LUXURY TOURERS GROUP TEST Double the diﬀ … group test... · The onboard tank and powerful pump...

GROUP TEST LUXURY TOURERS

50 WHICH caravan SEPTEMBER 2009 www.outandaboutlive.co.uk

GROUP TESTLUXURY TOURERS

www.outandaboutlive.co.uk WHICH caravan SEPTEMBER 2009 51

Double the diff erence!Flagship caravans with top specifi cation … We’re in £20,000-territory. A place in which to relax and enjoy caravanning at its most luxurious and most spacious

TEST PHIL STEPHENS

SWIFT CONQUEROR 630 £19,735

OUR CRITERIA: Not to get hung up on price. To examine why three caravans all with the same fixed double bed and full-width washroom layout end up being so utterly different.

LUNAR DELTA RS£20,895

AFTER months talking value of this, worthiness of that, searching for justifi cation why some manufacturer hadn’t dropped the latest gizmo into its newest factory-fresh tourer, I’m going to take a look at some top tottie tourers for a change.

It’s a privileged place where you expect, by default, to fi nd most of what you want to be there.

So say hello to Swift’s mighty Conqueror 630 brimming with technology in build and specifi cation. That’s £19,735, please. Welcome too, the Coachman Laser 640/4, the Joanna Lumley of the bunch; of a certain age but refi ned and lovely to look at. This one

arrives with optional leather (the caravan, not Joanna) although I’d pay the £21,395 to see either dressed so.

Finally Lunar’s Delta RS. For £20,895 you can expect a strong challenge from this fl agship tourer courtesy of the newly vitalised and, more importantly, independent manufacturer following its management buy-out last year.

All three models here will set you back over £20,000 after delivery and a minor delve into the options list. So, after swallowing that fi scal nugget of news, get over it – or become a MP and start fi lling out that expenses form!

COACHMAN LASER 640/4 AIR CON £21,395

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LAYOUT 8/10The Swift’s lounge is the shorter of the three but this pays dividends in the rear washroom which is noticeably more generous because of it. Remarkably, 90 per cent of the off side kitchen sits ahead of the fi rst axle, giving some indication why that off side fi xed bed and washroom manage such fi ne dimensions.

On the nearside (still ahead of that fi rst axle) sits Thetford’s tower fridge with what therefore must be a sky-scraper microwave perched above. With narrow fl at screen TVs becoming ever more popular the central bulkhead unit between bed and kitchen has been sensibly split allowing TV one side and kitchen storage the other. The smoked door adds more refi nement over sliding tambour units which, to my eye at least, now show their age. Of the three it’s this Swift’s layout that’s more commonly seen elsewhere and that’s testament to its ability.

STYLING 8/10Styling is modern but not overtly contemporary. Contradiction – or is there really a diff erence? Well, the interior’s cabinetry, soft furnishings and additional decorative addenda is every bit as stylish as the era in which we live dictates. But I’m not sure the colours (brown, bronze etc) combine successfully to create a decorative theme that’s: A, much of a jump up from the Challenger range that sits below the Conquerors and, B, delivers an interior that feels extra special instead of just very, very nice.

Comfort, though, is a given. The lounge settees may be shorter and, while you can forget lying down, you can still put your feet up with ease.

TOWING 8/10Don’t laugh, but 1830kg all-up isn’t extraordinarily heavy, given the facts. Those facts include the Conqueror’s full width body, masses of kit and structural rigidity. In realty most caravanners won’t ever load over the 1800kg mark, making this a fully-stocked tourer but not stuff ed in terms of weight.

One gripe. Without question AL-KOs ATC should be standard here. It’s not just the safety issue, but list price and competitors’ foresight to rubber-stamp its inclusion make Swift look a little mean here.

KITCHEN 9/10The kitchen’s biggest boast isn’t the mighty 171-litre fridge but an equally impressive cupboard under the sink. It holds a twin stack of wire baskets on quality metal runners and, because of its width, ends up being vastly more practical than similar designs that have more shelves but are too narrow There’s a smaller basket, too in the adjacent cupboard.

WASHROOM 10/10Of the three, this is the washroom of choice. The best shower in size, use and looks. By far the most room to change clothing – and that cosy Alde radiator vent along the fl oor…

The onboard tank and powerful pump ensure oodles of fresh water is pumped hard to the shower.

