Words and pics Malcolm Street Extra Trakka s Jabiru Xtra is a sophisticated, state-of-the-art machine. Special 34 MOTORHOME WORLD
In the world of motorhomes, one of the things that the latter part of 2006 will be remembered for is the arrival of new vehicles from just about every importer of light commercial vehicles in Australia. This has led to a great deal of frenzied activity in just about every motorhome manufacturer s design department and new campervans/motorcampers/motorhomes have been appearing almost monthly. One of the new motorhomes that we have been eagerly awaiting is the new Jabiru Xtra from Trakka. Our tastebuds were aroused at the NSW Caravan and Camping Supershow when the new Jabiru appeared, but further development work and refinement has meant a slightly longer wait for a serious play. It almost took longer than intended prising the key away from Trakka s media and PR man, Richard Robertson, was difficult. Apparently the Trakka team like to play with their products as well. When we picked up our VW Crafter-powered Jabiru, it was shiny, clean and ready to go. Free as a bird The Jabiru is available with either a Mercedes Sprinter or a VW Crafter van base, with both having the same shape and dimensions from the driver s cab back (the VW being mainly derived from the Mercedes design). The new breed of Sprinter/Crafter extra long wheelbase vans are physically longer than the standard long wheelbase version ideal for motorhome converters who need every inch they can get. While the VW is slightly cheaper, the choice of Merecedes-Benz or VW really comes down to personal preference when it comes to driving them. We d take either with a manual gearbox but, with an automatic transmission, the Sprinter with its full auto six-speed would win out over the automated manual six-speed of the VW. Around town, the gear changes were more hesitant than we would have liked. Apart from that, the Crafter, with its 2.5L 100kW turbodiesel, was a fun machine to drive and very responsive. Fuel consumption came in at an average of 12L/100km. One of the things to be careful of with the longer van is going over driveways and kerbs with heavy undulations the rear step, side step and water tank can scrape if large humps and dips are not approached carefully. Our Jabiru came with the optional VW metallic finish, which looks good with the satin black window surrounds, but will cost you extra, as do the equally appealing alloy wheels. Trakka-fitted components include double glazed hopper windows, a Fiamma F65 awning, electric side step, offside compartments for a gas cylinder, Thetford cassette and power lead. An air-conditioner, solar panels and rearview camera are mounted on the roof. Trakka is something of a boutique manufacturer in the motorhome industry, with many of its designs featuring some trendsetting ideas. The Jabiru is no exception, with laminated composite furniture (LCF), a switch mode bathroom (SMB) and a motorised bed combination (MBC), but we ll get to those. MOTORHOME WORLD 35
Liked Versatile layout that can be utilised in several ways The VW Crafter is a pleasure to drive The kitchen is easy to use, compact, and doesn t lack bench and storage space Nicely designed bathroom that works well with the disappearing loo Space-saving roller shutter doors that are easy to open Now i am being picky A reading light for the passenger seat A lip for the outer edge of the kitchen bench may be needed Chic stylings We reckon the layout of the Jabiru Xtra is pretty snappy for a van of this size. It features a rear lounge/bedroom area, nearside kitchen, mid offside bathroom, and a front dinette/lounge area that incorporates the driver and passenger swivel seats. The decor has a contemporary look about it and includes items such as space-saving roller shutter doors on many of the cupboards and lockers, along with separate flyscreens and Above left: Many of the cupboards throughout include space-saving roller shutter doors. Left: The toilet slides electronically out from beneath the vanity at the push of a button. blinds on all the hopper windows. The use of LCF for all cabinet furniture helps to save on weight. It is a light, tough, scratch resistant material that can be easily formed into ergonomic curves. Sourced from Europe and specifically designed by Trakka, it is very strong, as MHW discovered when doing a little test in the Trakka factory. So what s a SMB? The new Trakka bathroom was roomy and well fitted out, but when Richard Robertson showed it to us, it appeared to be missing a vital component: the toilet, be it Thetford, Dometic or any other brand. Perhaps SMB stood for Something Missing in the Bathroom? However, press