derestrictor wrote:I just wonder who the market is for products like this,
Conventional Euro-demounts are first step for most then I would guess for the more adventurous and we'll heeled a bimobil/toyota where do these fit in the overall picture?
Our clients arrive at our door by many different routes. Some because they simply want the best demountable money can buy, but some are not actually bothered whether it's a demountable at all. They just want the best camper or motorhome they can find to suit their needs, be it holiday travel, expedition travel or supporting them in their chosen sport or pastime. We've recently sold 2 demountable cabins that are actually bolted permanently to the chassis (a new Defender 130 and a new Sprinter 4x4). The cabins could be removed of course, but the neither client intends to do so.
Not everybody wants a big camper or motorhome though. Most travelers taking off for an extended world tour for example simply have a roof top tent on a Defender or Troopy. You might be surprised how many people do this, and how many roof top tents are sold each year. They out sell demountables thousands of times over and many of our customers come via that route. The Bimobil you mention or our own similar sized machines (like the two mentioned above) are not in the slightest hampered off-road by traction or durability, but simply by their sheer size. Having to place a bond upon entry to many countries, sometimes equivalent to 70% of the value of the vehicle, can be a bit of an issue for many of us too...
Seasoned travelers rarely yearn for an unwieldy great 4 berth caravan on the back of their truck, but as the years pass they do start looking for more comfort. Some are attracted to the practicality and comfort of the Dutch Campers while others are looking for home comforts but in a smaller package that won't place any restrictions on where they can go, on or off-road. To them it's all about the journey, not the destination, and to many of these guys the 2 berth Gazell and the 4 berth Trayon fit the bill perfectly.
Why not come along to the Adventure Overland Show at Stratford race course at the end of September and take a look - they're really rather impressive.
Best wishes
Gary