SLEEPING 9/10At 1.34m x 1.90m the Swift also claims the largest bed award. That width (over 4feet 4inches) is even more remarkable considering the fi ve-centimetre gap necessary for the Alde radiator under the window.The headboard sits proud of the washroom wall creating a shelf the length of the bed. That not only serves as night-time storage but a proper display shelf as well. Four large upper lockers corral the bed – but, Swift, oh Swift, why, when the lockers are this big, is there only one splitter shelve between them?

The mattress? I recently tested this beauty on another Swift for a week in Somerset. It’s a personal conclusion, as caravanners’ bones aren’t all the same: it’s simply the best consecutive nights’ kip I’ve had in caravan ever!

STORAGE 9/10The Alde heating under the fi xed bed and boxing to the radiators steals space, but both components are so rectangular in build they’re easy to package. With no Truma water heater in the off side settee base, leaving it almost clear, it would be greedy to hope the nearside was free too. But it is. With the water tank under the fl oor here’s yet another free space for larger gear.

BUILD 9/10Now that Swift (or component supplier) has found a way to secrete the tank beneath the fl oor as well as insulating and protecting it, this instantly liberates more space within the caravan. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Let’s face it, even these beasts still only have relatively small internal volume for designers to engineer in everything including the kitchen sink. That’s where R+D of existing accepted ways of doing things must be challenged. The last four years have demonstrated that the Swift Group is at the fore of doing just that, with build quality being the biggest winner.

EQUIPMENT 9/10It’s simpler to state what’s not here. ATC,There’s little, if anything, else you could expect to be here for the money. The Alde heating, once experienced, will leave you dismissing anything else, the extra wide entry door makes others feel like the proverbial eye of a needle and the kitchen drawers and runners shame others in terms of usability.

VALUE FOR MONEY 9/10Boasting about a high level of equipment means nothing if pricing merely refl ects the additions. There might be loads of toys, but you’ve paid for it. True value for money is when those additions arrive without a price hike. The Swift isn’t cheap, but to me, as you can see in the scoring, this Conqueror 630 is so well-rounded in all disciplines it thoroughly justifi es the outlay.

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PRICE £19,735

SWIFT CONQUEROR 630

Rear light clusters are stylish, like the rest of the caravan

Full width body benefi ts lounge space. Brighter than Lunar with taller front windowThe one for the contemporary fans amongst you

Clean kitchen lines mirror the rest of the Conqueror’s interior Best shower here by far. Alde radiators by the loo keep you warm

Oh so tidy. Space heater and water heater all in one. Alde wet system is yet to be bettered

Perfect answer to bulky water tanks. Stick it under the fl oor. It’s got Auto-fi ll, too

The wet locker contains a mains socket. It’s fl ush to the wall, so out of the way of stored objects

E





It’s personal, I know, but this leather lounge is fabulous in shape and quality.The shower and washroom are luxurious

Drop down bed/kitchen fl ap only prep space you’ll fi nd if you take the TV Not the smooth lines of Swift’s interior but the Coachman is no worse for it

Well built, designed and practical

Beautiful quality leather adorns the seating. It ensures the living area is wonderfully light

Magazine/paper holder is unobtrusive by the door

It’s the smallest bed of the trio but this is a sumptuous area nontheless

Tough timberwork feels like it’s still growing

A pretty but no-nonsense rear even manages to exude a quality stance

LAYOUT 8/10The Coachman’s layout mirrors the Swift but with a few telling diff erences. Here the lounge is ‘L’ shaped, with wonderfully wide seat bases and ample headroom along the front panel’s seat. The lounge focus is the tall window which draws the eye like a pub log fi re.

To the right and above Truma’s space heater, a low unit with drinks cabinet above provides the location for the TV. Further back the Coachman looks and feels narrower (it is 2.26m compared to the Swift’s 2.38m) but the central bulkhead shared with the Swift steps out into the caravan a massive 28cm further. It’s not that it’s cramped; far from it. Indeed, the corridor to washroom is much wider than the Swift and Lunar. But crucially it lacks that visual fl owing feel from front to rear that is present in the others

STYLING 9/10The Coachman’s interior transmits a bespoke aura. Units, drawers, panels and partitions all look to have been built in isolation for their position or purpose. Some argue there are so many heights, levels, shapes and size of furniture that it merely highlights the absence of any fl owing theme. I disagree. It’s precisely what makes the Coachman diff erent from the rest. And long may that continue especially if those units are mated to this rich caramel-toned leather.

TOWING 8/10The Coachman has a similar MTPLM to the Swift at 1840kg. The Laser’s MRO, however, is a beefy 1643kg – nearly 100kg more!

