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Concept's Ascot sets the standard for ensuite shower vans Words and photographs by Paul Hutchinson As soon as you walk into this van you see the quality craftsmanship of a cabinet maker who has been in the industry for a long time. The Concept is no ordinary idea; it’s a well built van with lots of appeal both internal and external. We towed this van with a Falcon Ute and the Concept was a breeze to tow. With its load-sharing, tandem axles it sat very neatly on the road, and proved no challenge for my wife to handle, either. Concept has been manufacturing since 2004 when it was created by Bruno, Steve Caruso & Keir Smith, and are available on standard layouts or they will happily custom build. EXTERNAL The Ascot is a stylish tourer designed for mid to long range touring. With a more than reasonable price tag, the Ascot has a lot to offer - with full DuraGal steel chassis, aluminium-clad, smooth sides and all the extras you would expect for a van of this size and quality. The Ascot includes the heavy duty bumper bar with spare mounted upon it. The windows are tinted acrylic and the front has a padded stone guard up to the top of the boot. There are twin gas bottles, twin water tanks with gal-plate protectors. There’s also the all important roll out awning which has not been forgotten either, along with the roof top air conditioner. Near the door is the drop down picnic table which is fantastic. I use them for the kettle and toaster and make breakfast and coffee outside under the awning all the time. There is also the external grab handle light at the door and the awning light is 12V. The legs are drop jacks. These are a must, they are so easy to use and save a lot of back breaking work, not to mention they don’t buckle under the strain of a caravan. There are plenty of clearance lights, and the centre mounted brake light is up nice and high. The caravan also features a triple lock security and flyscreen door, and not to be missed, a Winegard antenna sits neatly upon the roof. INTERNAL The Ascot has very sleek lines inside. Reminiscent of current housing trends, the colours are very tranquil and easy on the eye. The minimalist look sits very well in the Ascot. I loved the clean lines created by the silver venetians, chrome handles and the soft colours. In the kitchen, the Ascot has a huge 186L fridge, ready for the avid fisher’s catch of the day, with a huge freezer for this very purpose. This is coupled with a decent size bench including a large stainless sink and plenty of preparation room. The cook has a lovely 4 burner gas cooker to aid their culinary experience. There is ample storage in the kitchen area with dividing shelves in the overhead cupboards. You would be very hard to please if you were not happy with this kitchen for a touring van. There are a terrific amount of windows bringing light and fresh air into the van. The van does not have that closed in feeling that you can get in some other units. We were resting near the ocean and took a photo out the window of the beautiful seascape. When it came time to leave it was very hard; we could have stayed there for a week. In all the cupboards, I inspected the finish of the internal timberwork, and it was all sanded very smoothly. Some manufacturers don’t take the time to ensure you won’t get splinters when you get the van home, but that’s not the case with the Concept caravans. The ceiling contains excellent ventilation from a large hatch and two more hatches in the ensuite. Alongside this is a heating/cooling Dometic air conditioner. The Ascot has 12V lighting, all recessed into the ceiling and being fed by the deep cycle battery and charger in the boot. For entertainment, we have a 19” LCD TV and a CD/Radio/MP3 player with a DVD output wired directly into the TV. The whole family can enjoy their favourite movies, sports and even the Caravan & Motorhome DVD. The shower room is a full ensuite with separate shower, toilet and large vanity with a mirror to match. The shower has a lovely black glass door that fits in very well with the décor of this van. The toilet is a Thetford full flush toilet and there is a great vanity with a stainless steel hand basin included. There are plenty of mirrors and ventilation in the ensuite. There is a solid sliding timber door to give privacy, and there is plenty of room in the ensuite once it is closed. This door has a brilliant locking system to keep it in place while travelling. WORTH BUYING ARV caravans advise me that the manufacturer has a very tight schedule and they manage to produce their vans 99% of the time on schedule. This is very important for those who order a van and are planning their upcoming trip around their delivery date. The Ascot is available off the shelf or can be custom built to suit many different needs. New models are making their way in to dealerships across the country, so give them a call to see what they have on offer. The Concept shows itself to be a van of quality and strength, ready for the discerning buyer of a real value for money van. TECHNICAL SPECS INTERNAL FEATURES EXTERNAL FEATURES CONTACT/THANKS RATINGS LEGEND LAYOUT KEY We stayed at Eden Tourist Park This review is based on an Ascot XLS, however there are new models appearing all the time. Please check with your local dealer for the current model price and specifications.
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