- October 26, 2022
- Posted by: info@mcspr.co.uk
- Category: Association News
Campervan of the Year 2023 Award winners announced
The winners of the Campervan Award 2023, in association with leading consumer finance provider, Creation, have been announced by Britain’s leading leisure vehicle publications – MMM, Campervan and What Motorhome magazines and their website www.outandaboutlive.co.uk
The winner of the top award – the Campervan of the Year 2023 – is the Globe-Traveller Voyager Z
This was, perhaps, the hardest category for the experts from Campervan magazine, What Motorhome magazine and MMM magazine to judge. They assessed dozens of new campervans from Giotti Van models with super-keen sub-£60k price tags to the fabulous new RP Rebellion at close to £200k.
In between there were plush, redesigned Hymers, as well as the two highly commended models. So, it was hardly expected that a brand just launching in the UK would take the top spot.
Globe-Traveller produces high-end campers on the Fiat Ducato and Peugeot Boxer, but that’s where the similarity with so many other fixed bed campervans ends. Perhaps, because this is an independent brand from Poland, it hasn’t just created another lookalike model, distinguished only the colour of the cabinets.
The differences start outside. This might be the longest, tallest Ducato (L4 H3), but it has a look of its own. A replacement overcab section with a more rounded shape allows more room for the roof bed inside. Then, at the rear, the van’s barn doors are binned in favour of a top-hinged tail-gate for access to the garage. Crucially, its clever design adds around 12cm extra length inside with-out making the Fiat even a millimetre longer over-all.
Framed habitation windows are another plus, but the big news is inside, starting with a flat floor throughout. Like a premium coachbuilt, there’s a double floor to house the fresh and waste water tanks and contributes to full winterisation.
The front lounge incorporates a pair of automotive-style rear travel seats with Isofix. These are super-comfy, but they recline and the centre seat slides out to create more elbow room. Adjacent to the wall, there’s an arm-rest, twin cupholders and USB ports. A table is provided, of course, but it can also be stowed away in an underfloor compartment, making for a more open feel.
Above, the roof bed hinges down from the wall and then slides out to occupy the full width of the ’van, but still leaving plenty of headroom for sitting below. The upper bed measures 1.87m by 1.48m.
The main beds are at the rear where twin singles measure 1.96m and 1.79m long (a French bed layout is also available). There’s the typical central cushion (1.30m long) between the beds, under which you’ll be surprised to find a hidden wardrobe.
The kitchen includes a 90-litre compressor fridge, a two-burner hob and plenty of drawer-based storage, as well as neat locker that can be accessed from outside as well as in. The table can be repositioned al fresco, too.
Then, there’s the washroom – complete with a proper separate shower. There’s the usual Thetford cassette toilet, a fixed washbasin and a roof vent with fan, too.
The more you look at the Voyager Z, the more clever details you discover, while the finish seems exemplary – look at how the woodgrain flows from one top cupboard to the next. Although many may not have heard of Globe-Traveller, we think you’ll be hearing a lot more about this Polish company over the next few years.
The Globe-Traveller Voyager Z also won the Fixed Bed Campervan of the Year 2023 award.
The judges said of the Globe-Traveller Voyager Z
“I first saw Globe-Traveller in Germany five or six years ago and was super-impressed then. It has so many unique features” Peter Vaughan, Head of the judging panel and Road Test Editor of MMM magazine, commented.
“It’s brilliant that Globe-Traveller is making inroads into the UK market as its campers have features that will appeal to all” Rachel Stothert, Awards Judge and Deputy Editor MMM.
“I knew its campervans were something really special, so it comes as little surprise that the Voyager Z has been named the best of the best” Daniel Attwood, Managing Editor MMM and Head of Content.
“The Voyager Z has a high-quality interior, plus it’s a versatile camper for couples or families alike” Geneve Brand, Awards Judge, Campervan Editor.
Motorhome of the Year 2023 Award winners announced
The winners of the Motorhome Award 2023, in association with leading consumer finance provider, Creation, have been announced by Britain’s leading leisure vehicle publications – MMM and What Motorhome magazines and their website www.outandaboutlive.co.uk
The winner of the top award – the Motorhome of the Year 2023 – is the Hymer Venture S
A true staircase that leads to the generous Instant Loft upstairs bedroom… Curved glass around the rear lounge to create an Infinity Screen… A solid bamboo tabletop that slides away under the seats… Two sanitary rooms in one, via an expanding wall… A home office area… A walk-on sundeck… Just one of those features might have had the Venture S in the running for the Motorhome of the Year award. With all of them included – and more – it was a foregone conclusion that it would win.
Even before you raise its incredible inflatable roof, the Venture S looks special. For a start, it’s clearly not a vehicle that has to stay on the road. Built on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4×4 chassis cab with 18in off-road tyres, its Raptor paint (in a choice of two colours) was developed by BASF to be especially resilient to stone chips.
The cab and slim coachbuilt body are beautifully integrated, while, at the rear of the motorhome, the split tailgate (Range Rover-style) has a lower section that folds horizontally to create the Sunset Deck – a platform that can be reached either via an exterior ladder or the interior of the motorhome. It has an anti-slip surface and features a 350kg load capacity.
If the weather isn’t good enough for that, the rear lounge features curved 3D panoramic glass to provide 180-degree views. This is your dining area, too, with a table that simply slides out – and up – from beneath one of the sofas.
Inside, the most remarkable aspect, though, must be the staircase – truly, you go upstairs to bed in this motorhome. Hymer calls it a ‘private roof terrace with the comfort of a luxury penthouse.’ For once, that’s no exaggeration, as the Instant Loft roof is nothing like a campervan’s pop-top. It has pneumatic walls with four-layer insulation to keep out heat and cold, as well as light and noise. Of course, there’s heating up there, too.
With a motorhome like this, you won’t want to be restricted to staying on campsites, so the Venture S comes with three 115W solar panels in combination with the Hymer Smart Battery System 2.0 with up to 320Ah lithium battery capacity. The company believes that you’ll be able to enjoy up to 10 days of self-sufficient touring. In fact, you might never want to go home!
The Hymer Venture S also won the Motorhome Innovation of the Year 2023 award.