Thankfully you’ll fi nd AL-KO ATC is a freebie and the slightly narrower body means it’s easy to see past.

KITCHEN 7/10I think I’d get on well with Coachman owners. The factory fi ts a 12-bottle wine rack as standard and high level drinks cabinet too. If anybody knows their customers’ vices, Coachman clearly does. My kind of folk!

From a practical point of view, both take up space in an area that’s not overly blessed with cupboard and cabinet volume. Accepting this layout’s predominant use as a two-berth, the problem eases to some extent. Careful loading is needed. Still, who cares! As long as there’s room for the wine glasses, plates can stay at home.

WASHROOM 8/10Read slowly… this may get confusing. The Coachman’s washroom is smaller than the vast space in the Swift. Only its not. You see, fl oor space is much less but the entire space given over to what’s in it is about the same.

Swift’s washroom has no wardrobes. Coachman’s washroom does – and it’s a full-height jobbie with cupboard beneath. As there’s yet another wardrobe near the bed you’d think that was it. Not so. They bang in another tall shelved storage unit behind the

loo door, too. There are even drawers on the bedroom side wall.

SLEEPING 7/10There was initial confusion over the Coachman’s claimed bed sizes. Simply our tape measure never got near the brochure’s stated fi gures. The caravans we test quote mattress sizes, whereas Coachman quotes a room size fi gure. So, on paper, the Coachman’s fi xed double looks to be the biggest. It’s not, it’s the smallest and by nearly 10cm in width compared to the other two. Point is, bed sizes can form a fi rm foundation behind the reasons for purchase, so always check the bed fi rst – and, surely, bed sizes need to mean the size of the bed.

STORAGE 9/10Access under the fi xed bed is through the top only. Coachman doesn’t fi t an external hatch to this 640/4 unlike Lunar and Swift. .

Without doubt the 640/4’s forte is its ability to store clothes.

BUILD 9/10 With one or two exceptions you’ll hunt in vain to fi nd better cabinetry coming out of a UK manufacturer’s factory gates. Maybe the washroom door and attendant push-button catch is old hat and cabinet drawers are a bit square in profi le. But Coachman’s woodsmiths can hold their heads high with a truly high level of quality interior build.General build and materials used throughout the Coachman is high. Very high.

EQUIPMENT 7/10Again AL-KO’s ATC lurks in the depths of the underside ready to steady the ship when all goes wrong. And Dometic’s B1600 roof-mounted air conditioner prepares to waft cool air over your shoulders during periods of uncomfortably humid weather. The leather is exceptional, feeling, smelling and looking like any premium grade hide used on some expensive German cars. But it will cost you nearly a grand extra. Whilst build has remained nothing short of brilliant on the Coachman, equipping it with the latest products from suppliers hasn’t kept pace. For the money, you’d expect Thetford’s latest C250 toilet. There’s other gear missing, including shock absorbers and exterior hatch to fi xed beds.

VALUE FOR MONEY 8/10With the above taken into consideration Coachman needs to build its case on desirability. After all, it has the name, the quality and many Coachman owners wouldn’t buy another make of caravan if it had three times the kit of their beloved Amara/Pastche/VIP or Laser. But times have changed and it’s getting harder to justify that extra outlay for something that’s not so technically advanced and specced than the Swift here. Nevertheless, a thoroughly respectable 8 remains on the board.

COACHMAN LASER 640/4PRICE £21,395 E





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Neat lines but those wheels need pulling out fl ush with the sides

ATC for free and the A-Frame is much prettier than the Swift equivalent

With no tower fridge only the Lunar experiences light and open space like this Not much work surface here, so keep the lids closed when preparing food

The gas compartment door needs to lift higher

Even with a huge plasma screen television set here, there would be space to spare

This needs better packaging to make the most of storage space in this locker

PRICE: £20,895

No complaints with the shower size. The fl exible door isn’t the best in the business, though

The dresser unit is narrow but still practical in use

Cabinetry tone is very rich and needs mock black granite to tone the timber

LAYOUT 9/10This Lunar fi xed rear double/end washroom design is entirely diff erent to the others. Lunar moves the bed to the nearside. Out goes the light-blocking tower fridge and central wardrobe, leaving a low-level sideboard. Instantly the feeling of daytime living space is doubled compared to the other two. Somehow they’ve also managed to engineer in a bedside vanity area without impinging on corridor space to the washroom. It’s not a common layout; anything remotely similar makes do with small combi loo/shower by the bed and not a full-size beauty beyond that you fi nd here.

