GORV - Digital Magazine Special Tests Issue | Page 9
RV REVIEW |
Traditional timber frames
clad with ribbed or smooth
composite aluminium.
Aluminium frames and
aluminium composite.
Fibreglass sandwich panels.
These are the principal forms
of caravan construction in
Australia, with some variations
in method and quality. And
Roadstar Caravans has quietly
worked to develop the
capability and know-how to
build vans of each type.
INSIDE THE GT SPORT
You might think, therefore,
that the single-axle GT Sport
(seen here in basic ‘Touring’
spec), with its meranti frame
and ribbed, shallow-form
aluminium cladding with Di-
bond aluminium front and rear,
feels like a step backwards. Not
true. We hitched it up for a test
tow and it garnered a number
of admiring glances. Though its
construction techniques remain
traditional, the single-axle GT
Sport has a distinctly modern
aesthetic and, no doubt, the
interior is as modern as it
gets. And don’t forget: if
you want it framed with
aluminium, you can have it
framed with aluminium.
Up front, the queen-size
bed is surrounded by storage
options, from wardrobes to
overhead lockers. As with the
rest of the van, the cabinetry
is CNC-cut – it looks great.
Across the nearside, the
dinette is particularly classy.
Upholstered in Annahide, the
seats are comfortable and the
cushions can be removed fairly
easily to access the storage
space beneath, as well as the
100Ah AGM battery, 12V fuses
and the regulator for the 150W
solar panel on the roof.
Opposite, the kitchen is
fitted with a Swift four-burner
cooktop and a griller, and
the microwave has been
sensibly fitted beneath. The
benchtops throughout are
made from laminated ply,
rather than chipboard or MDF,
and there’s no shortage of
cupboard space here. A three-
way Thetford fridge-freezer
completes the picture in
the kitchen.
This van’s bathroom is
not the largest ever fitted
to a caravan but it is neatly
presented and includes a wall-
mounted washing machine.
Obviously, considering the
overall narrow space, a top-
loader fitted beneath a wide
bench just wouldn’t work;
however, these front-loaders
work well, in my experience.
WEIGHTS AND
SUSPENSION
In this guise, with timber
frame and ribbed aluminium
cladding, our single-axle GT
Sport weighed in with a very
respectable Tare of 1770kg. To
put that in perspective, that’s
in the same weight vicinity
as some camper trailers and
many pop-tops.
The underside of the van is
neatly presented. For example,
I make a point of checking
each van I review for loose,
dangling wiring and terminal
THIS SINGLE-AXLE
GT SPORT IS A GOOD
VALUE, HONEST
CARAVAN FOR TWO.
gorv.com.au
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