Elddis & Buccaneer touring caravans pick up TWO winners and FIVE shortlisted awards at the Practical Caravan Tourer of the year awards 2012

Elddis & Buccaneer touring caravans were extremely pleased to pick up TWO winners and FIVE shortlisted awards at the Practical Caravan Tourer of the year awards 2012 at the awards ceremony held on 27 September 2011 - MORE THAN any other manufacturer

WINNER : Editor's Choice - ELDDIS XPLORE 304

All the awards were presented by Nigel Donnelly , Editor of Practial Caravan, and as Nigel explained : "the editor's choice is a new category for the 2012 awards and is seeks to reward caravans which may not have sufficient sparkle to warrant an overall Tourer of the Year award, but deserve recognition nonetheless. It could be for a novel layout, a great new feature or something that dares to be a bit different. With such a wealth of plush vans on the market this year, it would have been very easy to head straight to the top end but there is one caravan launched this season that answers a question that no other conventional caravan does."

"The best selling small family car in 2010 was the Vauxhall Astra and a quick bit of research with our colleagues at WhatCar? told me the best selling diesel is the 1.7 Ecoflex. This is a car which seats five, weighs 1350kg, has a maximum towing limit of 1200kg and costs £30 a year to tax. "

"Advising readers which family caravan they could put behind the UK's best selling car brings up a very short list indeed and if caravanning is to remain a mainstream holiday option for UK families, this is a situation that needs addressing. The only genuine family four berth that can be towed by the UK's best selling small hatchback is the editor's choice caravan for 2012 - It is the ELDDIS XPLORE 304 "

WINNER : Best caravan for a seasonal pitch : Buccaneer Schooner

Again , Nigel Donnelly explains : "this award is for the best caravan for seasonal pitches and this caused a lot of consternation for judges. Big vans are less of a problem if they are not moved very often, so comfort and kit are more important than weight and size."

The Buccaneer Schooner fought off competition from offerings from all the other major manufacturers to WIN this award as Nigel went on to say: "One of this shortlist was felt by judges to deliver a special level of showroom appeal both inside and out. It's not cheap, it's not light but our panel couldn't imagine the caravanner who would not be delighted by the BUCCANEER SCHOONER."

FIVE other Elddis touring caravans were also shortlisted across three other categories (MORE THAN any other manucturer ):

Best caravan for couples: Elddis Xplore 504

The all new Xplore 504 is a unique twist on one of the most popular caravan layouts. The wardrobe has been relocated to the nearside of the caravan leaving lots of space for a superb dressing table area opposite the fixed bed making the caravan feel much more open and spacious than traditional fixed bed layouts. Featuring the MK2 Whale underfloor space heater for year round comfort and maximum storage space.

Best caravan for small families: Elddis Xplore 304 / Elddis Avante 554

Building upon the incredible success of the Xplore 302, the Xplore 304 offers 4 berths but is equally suited for couples who require just a little extra interior space. At just 1090KG MTPLM, the Xplore 304 is the lightest 4 berth caravan built in the UK and also the least expensive. Interior space is further improved by the use of the Whale MK2 underfloor space heater.

The award winning Avante 554 is the ultimate 4 berth caravan for the young family. Combining a traditional full sized dinette with 2 fixed rear bunks and a spacious end bathroom the Avante 554 has a unique open feel with lots of practical touches that will make a family trip a joy for all.

Best caravan for large families: Elddis Avante 566 / Elddis Crusader Superstorm

The 2012 Avante 566 features a new domestic styled, fully lined seperate shower cubicle which when combined with a practical triple rear bunk with convertible rear dinette and a generous font dinettte, becomes the ultimate caravan for the larger family. With practical storage solutions with Avante 566 can be as flexible as you need it to be for 2 to 6 people.

The ultimate family caravan for those wishing to sleep up to six people without any compromise on luxury comfort. The 2012 Crusader Superstorm now features parallel front bunks, a new washroom and the familiar four berths at the rear that has made the Superstorm so popular over the years.

Published: 10/10/2011