STYLING 8/10Falling somewhere between the other two, I’d say. Black switchgear, black-fronted fridge and black microwave door do it for me, while framed locker styling doesn’t. You can argue personal opinion all day about what’s visually pleasing or not. But some things either provide comfort or they don’t. Here, the longer settees undoubtedly rank far higher than the smaller ones in the Swift and Coachman. You’ll feel less constrained here, too, with the open feel of the cabin space. But, again, top marks to the sideboard for keeping everything to hand without intruding. And it’s so big, Big enough, in fact, should you be daft enough, to put a huge plasma screen TV on it.

TOWING 9/10At 2.28m wide the Lunar doesn’t quite occupy the same amount of tarmac as the Swift. In truth, with a good set of mirrors you’re not going to notice. You will, however, notice a short tug on the brake if anything goes pair-shaped, with Al-KOs ATC being standard fi t like the Coachman.

But it’s a Lunar, so the real issue here is weight. And bearing in mind there’s a shock to come in the washroom (more later) the 1430kg MRO and 1700kg MPTLM are sparkling weights for one so big.

KITCHEN 8/10I’m looking around to see what the Lunar loses over the others. The fridge is smaller but it’s still a generous 117 litres. The microwave is still present – and it’s lower and easier to use. So it has to be storage, then. Yes, that’s the issue when compared to the Swift, but the Lunar is right up there in a face-off with the Coachman. While it can be argued that work top space isn’t brilliant around the sink, there’s still that slab of fl at surface behind you. Kitchen upper storage does suff er, though.

WASHROOM 7/10The 67.5cm x 75cm shower is nicer in use than the circular Coachman unit. Not that I’m complaining, because I love it, but just why these lightweight specialists are banging in a hefty ceramic loo (just like your one at home) weighing nearly double a conventional

caravan loo, I’m not sure. But at this money I’ll take all the luxury they’re giving. This washroom is practical and easy to use and that includes the storage unit behind the door – but it does seem to lack soul. Perhaps that washroom window even visible from the lounge way up front needs a Roman blind like Coachman and Explorer do so well.

SLEEPING 8/10The mattress in this test example matched the Swift for width but had the depth of the Pacifi c. Its top climbed nearly three inches above the piping that marks the upper/outer edge. It lacked the fi rmness of the Swift and for some that’s possibly a bonus. It feels less enclosed than the Coachman’s bedroom. The wardrobe and vanity unit serve to make the Lunar’s sleeping space feel the most like the bedroom at home of the three.

STORAGE 7/10Gripes fi rst. If you have a water tank to install then stick it to the side of the vacant space it’s going in. Not, as here, in the dead centre of the fi xed bed’s storage area. Granted, it keeps out of the way of gear being posted through the exterior hatch but it still isn’t good. Worse still, this is a Lunar so you’ll get small narrow front locker meaning – yep, Aqua-roll and waste water carrier will all need to live under the bed. Lunar also traditionally fi ts narrow upper lockers and, as found in the kitchen, careful packing is needed.

BUILD 8/10My Brad awl, screwdriver and pin hammer tapped prodded and teased in the vain search for shoddy build. But fi nding nothing to whinge about there, I’ll again return to the on-board water tank and its poor packaging. Indeed, the whole aff air just makes you realise how brilliant the Swift’s sub-surface tank really is.

EQUIPMENT 8/10Can’t help mentioning that ceramic toilet again but it really is excellent. Considering its weight, its appearance in anything other than a top-end twin axle luxury tourer would be pointless. We like the standard second large Heki over the bed and third mini Heki in the washroom. Like the Coachman there is the option of air-con; the Delta’s roof is strengthened for the job.

Ultimately does it have the kit tally of the similarly-priced Swift Conqueror? Taken as a whole, that’s a no.

VALUE FOR MONEY 8/10Value for money isn’t just about final specification. It’s far more complex than that. Who wants a fully-loaded tourer but one that has a virtually unusable impractical interior or build quality of which only Lego would be proud? Here, the flexibility of the Lunar’s interior, coupled with a decent specification, add up to what seems like a fair ask from Lunar.

LUNAR DELTA RSE





Ñ SCORES

COACHMAN LASER 640/4 AIR CON 81/100

SWIFT CONQUEROR 630 88/100

LUNAR DELTA 81/100

Eighty-something scores show there’s no bad tourer here. Similar layouts, superb washrooms but everywhere else they excel in totally unique ways.

