LET THE SHOW BEGIN
First run in 1954, the Victorian show is the biggest RV event on the calendar. This year, inclement weather kept crowds down for the first couple of days, but those in attendance seemed focussed on buying and dealers appeared happy with sales. Most sites had specials, and there were plenty of new models or range updates.
The Melbourne Showgrounds at Flemington are a sprawling complex, so it takes time to navigate all the sites, but it offers several undercover halls and cafes that proved popular in the rain on Friday.
This year the show opened in an Innovation Hub with displays that included new power harvesting technology, Wi-Fi connectivity, lightweight chassis design and a clever Australian-designed inflatable annexe. But winner of the media-judged best stand was Bruder Expedition Vehicles with their stunning offroad campers.
It was Bruder’s first show, and their radical designs had crowds lining up. Despite a reputation for high priced products, I was pleasantly surprised to see their smaller EXP-4 camper starts at around $67,000, in line with other top-class campers. Even their top of line EXP-6 seems good buying when you consider the superb electronic technology and offroad capability.
SYSTEMS ARE GO
BMPro’s SmartConnect is a new Bluetooth system that can be installed as a standard feature or at a later date by customers and can easily expand as new technology becomes available.
SmartConnect sensors show information on a range of Bluetooth enabled screens. The range includes SmartPressure for tyre pressure and
