Check out our first sight of Swift‘s new Basecamp, a caravan aimed at active people looking to move up from camping, which made its debut at this week’s NEC Motorhome & Caravan Show.

The new caravan, due to be reviewed in full very soon by Practical Caravan, features a rear door to allow for easy stowage of bikes and other large sporting equipment. Its front lounge also folds up completely, and there are anchor points to help you secure large items safely.

Other features that add to the ‘active’ feel are a large window at the front you can open completely, an outside barbecue point, removable storage baskets and sporty graphics on the outside.

It has a starting price of £15,395 OTR.

Bailey in Oz

This Bailey Rangefinder Comet, a 2600kg caravan produced by Bailey Australia, has really been pulling in the crowds this week.

Bailey is the only European manufacturer to produce caravans locally in Australia. In fact, the only part of the caravan that was shipped over from the UK were the Alu-Tech side panels, and this is the first time an Australian tourer has been exported back to the UK.

Bailey says it is showing the caravan for display purposes only – there are no plans to bring it to the UK market.

But visitors to the show are clearly keen to see a caravan that includes a washing machine as an optional extra. The Rangefinder’s thick chain breakaway cable rather puts our UK versions to shame, too!

And there’s more

Other new launches worth checking out are two new Wingamm caravans, one of which, the Rookie L, is the Italian manufacturer’s first-ever four-berth.

The model you see here is a prototype, and full production is not due to start until November. But the caravan will include a spacious U-shaped rear lounge and a French bed, with bold upholstery designs. Expect a price of around £20,750.

The Australian launch of the other new model on show, the Rookie Cross, has already proved so successful that Wingamm will start producing a version of this ‘off-road style’ Rookie 3.5 with a door on the left-hand side in January. Perfect for UK drivers as well! It currently costs £18,120.

Knaus is showing two new StarClass models. There’s the rear lounge 690 (£29,999) and the shorter end washroom 489 (23,999).

But have a look, too, at its exciting new Lifestyle 490 (£18,999). It’s a caravan with its own breakfast bar, an L-shaped lounge, a window seat and striking red edging to its white drawers and cupboards.

Marquis Leisure is showing its full-range of six new Caravelair budget caravans from France, including three that only made it to these shores last week. They are the four-berth Antarès 420 (£12,995), the four-to-six berth Antarès 476 (£14,295) and the six-to-seven berth Antarès 496.

Eriba is showing the Nova S 545 and the huge twin-axle 690, the latest in its range of luxury larger caravans, this time coming with a large front lounge with subtle Eriba-branded ambient lighting. It costs from £33,410, pitching it against another super-sized newcomer, Lunar’s luxurious Alaria, which also makes its first public appearance at the show.

At the other end of the market, you’ll find the Freedom Jetstream Flare, a new 4.26-metre-long model from the Polish manufacturer that comes with a special silver finish.

And finally!

For those looking for something a little more leftfield, how about the new Showman’s Twagon from Wildwood Designs? We featured its Bowtop Wagon some months ago. The wooden caravan specialist’s new model is based on a 1940s showman’s wagon and has a base price of £15,820.

The Motorhome and Caravan Show runs at the NEC until Sunday 16 October.