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The Carthago brand has so far been associated rather with evolutionary changes, but in 2019 we can talk about the announcements of a real revolution in the premium segment. Following in the footsteps of Hymer and other manufacturers in this segment of motorhomes, Carthago has finally matured to the marriage with the latest version of Mercedes. For now, the cooperation is to cover the refreshed version of the E-Line range, which, like all models of the upper class in the weight category above 3.5 t, was so far available with the Iveco base vehicle and the old and structurally outdated Fiat Ducato.

New Carthago Chic E-Line on a Mercedes

One of the best-selling Carthago models in the so-called The "liners" range is extremely successful and appreciated by customers, the range of E-LINE models. The bigger brother of the C-LINE model, unlike the smaller models, is produced at the company's headquarters in Aulendorf, Bavaria and is available in a number of varieties and configurations, with one common denominator in terms of drive - the base vehicle is always the Fiat Ducato. The GVM of the models ranges from 4.5 to 5 tonnes for 2-axle models and as much as 5.4 tonnes for 3-axle models. Taking into account the curb weight of individual vehicles in running order, on average, the user has at his disposal a considerable reserve of 900 kg to 1.2 tons.

Carthago Chic E-LINE - independence and convenience above all

As the owner and driver of a colossus with a GVM of 4.5 t, I am constantly looking for solutions that can contribute to improving the quality of driving, as well as increasing the comfort of my and my family's traveling. In recent years, I have been closely watching all the news, both at national and international fairs, as well as on forums associating fans and users of large recreational vehicles and owners of "my" brand cars. A frequent topic in discussions about improving road behavior and functionality at a standstill was the topic of pneumatic suspension and hydraulic supports .

Air suspension and hydraulic supports in the motorhome - assembly at Grupa Elcamp

Palace for two - this is how you can briefly describe the luxury cruiser Liner-for-two by the German brand Carthago. Designed and manufactured in Aulendorf, Bavaria, the model from its premiere a year ago turned out to be a bull's eye and has achieved a strong position in the brand's model portfolio. After all, Carthago has unparalleled experience in reading the needs and preferences of Western European wealthy fans of motorhome tourism. As one of the few independently operating manufactories in the industry, it is considered a premium brand, with a clear tendency to thoughtful, evolutionary (instead of revolutionary) changes. Design and model modifications are subtle from year to year, and the conservative design and interior design have for many years been ideally suited to the tastes of a precisely defined group of recipients.

Liner-for-two from Carthago - a great motorhome for two

The long-advertised event of impressive momentum has again attracted crowds of visitors this year. In the gigantic halls divided into the Yacht & Boat Show, the tourist World Travel Show and the Camper Caravan Show, everyone could find something for themselves. Motoring fanatics have gathered here, but also famous travelers. There were countless accompanying events, lectures and presentations. Even children could take advantage of the attractions offered by event and animation companies. The exhibition of motorhomes and caravans, divided into 2 halls, gathered producers and distributors of leading brands - a large area was taken up by Hobby, Pilote, Dethleffs, Knaus and Adria. Also, domestic producers such as the Globe Traveler group, Ebacamp or Balcamp showed their vehicles - in short, the domestic industry has nothing to be ashamed of when compared to Western competition.

It was good… that is, subjective observations after the Nadarzyn fair

Also this year, we had the opportunity to see the new products and trends presented at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf. Judging by the traffic statistics, it is already known that the record of interest from the public and industry representatives will be broken once again. As a mantra for 3 years, the vast majority of exhibitors have been repeating that it has not been that good yet. Are we dealing with an "blown bubble"? Are industry euphoria accompanied by anxiety? About this, as well as about the current market trends, in our subjective summary of what we have observed over the last few days.

Caravan Salon Düsseldorf 2018 from the point of view of Camprest

An increasing number of motorhome users in the era of ever larger, more and more comfortable constructions and the ubiquitous fashion for improvements and "tuning" (rarely consisting in slimming) have to face the problem of potentially exceeding this magical value. In truth, the regulations from the 1960s regulating the DMC values for vehicles can be called invalid or outdated, but in the light of the current legislation in the EU, we should take note of them and comply with them. The editors of the German Reisemobil International Magazine summarized in a tabular form what is allowed and what is not allowed in individual EU countries and what, if applicable, penalties and consequences for non-compliance (below).

Magic 3.5 tons of DMC and penalties for &quot;overloading&quot; the motorhome

During the CARAVAN SALON in Dusseldorf, representatives of the Dethleffs brand presented the result of two years of work on the vehicle of the future. E.Home, as the concept is called, is at first glance a massive motorhome based on the Iveco Daily Electric vehicle. During the conference, project coordinators emphasized that they want to be pioneers and apply technologies that have not been used in this industry so far. A little over 31 square meters of a special solar mat (or rather foil) is characterized by a total efficiency of 3000 Watt and is to be a source of energy for heating, a stove and a refrigerator.

Electric motorhome - Dethleffs e.home

The momentum and the setting of this year's Caravan Salon seem to confirm the attitude of the industry - it is very good, the demand for recreational vehicles is constantly growing, and manufacturers in many cases are approaching or even exceeding their production capacity. The annual number of motorhomes produced last year exceeded 107,000 vehicles, which means a 30% increase in just 2 years (!). During many press presentations at leading manufacturers, not so much revolutionary changes and novelties were presented, but cosmetic improvements to existing solutions, at the same time highlighting the problems with the implementation of the flood of orders. Dethleffs alone, with a turnover of EUR 370 million, is at the end of its possibilities, and even smaller players are thinking about increasing production capacity - Carthago, which ended its financial year at the end of July and boasted a total of 4,900 vehicles, for example, is planning 6,000 for the next year, there will be no problems with selling them. Even manufacturers of real locks on wheels (Concorde, Morelo and Volkner) predict a similar increase in demand.

It has not been so good yet, i.e. reflections on the condition of the market after Caravan Salon 2017

The market of new motorhomes is growing in strength, a trend that is noticeable even in Poland. According to the latest estimates, our western neighbors already have nearly 460,000 motorhomes registered. The latest data published by the European Caravan Federation shows that the increase in the number of registrations of new vehicles (caravans and campers) compared to the year is already expressed in double-digit values. Even markets that showed shortness of breath in recent years and weakened in 2016 recorded increases (Italy, Spain).

A new deal, or who is who of the motorhome world

Marketing at the highest level - this is how you can briefly define the envelope built for years by Carthago, a manufacturer that puts its products in competition with representatives of premium brands (or at least the upper middle class). Sizable stands at major fairs, first places in the polls for the best camping vehicles of the most widely read German magazines - all of this is to make the user's heart beat faster at the sight of a cream colossus with a red stamp. Are the advantages widely advertised by the brand, such as high level of workmanship and attention to detail, really confirmed? We invite you to the report, or rather the conclusions of the six-month test, mainly in autumn, winter and early spring conditions, which the Carthago CHIC C-LINE generation II was subjected to, namely version 4.8 from 2016. The test covered a dozen or so trips, including a long foreign route, which allowed to reach a total distance of 4,500 km.