Fiat boosts its position as one of the premier choices as the base vehicle for Australian-built motorhomes with the appointment of two new Australian firms to build motorhomes on the Ducato.

Fiat is set to boost its position as one of the premier choices as the base vehicle for Australian-built motor homes with the appointment of two new Australian companies to build motorhomes on the Fiat Ducato, bring the total number using the Fiat Ducato to eight of the industries leading companies.

Fiat already is the choice of six Australian converters, with Jayco the largest, followed by A’van, Winnebago, Sunliner, Horizon, and Trakka, to give Fiat a total of more than 600 Ducato-based motorhomes so far this year. This figure is set to undergo a substantial increase in 2008 with the arrival of the new MTA self-shifting gearbox, which will provide the economy and performance of a manual with the ease of use and convenience of an automatic.

These companies will be joined in 2008 by Sydney-based Suncamper and Paradise Motorhomes, which is based on the Gold Coast, which are in the final design stages with the Fiat Ducato-based motor homes they will launch in 2008.

“The growing number of companies using the Fiat Ducato as the basis for their motorhomes is based on the quality of the Ducato platform and the flexibility it provides for each motorhome builder to fully realize their design vision,” says Chris Swann, General Manager for Fiat Commercial Vehicles in Australia. “This means that although they share the Ducato as their base vehicle, the range of motorhomes, the capabilities and design features they offer and ability for them to be tailored to each owner’s particular needs is remarkable. Each converter knows that not only will they able to provide a motorhome that is reliable, economical and offer fully optimized performance, it will also be a complete demonstration of everything their company has to offer.”

Long the motorhome market leader in Europe, the Fiat Ducato has transferred this success to Australia for the same reasons. These start with an enviable record for durability and reliability. Added to this is a design that makes it easy for motorhome builders to maximize their designs. For a start there is a choice of a large volume van or a range of chassis platforms. The van offers not just a large interior; it is also wider than its narrow rivals, which restricts design choices. The floor is low and it has large doors.

The chassis versions come in a range of lengths and heights with different axles and construction materials to suit a range of designs. Further boosting flexibility is the fact that the entire drivetrain is contained to the front of the vehicle with even the fuel tank ahead of the load area. This means equipment that has to be inside other conversions can be placed under the floor, freeing up living space, and that floor is lower, improving ease of access.

Fiat’s own commitment to the motorhome business is illustrated by the fact that as part of the development of the new MTA gearbox Fiat built a fleet of motorhome ‘mule’ test vehicles that duplicated all the operating conditions of a motorhome. This was so that the gearbox’s software could be designed to meet the needs of a motorhome. This includes running near full load most of the time, having more weight higher up in the vehicle than a normal commercial vehicle and the demands of a slippery camp site on traction control. Locally Fiat Australia provides the general retail market with a choice of four different versions of the Fiat Ducato, but for the motorhome market a further 12 variants of the Ducato are imported exclusively for the motorhome industry.

“The motorhome industry is a major part of the Australian Automotive industry and Fiat is proud to being playing an increasingly large role within it,” says Chris Swan. “We welcome Suncamper and Paradise Motorhomes to the Fiat family and we look forward to growing our new joint businesses with exciting and advanced new motorhomes that lift the choice available to Australian owners to new levels.”