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JURGENS recently released its latest off-road offering ... but not
before the caravan builder had "torture tested" a prototype model on some
of the toughest tracks in outback Australia.
Research and development director Eddie Wills told Caravanning News
the company had used "an expert crew" to tackle some very harsh, remote
country to ensure the TuffTRAX could stand up to the punishment.
"Over nine days we covered the maximum kilometres possible with high
payloads and high legal speeds," he explained.
"We pushed the chassis, suspension, brakes and overall construction hard
and used the same cutting edge data tracking used in V8 super cars to
measure the g-forces of every bump and corner on the entire journey."
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The TuffTRAX being put
through its paces |
Jurgens Australia is part of one of the largest caravan manufacturers in
the southern hemisphere.
It has been manufacturing in South Africa since 1952 and has built over
100,000 caravans and motorhomes and has forged a reputation for robust
designs, engineered to maximise strength and minimise weight ... and the
TuffTRAX is no exception.
The chassis is a bolt-together construction where the design principle has
been proven over many years.
It is also fitted with the highly regarded Australian Cruisemaster®
independent suspension and DO35 coupler which are synonymous with
performance and reliability.
Composite walls and a clever fibreglass roof continue the strong yet
lightweight design theme, with 16 inch alloy wheels with off road tyres
completing the package.
Mr Wills said that some of the iconic country covered by the prototype
TuffTRAX included the corrugated back roads of the Grampians, the deep
sand of the Little and Big Deserts, the punishing roads of the Strzelecki
Track and the legendary Birdsville Track.
"A highlight was venturing north into the edge of the Simpson Desert,
where we hit 'Big Red', the tallest sand dune in the Simpson. After this
testing we are very confident about users getting there and back in the
TuffTRAX," he said
But don’t be misled by all this tough talk.
The TuffTRAX is very well appointed, with the three-berth caravan
providing luxurious bedding.
Twin single beds at the rear can multitask as seating or convert into an
oversized double bed.
Upfront, a cosy bed for one adult or two small children gives more
flexibility.
There's a slide-out kitchen, running hot and cold water, compressor fridge.
An external shower, multiple interior zipper compartments and external
access storage means there is a place for everything.
With an introductory price of $49,990, the TuffTRAX is sure to be a crowd
pleaser.
For more information, click here.