Have you ever wondered what an Elite van would look like? Well, look no further. This van is truly elite by name and nature. It's classy on the outside and does not disappoint when you venture inside.

Gota Getaway started building campervans about five years ago. It then saw an opportunity to build quality custom-built caravans to cater for individual's needs. The factory has a combined total of 45 years experience in caravan building and pride themselves on five-star quality. Going from strength to strength, they recently established the Caravan Super Centre showroom for caravans, campervans and a huge range of accessories.

We towed the Elite with a Toyota LandCruiser, which never showed a hint of struggle (just as you would expect from such a fantastic towing vehicle). The Elite had a little bit of sway on the road, but this is always the compromise for being high enough to be an off-road RV.

EXTERNAL

When you have seen as many caravans as I have, it is rare that one stands out from the crowd, but the Elite does. The mixture of black, white and silver is very well coordinated. It's not a small van, but it doesn't feel big and bulky either.

Packed with features, the Elite is sure to impress. The front boot is unique with its dual access. The conventional front boot lid allows access into the front tunnel boot, which also has access from the driver's side. The Sovereign BBQ slides out from the door side and there is still plenty of room for the battery and all your gear on the other side.

Then we have a large tunnel boot under the large lounge area with external access doors on both the driver's and door side. Gota Getaway really has put some extra thought into this one.

The picnic table is located under the awning, conveniently located next to the TV swing-out arm and power points. The LED lights right around the van complement the appointment level.

The Elite sits on the three-tonne simplicity independent suspension, which is one of the best load-sharing suspensions on the market. A G&S galvanised chassis holds the Elite on the road. With a 6in main member combined with the 6in A-frame and 2in riser running through to the rear, there is plenty of ground clearance for touring.

INTERNAL

Impressive and stylish are two words that spring to mind when you walk inside the Elite. Your eyes are drawn to the spacious layout, the huge lounge and the picture windows to look through. I had to check the price tag to see if this van was in the realms of possibility for the budget. You know that feeling you get where you don't want to sit down and enjoy it just in case you can't afford it? That was not the case here, with the price tag more than reasonable for the inclusions.

We sat in the huge lounge to finish our drinks and found it hard to get back to work afterwards. The backrests are a perfect height and the seat bases held you nicely. "And I get paid to do this," I thought.

The kitchen spreads over both sides of the van, making it one of the largest kitchens I have ever seen. My wife loves to spread out and make an absolute mess when she cooks, so she would be right at home here. There is plenty of storage, an excellent two-door fridge, full stove, and microwave. The two-door fridge freezer is every RVer's dream for long-range touring. It doesn't take up too much space in this layout, rather it sits there quite unassumingly.

The sanding inside the cupboards was of an acceptable standard. I wonder about the use of gripper catches on the overhead cupboards in today's market. This is only a very minor concern that would certainly not stop me from making the purchase.

The Elite was finished in colour tones of redwood, cream and black, with black venetians for that extra touch of style. The Laminex edges made for a nice flow to the van.

WORTH BUYING?

You bet. It certainly had the right combination of features and quality to set it high on the list of must-see RVs. The team at Caravan Super Centre know how to take a customer's idea and turn it into a reality. I am sure the Elite will tick all the right boxes for the discerning buyer of quality vans.

TECHNICAL SPECS

MAKE/MODEL: Elite Caravans Murray

CHASSIS NUMBER: 69938

EXTERNAL BODY LENGTH: 7.32m (24ft)

EXTERNAL WIDTH: 2.46m (8ft 1in)

VIN TARE WEIGHT: 2350kg

BALL WEIGHT: 250kg RRP: $79,950

NB: length and width are external measurements of the vehicle shell (and awning) only

CONTACT/THANKS

CONTACT PERSON: Michael Smith

COMPANY NAME: Caravan Super Centre

ADDRESS: 1782 Sydney Rd, Campbellfield VIC 3061

PHONE: 1300 104 090

FAX: (03) 9357 9841

EMAIL: gotagetawayptyltd@bigpond.com

WEBSITE: www.caravansupercentre.com

WORDS BY PAUL HUTCHINSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT SHEARER

Please note that current prices may vary from this review. Please confirm with the manufacturer.