Phoenix has built a well-deserved reputation over many years as a genuine off road caravan manufacturer. Some of the early Phoenix models were built at their Strathvale Court factory in Caboolture, Brisbane when Greg and Fay Rosenthal took over the marque. They then moved to a new factory in Lear Jet Drive at Caboolture and continued to build these rugged vans.
Then along came Roy Wyss, the brains behind the Sunland range of caravans, who took over the Phoenix brand. He too was building his vans in Lear Jet Drive, but later bought the old Strathvale Court Phoenix factory. Now the Phoenix models are built in the same spot as those produced by Greg and Fay in years past.
Nowadays the owners of the older Phoenix models would hardly recognise the new rigs Roy is producing. Roy’s experience in producing the top line Sunland vans has breathed new life into the Phoenix models, both structurally and aesthetically.
This latest Phoenix Taipan has been designed in response to feedback from owners and prospective buyers of both Phoenix and Sunland vans. Primarily, the requests were for a rear door layout, with the access point to the rear of the axle set. This has the effect of positioning the bathroom to the rear, and opening up the entire living space forward.
Probably the most significant change in the Phoenix line comes in the structural area. Phoenix models now come with a composite steel and aluminium chassis construction that provides high strength as well as a weight saving. The framing is box section welded aluminium and the external cladding is aluminium. A wide panel of chequerplate protects the front, sides and rear. The roof is a single fibreglass panel system.
The early Phoenix models utilised torsion bar suspension, and Roy has replaced this with Cruisemaster independent suspension, comprising coil springs and twin shock absorbers to smooth out the bumps.
The Phoenix utilises the popular DO35 hitch system, while on the A frame a huge front chequerplate locker houses a pair of 9kg gas bottles and a slide out generator locker, with room left over for plenty of storage.
Up top is a pair of 200 watt solar panels linked to a regulator and battery charger, digital TV antenna and Dometic air conditioner. At the rear is a narrow bar with a spare wheel, a reversing camera and a really neat Taipan decal. A nice touch is the rear bar cutout spelling out Phoenix Taipan in block letters. It would be really beaut to see tail lights behind this. Underneath is a 190 litre general purpose water tank and a 60 litre drinking water tank.
On board power is supplied by a pair of LiFe batteries. I suspect these are the latest Lithiuim Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries that are even more efficient than the more or less standard AGM types.
The rear door configuration really opens up the living space in the Taipan. At the rear is the bathroom with a Dometic toilet, a vanity bench with a raised square basin, a nest of drawers beneath and a washing machine in a locker alongside. The vanity is backed by a big mirror and in the corner by the loo is a curved locker for bathroom incidentals. Opposite the loo is a spacious shower recess with a neat rectangular draining grill in the middle of the floor. The bathroom can be closed off via a concertina door.
Opposite the entry is a 184 litre 3-way fridge freezer with a locker above, and forward of this is the roomy cafe-style dinette. The comfortable dinette lounges are leather clad, with a huge trifold table perched between. There is plenty of room here for four to dine in comfort.
The dinette is backed by a long window, with a nest of five lockers above. Personal reading lights are fitted.
Opposite the dinette, the kitchen has loads of space and features for the fussiest travelling chef. (Maybe we should start My Caravan Kitchen Rules.) The kitchen runs along the kerbside from the entry to the bedroom, with plenty of space for food preparation on the bench.
A moulded galley sink is positioned at the entry end, with a four burner (three gas and one electric) cooktop in the centre, concealed behind a hinged section of benchtop, and a wide section of bench space forward. A grill is installed beneath the cooktop, with a huge nest of cupboards and drawers beneath the bench.
A window is fitted behind the cooktop, with a rangehood above, along with a nest of four lockers. Alongside the window (well clear of the cooktop) is a TV mount, with a TV set to swivel towards the bedroom or the dinette.
Up forward, the bedroom features a north/south bed flanked by wardrobes and narrow bedside tables with drawers beneath. Above the bedhead is a set of four lockers to complement the under-bed storage. Big windows flank the bedroom and personal reading lights are fitted above the bedhead. An interesting shelf/bench system is positioned at the foot of the bed behind the forward dinette seat.
The Phoenix Taipan is loaded with interesting little features and accessories that serve to make long range touring more comfortable. Add to that the genuine strength of this caravan and you have a touring rig that will be equally at home in a van park or up a track by a billabong.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Phoenix Caravans
Model: Taipan
Body length: 6.55m
Width (ext): 2.407m
Height: 3.05m
Tare weight: 2460kg
ATM: 3500kg
Price: $104,990
THANKS TO: Roy and Tarrot Wyss
Find Out More
Phoenix Caravans
1 Strathvale Court
Caboolture Qld 4510
Tel (07) 5499 2250
E: sales@phoenixcaravans.com.au