There’s always something special in the air when the February NEC Show is on, as you know, everyone else who is there is as passionate about your favourite pastime as you are.
While the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show is traditionally a smaller show than its October counterpart, there was still plenty to see. Spread across five halls (which my feet were certainly grateful about), caravanners were treated to new releases from Coachman and Adria, an expanding caravan, a tourer with an MTPLM of 2800kg and a price tag of over £70,000, and more.
I enjoyed the February event this year – here, I’m sharing my key takeaways from the February Show.
1. Less really can be more
One thing I’ve picked up on from members of the caravanning community is that there is a feeling that the NEC Shows are becoming increasingly targeted at those interested in buying motorhomes and campervans, with fewer caravans on display. And they do have a point. The number of converters and manufacturers releasing innovative, eye-catching and, quite frankly, cool motorhomes and campervans seems to be increasing year-on-year. But that’s a different discussion.
When it comes to caravans, however, I’d argue that less can sometimes be more. Before you all loudly disagree, hear me out.
With a motorhome or campervan, you could have a favourite brand, certainly, but you’re also likely to have a preferred base vehicle, which can help you narrow down the manufacturers, dealers or converters you want to visit to see your preferred layouts.
Caravans, obviously, don’t come on a base vehicle, which is exactly why I think the amount on display at the February Show is a good thing. You could realistically get around a good number of the models on display if you so desired, increasing the chances of finding the best caravan for you and helping to prevent a costly mistake.
Ok, it would have been nice if Erwin Hymer Group UK and Swift had been there too, but you could still see tourers from both brands on dealer stands, while Coachman and Bailey had plenty of caravans on their stands.
2. There was a caravan costing more than £70,000
Yes, that’s right. The Fifth Wheel Company was making its return to the February NEC Show for the first time in over a decade, and had some eye-catching “fifth wheel” models on its stand in the form of the Celtic Rambler and the Dreamseeker, which will be mounted onto the back of a pick-up, instead of hitched up with a towbar.
Joining it, however, was the Inos, a more conventional caravan that comes on an Al-Ko chassis and has GRP body panels, yet is made with a wood-free construction process and costs over £70,000.
There’s certainly an impressive amount of customisation available – much of it is bespoke, and you could even supply your own choice of upholstery finish if there isn’t one that takes your fancy amidst the large selection. I personally wasn’t a huge fan of the green used in the lounge, for instance, but with so much customisation on offer, that wouldn’t be a problem.
Its slide-out holds one of the two settees in the front lounge in place, while it also provides an L-shaped settee at the front and an L-shaped kitchen. Behind this, a partition can be used to close off the transverse bed, while packing a caravan will be aided by the sliding door wardrobe and set of drawers. Then, at the rear, a washroom, complete with a large shower cubicle, can be found.
The twin-axle tourer offers an impressive payload of 400kg, has an MTPLM of 2800kg and has a shipping length of 8.2m.
There’s no getting away from the fact that you would need deep pockets, not only for the caravan but for a suitable tow car too. But that certainly didn’t stop me from enjoying having a look inside!
3. A new addition to the Lusso range
I’ve been a part of the judging panel that has highlighted the Lusso II and III at the Practical Caravan Awards in recent years, so I was looking forward to seeing the latest addition to Coachman’s sophisticated Lusso line-up. Based on first impressions, the IV looks set to continue the trend.
The 7.9m-long tourer is the first in the range to come with a washroom straddling the centre of the caravan, instead of an end washroom. I personally liked the effect, as it basically gives you three different zones: the L-shaped front lounge, the washroom, and then the rear transverse island bed, where a set of double cupboards sits on either side of a TV.
Unsurprisingly for a tourer from this range of luxury caravans, it’s well-equipped throughout too, with a spec that includes a 120-watt solar panel, a Bluetooth speaker system, USB sockets in the lounge spotlights, a dual-fuel four-burner hob with an extractor fan and a separate oven and grill, and a flatbed microwave. The washroom also features an Alde heating system, while the tourer is 5G Wi-Fi ready.
However, an MTPLM of 2035kg makes it the heaviest in the line-up, and a price tag of £54,240 makes it the most expensive in the range so far as well. I can dream…
4. Adria’s new look
I have a soft spot for Adria caravans (the 2022 Adora Tiber was actually one of the very first caravans I wrote about shortly after joining the magazine), so paying a visit to the Slovenian manufacturer’s stand to see the refreshed Adora range was high on my list of priorities.
There were two on display, my old favourite, the Tiber (£36,995) with its rear in-line island bed, and the Seine (£36,495), which comes with fixed single beds, an extra fold-down bunk, and a rear washroom.
Externally, they feature a new awning light, and inside, come with a new Luna upholstery and marble-effect worktop, and I always appreciate touches such as the back cushions found here, which can be rolled up for a bolster.
Our Reviews editor, Peter Baber, is actually going to be reviewing the Seine in a future issue of Practical Caravan, so look out for that.
Joining the Adoras on the Adria stand was the Action 391 LH (£28,495), a tourer targeted at more adventurous caravanners. It comes with a U-shaped lounge which can be turned into a double bed and can be slept on in either direction, while the rear corner washroom sees a partition which can be swung out to create a large shower cubicle. A rear kitchen provides a huge extension if needed for plenty of workspace, too.
The Action Sports 391LH didn’t make it to the show, but it is priced at £29,995.
After no new caravan releases from Adria at the October Show, it was good to see these new models. I particularly liked the feeling of space created by the upholstery and large windows in the lounge of the Adoras.
5. The return of a familiar (to some of you) name
An expanding caravan may sound like something you’d see in a James Bond film, but this was exactly what I got to see at the entrance to the NEC.
For those of you who were caravanning at the end of the 2010s, Beauer could be a familiar name, as it returns to the UK through River Motorhomes for this season (who, incidentally, are also offering Mink caravans).
The Beauer 3X can expand from 4m long when towed to 12m² after you’re pitched up, and takes less than a minute to do so. Clever, eh? There are two models to choose from, with both providing a U-shaped lounge and a 2m-long transverse bed at opposite ends of the caravan, along with a central kitchen and washroom. However, the 3X1 offers a little more kitchen space, while the 3X2 provides a bigger washroom.
The models come with a 15-year waterproofing guarantee, while a “life” guarantee for the electric opening and closing system should provide some peace of mind, as should the manual override, if required. Coming on an Al-Ko chassis, it has an MTPLM of just under 1200kg. It’s quirky, it’s different, and for those who want extra space on tour, it could be a game-changer.
6. Dealer specials
One of my favourite parts of the NEC Show is being able to have a wander around the various dealer stands and having a nose at dealer specials. The February Show gave me a great opportunity to do just that, with two rear island bed tourers particularly appealing to me.
Glossop Caravans, for instance, had the stylish Elddis Chatsworth 550 on its stand, a four berth tourer which is 7.48m long, 2.3m, wide, has an MTPLM of 1455kg and a MiRO of 1301kg.
Priced from £28,890, I liked the airiness of the front lounge.
Then there was the Avocet 545 on the Raymond James stand, another four-berth with an OTR price of £32,840, an overall length of 7.39m, a width of 2.26m, an MTPLM of 1550kg, and a payload of 155kg.
I liked the feeling of space that the large lounge windows created, with light able to flood in, while the rear island bed had good room on either side. It felt like a tourer I could quite easily imagine myself creating a cosy vibe in.
And yes, you may have guessed after the Adora and now these two, but I am a fan of the rear island bed layout, you got me…
After all that, roll on the October Show!
If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Caravan magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things caravan related.
