R eport Stuttgart - CMT 2023

Hobby

The news from Hobby was the Maxia 595 KML caravan for families (or large crews), which offers five sleeping places as standard but which can go up to seven on request. The novelty of this trailer is represented by the concept of the bedroom for children which, thanks to removable and modular beds, can take on nine different configurations from completely free space to a room for three people. There is space for up to three bunk beds, each with a load capacity of 100 kg. Thanks to a click-in system with slats and roll-up mattresses, the comfortable 76 x 200 cm upper beds can be easily put up and taken down. The lower bed consists of three filled cushions and a topper creating a 73 x 200 cm bed. During the day, the cushions can be transformed into a cozy living area, perfect for playing. In addition, the structure of the fleece underside ensures good air circulation, even in winter. Both lower beds have a side window and the upper bed offers a full view of the starry sky through a porthole. Even the single beds for adults are multifunctional as by using an extension they can be transformed into a double bed, about 220 cm wide. The open-space concept, with Scandinavian-inspired design furniture, recreates the charm of a small and stylish home. Its elegant felt-effect surfaces, together with natural materials, create a modern atmosphere. The central part of the caravan houses a large wardrobe, a spacious sitting and dining area, kitchen and bathroom.

www.hobby-caravan.de

The Swedish manufacturer has a very complete and varied range of caravans, but its top of the range never ceases to amaze! In fact, the Imperial 1000 TDL has a cell that is 9.4 meters long, which becomes 11.6 if you calculate the rudder. We are talking about a vehicle that can weigh up to 2,800 kilos when fully loaded; therefore, it is not easy to find the right engine, and also in terms of ease of driving ... However, if you organize well, you can travel by towing a palace. The nine layout variants have in common a large transversal bathroom in the rear, the kitchen with a worktop facing the refrigerator column and the pantry and a huge horseshoe-shaped dinette in the front. The differences are concentrated in the sleeping area, which can be more or less spacious: ranging from a pair of twin beds or a double bed to any combination of these types to offer a bed for four crew members. In addition, you can have versions with bunk beds that can accommodate up to eight people.

Knaus

More than any other, this German company has focused on the diversification of the mechanical base vehicles it uses and now , coming offers as many as five different manufacturers: Fiat, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, MAN and Volkswagen. For 2023, there will be no news of a Fiat Ducato base vehicle. The Knaus CUV (Caravanning Utility Vehicle) built on the Volkswagen T6.1 and characterized by a pop-up roof that rises horizontally thanks to the work of four pistons, caught everyone’s attention in Stuttgart. Everything is electrically controlled. When closed, the vehicle is only 190 centimeters high, allowing the rear seats to still be used, while when open it becomes 260 centimeters high. There are two internal layouts, both on a total length of 590 centimetres. The more traditional one, called 500 MQ, features a clas-

Pilote www.knaus.com sic-looking layout (transverse rear bed, services in the centre and semi-dinette at the front) but hides a surprise: an independent shower that is formed using moveable walls that slide away under a portion of the rear bed when not being used. In the 500 LT version, however, the fixed bed disappears (only the front drop-down bed remains) and the bathroom is more traditional. However, the stowage spaces are increased. Both have a 110 horsepower engine combined with a manual gearbox, but on request (and in the CUVISION special series) it is possible to have 150 horsepower and an automatic dual clutch gearbox. The same engines, configuration (here called VANSATION) and layout are also present in the corresponding Tourer Van models with the more traditional semi-integrated with fixed roof. www.pilote.fr

Atlas is the name of a new range presented by this French manufacturer, consisting of a camper van and two “slim” semi-integrated vehicles intended for those who Pilote defines as “adventure lovers”. The Ford Transit base vehicle has a 170 horsepower engine with a large FORD inscription on the black grille that characterizes the front. The A603G model is a classic six metres in length, with a particularly large load compartment thanks to the height of the Ford van, which is greater than that of the Ducato. In the Trail version, this vehicle boasts a traction control system called “mechanical Limited-Slip Differential (mLSD)”, or mechanical limited-slip differential, which improves grip on the most slippery surfaces, and has a manual gearbox. The layout provides for a rear transverse double bed in a slightly raised position, the services (kitchen and bathroom) are in the centre and the semi-dinette in the front part, with the driver’s cab without the transverse parcel shelf to make the living area more useable. The heating is oil-fired with a power of 4 kW, the refrigerator is a 95-litre compressor. The water tank is slightly higher than the average: 110 litres. The semi-integrated A660 and A690G, offered with automatic transmission, have a width limited to 220 centimeters and differ in the rear part. The smallest have no fixed bed but have a large transverse bathroom in the rear (this model was not exhibited in Stuttgart), while the largest one has twin beds that can be transformed into an enormous double bed. What the two variants have in common is the gas heating with Truma Combi 4, the 133-litre column refrigerator with automatic energy selection and 130-litre water reserve.