Firstly the Lunar layout feels like it has the largest and brightest interior. It seems good value too, particularly as it might be your only choice with its lighter weight. But then what does that make the exquisitely-built Coachman that’s more money but has about a grand’s worth of air-con shackled to the roof and a step forward in build? Even better value, then?

The Coachman stutters with kitchen performance and a bed that’s not as big as the brochure

would have you believe. Even so, it remains an aspirational product.

Of the two, no question the Lunar has the interior with overall better usability.

But it’s the Swift that’s the mighty all-rounder. It does everything superbly. What a washroom, what a bed, what a kitchen and a body wide enough to make sure it’s not all simply squeezed in. Technically advanced in external build, internal construction and the components it sources.

But top caravans deserve top safety , so let’s hope updates include AL-KO ATC. Only then will it be considered the all conquering Conqueror.

Price £20,895Berths: 4 MRO: 1430kgMTPLM: 1700kg Internal length: 6.37mOverall length: 7.93mOverall width: 2.28mInternal height: 1.96m

Price: £19,735Berths: 4 MRO: 1545kg MTPLM: 1830kg Internal length: 6.27mOverall length: 7.95mOverall width: 2.29mInternal height: 1.95m

Ñ SPECIFICATIONÑ LUNAR DELTA RS

FOR & AGAINST PROS ÑOpen feel often lacking in this layout CONS ÑThat loo (if your tow match struggles)

Ñ SWIFT CONQUEROR 630

FOR & AGAINST PROS ÑKitchen ÑWashroom ÑSleeping CONS ÑLacks Coachman’s fi nal fi nesse

Price £21,395Berths: 4MRO: 1643kg MTPLM: 1840kg Internal length: 6.19m Overall length: 7.96mOverall width: 2.26m Internal height: 1.95m

Ñ COACHMAN LASER 640/4 AIR CON

FOR & AGAINST PROS ÑNot built, crafted. ÑClothing storage (vast) CONS ÑConfusing bed sizes

Ñ VERDICT

Open feel often lacking in this layout CONS ÑThat loo (if your tow match struggles)

YOU’LL FIND MORE INFORMATION IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE CARAVAN GUIDE ON PAGE 72

Ñ TEST SITE

Manufacturer Lunar CaravansTel 01772 337628 Web www.lunarcaravans.com

ManufacturerThe Swift Group Tel 01482 847332Web www.swiftgroup.co.uk

Manufacturer Coachman Caravan Company LimitedTel 01482 839737 Web www.coachman.co.uk

ÑWashroom ÑSleeping CONS ÑLacks Coachman’s fi nal fi nesse

Not built, crafted. ÑClothing storage (vast) CONS ÑConfusing bed sizes

Coachman Caravan Company Limited www.coachman.co.uk

LUXURY TOURERS


GROUP TEST

Coachman Laser Swift Conqueror Lunar 640/4 Air-con 630 Delta RS £21,395 £19,256 £19,795Layout 8 8 9Styling 9 8 8Towing 8 8 9Kitchen 7 9 8 Washroom 9 10 8Sleeping 7 9 8Storage 9 9 7Build 9 9 8Equipment 7 9 8Value For Money 8 9 8TOTAL 81 88 81

Keal Lodge Touring SiteBack Lane, Deeping St JamesLincolnshire PE6 8RTTel 01778 346946Web www.keallodgetouringsite.co.uk

You can’t have your cake and eat it? Oh yes you can, matey!

Small quiet scenic locations have their attributes but often site facilities are restricted or non existent. The Caravan Club Certifi ed Location award-winning Keal Lodge Touring Site supplies water to each pitch (insulated tanks for colder weather), takes grey water away and off ers WI-Fi among its number of perks.

This place is a technological tour de force. The grounds are manicured in almost golf course fashion – but what would you expect from owners Keith and Allison, who used to grow dahlias and chrysanthemums under acres of glass next door for a living? The one-time growing area is now a Gold Standard CaSSOA caravan storage facility.

At Keal Lodge the grass really is greener – and even striped. It’s like a short stay in Titchmarsh’s back garden. See for yourself. It maybe in the flat fenlands of south Lincolnshire but it’s a stone’s throw from the Cambridgeshire border. That means Peterborough eight miles away and a 49-minute fast train ride to Kings Cross. ■

LUXURY TOURERS GROUP TEST Double the diﬀ … group test... · The onboard tank and powerful pump...

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