Good Things In Small Packages
One of the lesser lights in the world of motorhomes is the campervan, or camper. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with these vehicles, it’s just that they have become overshadowed by their larger brethren. A walk around one of the caravan shows will highlight this. Everywhere you look the motorhomes are big, bold and beautiful, dripping with luxuries and festooned with features to make motorhome touring much like bringing your own 5-star hotel room wherever you go.
Now there’s nothing at all wrong with those bigger rigs, but these smaller rigs deserve a lot more attention than they generally receive.
Campers likely have their origins in the ’50s with the development of the Volkswagen type 2. By the ’60s the Kombi Camper, as it came to be known, was the darling of the flower child generation, and became the vehicle of choice for travelling surfers, prior to the introduction of the panel van.
Frontline have continued the Volkswagen connection with their camper models, based on the T5 Transporter van. These are a far cry from the old Kombis (thankfully), yet they maintain all the advantages that saw those old rigs become a classic in Australian camping history.
Campers like the Frontline Adventurer trade space for versatility. Sure, they are not as spacious as their motorhome brothers, but they make up for this in lots of ways. These rigs can be utilised as a family bus during the week, as well as a camper on the weekends. Parking in supermarket carparks is no problem, and then of course you have the advantage of 4wd for real getaways. And for a couple a long range tour is easily done – after all, backpackers have been doing just that in far less comfortable or capable rigs for yonks.
The Adventurer we walked through is built around the Volkswagen T5 Transporter, powered by a 132kW turbo diesel engine with a 7-speed automatic gearbox. With rough road suspension, a diff lock and the VW 4 motion all wheel drive, this rig is designed for sneaking into those harder to reach camping spots off the beaten track.
On the road the Adventurer drives very easily, with good vision and loads of performance. The gearbox shift gets a little active in urban settings, but on the highway it’s really good, and the upshift on the road is smooth and easy. It really is a snack to drive.
A 3-metre centre braced awning is fitted, along with a bull bar and alloy wheels. The pop top has a canvas liner with three screened windows for air circulation.
The driving position is very comfy and the leather seats can swivel around to face the interior. Tinted windows add a touch of privacy and the easy lift pop top adds headroom for the interior. In the car position a leather rear bench seat allows passengers plenty of leg room.
The interior cabinetry is all fitted along the driver’s side. Behind the driving seat is a console containing an 80-litre fridge, slide out pantry and storage cabinets and drawer. A handy benchtop contains a stainless steel sink with flickmixer tap and an on board 55-litre water tank is installed.
Opposite the kitchen area by the sliding side door is a cooktop console, with a two burner spirit stove above, a slide out table and a storage cabinet beneath. This is a clever system, where the console can swivel out to face the area under the awning, and it can even be detached to sit right outside.
The rear bench seat folds down to form the double bed, with a wardrobe and storage console fitted along the driver’s side. Curtains on the windows provide privacy and the bed area is really quite roomy and comfortable.
At the rear of the bedroom console is a hot/cold shower unit, while underneath the bed is an auxiliary battery and charger. Also under the bed is a large storage space accessible from the rear door. This is ideal for storing longer items, or the toys we all like to cart along on a trip. There’s also a wide drawer fitted under the forward end of the bed, accessible from the main compartment.
The interior of the Adventurer is lined in a soft fabric, which adds a cosiness to the interior, and the floor is 10mm ply with a vinyl covering. The cabinetry is neat and tidy, and the layout is practical and quite spacious for the size of the vehicle. It really is a comfortable little camper.
Campervans may not be every aspiring motorhomer’s cup of tea, but in the case of the Frontline Adventurer, size really doesn’t matter. This is a very versatile rig, combining a weekday runaround capability with a holiday getaway option. When you add the off-road ability of the Adventurer it really is a case of good things in small packages.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Frontline Campers
Model: Adventurer
Body Length: 5.29m
Width: 1.90m
Height: 2.06m
Tare: 2200kg
GVM: 3000kg
Camper prices start at $64,800
Find Out More
Clayton Kearney
Ballina Campervan and Motorhome Centre
299 River Street,
Ballina NSW 2478
Tel (02) 6681 1555
E:info@ballinacampers.com.au