For the second year running, Durham-based Elddis has been declared overall winner of The Caravan Club’s prestigious Motor Caravan Design & Drive competition.
Despite a price tag of just £25,995 the coachbuilt Elddis Autoquest 120 triumphed in a contest of 56 motor caravans spread across seven classes – the biggest ever entry in the competition’s nine-year history.
British makers dominated five of the seven classes, with prizes for the East Neuk Fifer Touring SWB (van conversions up to £34,000), Timberland Endeavour X1 (van conversions over £34,000), Auto-Sleeper Sigma EL (coachbuilts from £36,000 to £45,000), Bessacarr E789 (coachbuilts over £45,000) and the Elddis voted overall winner.
Imported motor caravans took both awards for A-Class models, with the Hymer B508 CL (for entries up to £60,000) and Concorde Charisma 890M (over £60,000). Well-known makers Swift, Murvi, Compass, Autocruise, Marquis, TEC and Niesmann+Bischoff took second place in the seven categories.
Commenting on the awards, Caravan Club Chairman, Grenville Chamberlain, said “We are over the moon at the fantastic support the industry has given this event. With this record level of entries it must make success even sweeter for the Elddis Autoquest in taking the overall title.”
“Astonishing value for money” was one judge’s comment about the winning Elddis Autoquest 120, which is manufactured by the Explorer Group of Consett, County Durham. As one of 10 budget coachbuilts in its class, the low-profile Autoquest 120 was praised for its rear lounge layout and workable kitchen design as well as its performance on the road.
Base vehicle for the winning motor caravan was a Peugeot Boxer, whose 100bhp engine was judged both “pokey” and “refined”.
East Neuk Campervans was especially pleased to take both first and second places in the class for van conversions up to £34,000. The Scottish manufacturer’s short and medium-wheelbase versions of its Fiat Ducato-based Fifer high-top battled against seven other class entrants.
Timberland came top in a class of 11 van conversions over £34,000, with its Endeavour X1 model. Based on a Renault Master chassis with QuickShift automatic transmission, Timberland’s conversion was praised for its compact and usable washroom.
The award for coachbuilt motor caravans up to £36,000 went to the Elddis Auotquest 120 which, in a secret ballot of the competition’s 10 judges, went on to be declared overall winner.
Next category was for coachbuilts between £36,000 and £45,000, with honours going to Auto-Sleeper for its Sigma EL, a low-profile classic enhanced by 3-litre power. Best coachbuilt in the over £45,000 class was the Swift Group’s Bessacarr E789. Over 28ft long (8.67m), built on a Fiat chassis again with 3-litre poke, the Bessacarr was described as “a long-haul tourer... really hard to fault”.
There were two awards for A-Class motor caravans and two entries in each of the price classes – all imports. Top marks in the under £60,000 class went to the Hymer B508 CL, which was praised for its quality and detailing as well as its fixed rear 6ft 4in twin beds, which partner a pull-down cab double.
Winner of the over £60,000 A-Class award went to the Concorde Charisma 890M. Judges described the 6.7-tonne A-Class as “astonishingly easy to drive” and its interior comparable with that of a luxury yacht.
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The Caravan Club Motor Caravan Design and Drive Competition 2008 - List of entrants
Class 1 – Van Conversions up to £34,000
- Adria Traffic 3 Way
- Adria Twin
- Bravia Swan A
- Danbury Surf
- East Neuk Fifer Touring MWB
- East Neuk Fifer Touring SWB
- Mondial GT
- Trigano Tribute 550
- Trigano Tribute 650
Class 2 – Van Conversions over £34,000
- Auto-Sleeper Symbol
- Auto-Sleeper Warwick
- Danbury Family Four
- Danbury Royale (Twin)
- Horizons Unlimited Carvarno 2
- MURVI Morello
- MURVI Piccolo
- Timberland Endeavour X1
- Timberland Endeavour X1X
- Volkswagen California SE
- Westfalia Nugget
Class 3 – Coachbuilts up to £36,000
- Bessacarr E510 Compact
- Blucamp by Rimor Sky 22
- Carado T135
- Compass Avantgarde 115
- Dethleffs Eurostyle A63
- Elddis Autoquest 120
- Elddis Autoquest 145
- McLouis Lagan 202 SE
- McLouis Lagan 250 SE
- Roller Team Auto Roller 500
Class 4 – Coachbuilts from £36,000 to £45,000
- Auto-Sleeper Sigma EL
- Autocruise Startrail
- Burstner Quadro IT 674
- C-I Mizar Elite
- Eriba Car Emotion 653
- Hymer Van 522
- Marquis County Devon
- McLouis Tandy 650
- McLouis Tandy 672
- McLouis Tandy 673
- Swift Voyager 695
- TEC FreeTEC XS 594
Class 5 – Coachbuilts over £45,000
- Autocruise Oakmont
- Auto-Trail Frontier Arapaho
- Auto-Trail Frontier Delaware
- Bessacarr E789
- Knaus Sun TI 700MG
- Lunar Roadstar 800
- Marquis County Berkshire
- McLouis Tandy 640 SE
- TEC FreeTEC 718 UK
- TEC ROTEC 662
Class 6 - A CLASS up to £60,000
- Hymer B508 CL
- TEC I-Tec 680G
Class 7 - A CLASS over £60,000
- Concorde Charisma 890M
- Niesmann and Bischoff Arto 74 LE GB
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The Caravan Club Motor Caravan Design and Drive Competition 2008 - List of winners
Class 1 – Van Conversions up to £34,000
- East Neuk Fifer Touring SWB
Class 2 – Van Conversions over £34,000
Class 3 – Coachbuilts up to £36,000
Class 4 – Coachbuilts from £36,000 to £45,000
Class 5 – Coachbuilts over £45,000
Class 6 - A Class up to £60,000
Class 7 - A Class over £60,000
Overall winner
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