one of the remote controls on the keyring and a Thetford toilet appears out from under the wash basin a clever idea that means you don t have to sit on the loo every time you shower. A tip from the Trakka crew: should you happen to be one of those people who lingers on the toilet, take the remote with you in case someone outside decides to terminate proceedings earlier than you anticipate. To empty the cassette, there s the usual external door as well as one on the inside, which has to be opened before the toilet is moved to the out position and the cassette removed. And what about the MBC? In the rear of the Jabiru are two side-facing lounges, the seat cushions of which don t have the usual straight sides. They instead have a distinct curve, making them wider at opposite ends, thus making them excellent for single beds. But if a double bed is required, a push of the remote sees the offside lounge power across the Jabiru. When the rear seat cushions fall into the gap, it s an instant double bed! Sadly, you still have to fit the sheets and blankets yourself, but we are sure that Trakka are working on that! The rear bed area is well fitted out. It has small corner shelves on the kitchen and bathroom partitions, there are halogen reading lights back and front on both sides and at the rear there are two magazine/book holders on the side walls. A further advantage of the Jabiru Xtra layout is that the bed can be left made up, because up front the driver and passenger seats swivel around and a small table sits between those seats and the dinette/passenger seat on the offside, creating a small dining/lounge area. More to add Surprisingly, there isn t a RMK Remote Controlled Kitchen but there are all the essentials of a good kitchen bench for a motorhome of this size. The nearside bench area consists of a Cramer 36 MOTORHOME WORLD
Below and left: The twin lounges form a double bed, thanks to the Motorised Bed Combination function. Above: Trakka s Jabiru is a smart looking motorhome. Inset: The rearview camera is a thoughtful touch. MOTORHOME WORLD 37
Trakka Australia Jabiru Xtra A table can be set up behind the driver and passenger seats, which swivel to create a dinette or an additional lounge area. three-burner cooktop/stainless steel sink combo with tank water and filtered drinking water, small bin for scraps, six drawers and, a non kitchen item, a half height wardrobe with a roller shutter door. On the opposite side of the Jabiru, between the dinette seat and bathroom, is an IndelB 130L fridge with a Sharp microwave above. The latter is set back to allow shelf space for hot dishes, but one of our test crew, who is on the short side, reckoned it would be easier if it was a little closer forward. Conveniently, the microwave has a small shelf above and can be closed off with a roller shutter door when it is not being used. We did like the aforementioned front dinette/ lounge area. The driver and passenger seats can be swivelled without a problem and the rear seat is comfortable it has full height back and lap/sash seat belts. When not needed, the table can be lifted out of the way and stored. Electrics in the Jabiru have a sophisticated Trakka touch. Two 100Ah AGM batteries supply the 12V load and they are charged by either the vehicle alternator or 15A charger. Solar panels are definitely an option. Lighting is all 12V halogens. Summing up Despite the fact that the Jabiru Xtra is a smaller motorhome, it is packed with features, too many to mention in this article. Suffice to say this is a sophisticated, state-of-the-art machine that is causing considerable interest in the RV market even among non RVers. We appreciate that, although its size means it is easily handled when driving around town, it is still a comfortable camper for weekend escapes and longer term travel, having a good engine performance, good fuel economy, reasonable $133,620 price tag and a versatile living space that has been well thought out. Trakka gets a big tick for this one. Base vehicle: VW Crafter Engine: 2.5L 100kW turbodiesel Gearbox: Six-speed Shiftmatic Max power: 100kW@3500rpm Max torque: 300Nm@2000rpm Brakes: Disc all round Tare weight: 3000kg GVM: 3550kg External length: 24ft 6in (7.47m) External width: 6ft 6in (2m) Internal height: 6ft 3in (1.9m) Cooktop: Cramer three-burner/sink combo Fridge: IndelB 130L 12V compressor Microwave: Sharp Gas: 1 x 4.5kg Lighting: 12V halogen Hot water: Truma 14L Fresh water: 100L Grey water: 90L Second stage compliance: Yes Price as reviewed: $133,620 (including options) Trakka Australia, 9 Beaumont Road, Mt Kuring-gai, NSW 2080, (02) 9472 9000, email: info@trakka.com.au, web: www.trakka.com 38 MOTORHOME WORLD