Conqueror Off-Road Campers are no stranger to the South African camping fraternity. They’re a top-selling brand known for a tough range of off-road caravans and trailers, each built to handle the rigours of off-road towing and bush camping in Africa.
I’ve personally toured their factory in Heidelberg, and you can believe me when I say these guys mean business.So I guess it was just a matter of time before they addressed a new niche in the caravaning sector: those travellers who love to caravan, but would like to explore places where the tar has ended and gravel roads, which are sometimes smooth, sometimes rough, continue over the horizon.
After many, many months of research and development, the Conqueror UEV 550 was born. And what does UEV stand for? Urban Escape Vehicle – seems very appropriate to us! Looking at what’s included in this caravan, it’s clear that the designers’ mandate was unambiguous: the caravan must be luxurious, yet functional, and it must be packaged in a unit that can cope with harsh road conditions. We now have a model that’s equally comfortable on-road and off ... okay, not ‘off-road’ in a sense of gewone, full-on 4x4ing, but certainly off the tar.
BODY CONSTRUCTION
To keep corrosion out of the equation, the chassis is hot-dip galvanised. Components and auxiliary parts are electro-galvanised and epoxy-coated. So rust shouldn’t be a factor.For precision fit, body parts are NC (numerical control) manufactured; that means the steel is machine cut, and there’s little room for error. Body strength is ensured by means of an aluminum ‘skeletal construction’, with cladding that keeps weight to a minimum...
To read the full article, order a copy of the February 2011 issue of Caravan & Outdoor Life.
