Spacious, lightweight and packed with all the essentials and more, the all new Sprite will carry a competitive price tag when launched early next year.
Sprite will out-perform its nearest competitor by offering spacious interiors with a wide body shell, excellent headroom, big bed sizes, modern styling and good specification – all from around £10,000.
Other advantages over the competition will be space frame construction to make seats stronger, lighter and maximise storage space, sprung beech slats on seats and beds and in the Major 6 the rear fixed bunk will convert for storage with exterior door access.
The Major 5 is three inches longer than most competitors and the Major 6 an impressive four inches longer. All models have two inches more headroom and are two inches wider than the majority of the competition.
Generous Sprite single beds measure from 5’10” up to 6’ 3” in length compared to some others on the market that are as short as 5’ 5”. The Major 5’s rear double bed is an impressive 6’10” long by 4’ 4” wide rather than a more modest 6’ 8” by 4’ 1” in some others on the market.
New features in the latest Sprites are full wheel trims, door with moulded inner panel, two-door front locker with clock and two mains lights. The modern Scandinavian interior styling of light apple wood and silver with blue and sunny yellow fabrics is carried over from the current model but now an optional fabric scheme is available in beige/grey abstract design chenille with contrasting blue detail. Dealer-fit optional extras are a door flyscreen, spare wheel and carrier and an Al-Ko stabiliser.
All four models in the Sprite range are lightweight and efficient to tow. They are the four-berth lightweight Alpine with fixed bed layout, the popular five-berth Major 5 with centre toilet layout and the six-berth Major 6 single axle with rear bunks.
The six-berth Quattro will be unbeatable for space, accommodation and value and is the only twin axle available in this price range.
A good level of specification and attention to detail means the Sprite range has neat routed wiring to maximise bed box space compared to untidy cables that interfere with storage. It offers traditional domestic-style sprung upholstery rather than foam upholstery with springs and its bed boxes are fully opening and spring-assisted giving easy access compared to partial opening boxes that are not self-supporting.
Other advantages over the competition are a dual fuel hob rather than a single energy supply and backrest vent boards to help reduce condensation. Two new front ceiling lockers with gas assisted struts have replaced an open shelf.
Swift Group Sales and Marketing Director Richard White said: “Head to head, there is no comparison. Sprite offers all the essentials and more besides. With spacious interiors, large comfortable beds, modern styling and good specification, the only thing Sprite doesn’t have is a big price.
"With prices starting from around £10,000, Sprite really does give you more for your money and means you can have a new caravan for less than a one or two year old used model."
As well as the 2.23m (7’ 4”) width and 1.95m (6’ 4”) interior headroom, all models feature a dual fuel hob with spark ignition, thermostatic oven with glass front and a 100-litre fridge. They also offer loose fit carpets, dual fuel heating, TV aerial and booster and a large Heki panoramic opening skylight.
The all new Sprite can be seen at the G-Mex, Manchester, from January 19-22 2006; the SECC, Glasgow, from February 2-5 2006 and the NEC Birmingham from February 18-26 2006.