the week. The Motorhome and Caravan Show is always an exciting one, packed with new models, knowledgeable speakers and innovations. We can’t wait to see what next year brings!