Elddis Avenger Storm: Review
Under the body of the new Elddis Avenger Storm is a BPW Swing V-chassis which, by Australian standards, looks quite light with its punched-hole main rails (C-section not RHS) and few cross members. BPW is a well-known German manufacturer which is supplies caravan chassis in a number of countries. For vans destined for Australia, the chassis are strengthened and redesigned to handle the roads. The load capacity has been increased and the chassis raised 100mm to give better ground clearance. The brakes have also been upgraded.
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
The van is built in a monocoque-type structure, with fibreglass composite used for the walls, roof and floor. It’s all bonded together in what Elddis calls its Solid Construction, which comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Front windows give a distinctive look to many British caravans and the Elddis is no different. In this case, it consists of three separate windows across the front, one on each side, and a Skyview skylight (which doesn’t open) in the front of the roof. The entry door is a split, stable-style arrangement which is good if you want to be able to partially close the door, but not if you want to keep insects out, as the concertina-style insect screen can’t be used easily due to the garbage bin in the lower part of the door. Not that I’m complaining about the garbage bin, though – it’s far better than the traditional plastic bag hanging off the nearest hook! Another nice surprise is that there are only two keys for locking everything in this van – one for the entry door and the other for the front boot, side external bins and cassette toilet door. It’s so much easier and more practical than the large, heavy set of keys I am usually handed.
INTERIOR
On the opposite side of the van, between the entry door and the bedside wardrobe, is the Dometic 155L fridge and the microwave. The fridge is set at floor level, which means the microwave sits at a user-friendly height above. Adjoining this is a low cupboard with a cabinet above, designed for wine glasses. And there’s space between the two for a flatscreen TV.
The windows surrounding the sideways facing lounges make this an appealing area to sit and relax, giving a good view of the outside world, not to mention the two roof hatches, through which you can do some star gazing. Between the two lounges, the multi-functional cabinet can be used as a small table top or can slide out to create a slightly larger table. You can also pull out the slatted base to make the extra bed.
Overhead lockers are fitted on both sides and full-length floor locker doors give easy access to the under-seat areas. Part of the offside locker is taken up by the electrics, including the (labelled) mains circuit breaker and 12V fuse panel, which are all easy to get at.
HITS & MISSES
Pros…
- Easy towing
- Nicely appointed with a comfortable layout given weight and length
- Two keys for everything
- Well setup electrics
- Generous roof hatches
Cons…
- No shelf for bathroom vanity
- Very small shelves next to bed
- Fridge is on the small side
- No security screen door
ELDDIS AVENGER STORM SPECS
Weights and measures
- Overall length 8.05m (26ft 5in)
- External body length 6.95m (22ft 10in)
- External body width 2.3m (7ft 6in)
- Travel height 2.84m (9ft 4in)
- Internal height 1.95m (6ft 5in)
- Tare 1774kg
- ATM 2090kg
- Ball weight 120kg
External
- Frame n/a
- Cladding Fibreglass composite
- Chassis BPW hot-dipped galvanised
- Suspension Independent rubber torsion
- Brakes 10in electric
- Wheels 14in alloy
- Water 1x100L
- Battery 1x110Ah
- Solar No
- Air-conditioner Truma Saphir
- Gas 2x9kg
- Sway control Intelligent Drive Control (IDC)
Internal
- Cooking Thetford four-burner, grill and oven
- Fridge Dometic RM8501 155L
- Microwave Daewoo DC
- Toilet Thetford cassette
- Shower Separate cubicle
- Lighting 12V LED
- Hot water Alde gas/electric combo heater
Options fitted
- None
Price as shown
- $74,990 (on-road, NSW)
The full test appears in Caravan World #543 October 2015. Subscribe today for the latest caravan reviews and news every month!