REVIEW TRAKKA VENETO 650

REVIEW TRAKKA VENETO 650

Photos: Frances OliverAll the comforts of home are right behind youwhen you head away in the new Fiat Veneto 650by Trakka. Its unique chassis and superbturbo-diesel motor provide a great home-awayfrom-homeexperience, writes Kevin Staples.October’s news feature on theTrakka Veneto outlined all thefeatures that make thismotorhome such a desirablevehicle and in this review, weexplain how these features translate intobenefits for the user.It’s hard not be impressed by theVeneto at first sight, although the heightof the vehicle and the size of the rearoverhang did suggest that it might be ahandful on the road. But how wrongwe were…One of the things that makes thisvehicle unique – and a cursory glance atthe exterior does not reveal the secret –is the aftermarket ALKO chassis. Al-KoKober GmbH is a Eu575 million turnovercompany with its headquarters inSouthern Germany designing specialtylow-line chassis for motorhomes,caravans and other special types ofvehicles. We believe Trakka NZ has taken abold step in offering this advanced chassisdesign to its clients. In the conversion, theoriginal leaf spring suspension is replacedby the ALKO torsion bar system.Leaf springs are fine for commercialuse but independent torsion bars areconsidered to provide a superior ride andhandling for a passenger-carrying vehicle.While the van manufacturer’s chassis iswelded and painted, an ALKO chassis ishot dip galvanised and its sections boltedtogether.The low-line design gives a lowercentre of gravity and the wide track allowsthe rear wheels to be located closer to theoutside of the coachbuilt body. TheVeneto has its water and waste tanksmounted underneath the floor, keepingthe weight low where it ought to be forimproved road worthiness. With itsupdated chassis giving a gross vehiclemass of 3850kg and with a tare weight of3160kg, a payload of 690kg allowssufficient capacity for four people plusfood and equipment.The ALKO chassis also enables theVeneto to be fitted with optional airsuspension which promises to cope evenbetter with a wider variety of loads.On the roadThe new Fiat Ducato is unquestionablythe best van ever produced by Fiat. The2.8-litre JDT Diesel is a gem with plenty oftorque at low revs and in fifth gear at100km on the motorway was turning overat a leisurely 2300rpm. The northernslopes of the Bombay hills weredispatched in fifth gear. The southern siderequired a drop down to fourth but onreaching the crest we were still cruising ata strain free 80km/h. The Ducato haddone 1100km so even better performanceand economy can be expected when thevehicle is properly run in. Similar weightFiat Motor homes when tested in Britainhave produced fuel consumption figuresof between 23 and 29mpg – excellentresults given it had a loaded weight of upto 3850kg.When underway we were able to carryon a conversation and talk on the mobilephone all in a normal voice because bothmotor and wind noise are barely audible.An examination of the front of the vanshows that particular attention has beenpaid to aero dynamics, which alsoenhances the visual appeal. Theride/handling compromise is light yearsahead of other designs. We found thecompliant ride, stable and predictablecornering very much to our liking andwww.traderpoint.co.nzNZ Motorhomes Caravans & Destinations 17

REVIEW TRAKKA VENETO 650even unsealed roads presented nochallenge to the big Fiat. There were nocreaks, groans, or other unwelcomenoises from the body or interior fittings.Here we believe is a solidly built, wellintegratedrig built by a manufacturerwho has a long history in the motor homeconstruction business.ON-BOARD LIVINGNo need for foldaway steps, steppingaboard is easy because of the low-slungchassis. The interior is nicely decoratedwith cream walls and a warm burnapricot covering on the squabble withmatching gold curtains over the largepush out windows gives the interior afeeling of sunny spaciousness. Thelighting is provided by nicely contouredfluorescent lamps along with spotlights.Because the colour scheme reflectedplenty of light we found the fluorescentlamps were all we needed for reading by.The generously sized drying cabinet,which uses warm air vented from thefridge, will be a real bonus to owners whoenjoy skiing and other outdoor activities.We liked the double glazed top hingedwindows that could be fully opened forflow through ventilation but were alsoequipped with build in blinds and insectscreens. To complement the windows isan oversized sky light roof vent with builtin insect screen. Two removable carpetsmake housekeeping a simple affair.The dining table is a pedestal designwith an innovative arrangement thatallows it to be moved left or right whilestill mounted on its pedestal. Thetabletop was fine for two people butwould need to be extended if four peoplewanted to dine comfortably. Although thetemperature dropped to 10˚ outside atnight at no time were we tempted to usethe 240-watt gas heater. The Styrofoamcomposite panels with their 25 per centadvantage over regular panels arecertainly proving their worth as superiorinsulation not to mention the doubleglazed windows. A stainless steelbarbecue that rolled out like a draweralong with a rail for a clip on table islocated on the outside to the right of theentrance door and will allow the chef tosocialise while providing meals for thecrew. In addition as easy to use awningClockwise from above: Ducato cab is a pleasant place to operate from; well-equipped kitchenarea blends well with work station; Veneto brings home comforts to the beach; dining area lightand spacious; bathroom compact but well finished; quality appliances will satisfy most chefs.18 NZ Motorhomes Caravans & Destinations www.traderpoint.co.nz

can be rolled out to protect cook anddiners from the elements.KITCHENIf producing a delicious meal is what youenjoy, the three-burner Cramer stainlesssteel cooker with oven, grill, rotisserie andflush glass lid will not disappoint. Anextractor above the cooker deals with anyunwanted odours and a matching Cramerstainless steel sink with mixer faucet andflush glass lid sits next to the cooler. A foldup flap provides a simple and effectivemeans of extending the working area ofthe bench. We think a separate drainerwill be required to direct water into thesink and prevent it from running downthe sides of the unit. Food storagecupboards are located under the sinkbench but finding individual food itemsin floor level storage is not always easy.When discussing this with Doug Sheldonfrom Trakka NZ in Henderson, hesuggested that fitting a “see at a glance”food storage drawer under the fridgewould be a user-friendly option. We alsofound that the crockery would not fit theholding slots in the crockery drawer.Again Doug came up with a simplesolution. Because of variable plate sizeseach van would be sold with its owncustomised crockery set. The overheadlockers can be used for food andequipment that is not used so regularly.Our food items and bottles of wine lookedquite lonely in the large 110-litre capacityDometic refrigerator. On arrival at our sitewe switched the fridge to gas operation,turned the control up to maximum andback two notches. To our surpriseeverything was frozen solid in themorning. The remarkable efficiency ofthis appliance means that a dial set on 2or 3 is all that’s needed for regular use.BATHROOMThe bathroom is compact but contains allthe essential fixtures like fold-down basinwith tap, adjustable shower head andmixer and the Thetford swivel cassettetype toilet. We learned after our firstshower in the Veneto to direct the swivelshower head to the floor when firstturning on the shower to avoid beingdoused with a character-building slug ofcold water that has been sitting in thewww.traderpoint.co.nzNZ Motorhomes Caravans & Destinations 19

REVIEW TRAKKA VENETO 650The lounge/living area can quickly be converted to a cosy bedroom. The full-size double bed is 2m long and complemented by a bed above the cab.plumbing all night. We also learned that itis advantageous to park the motorhomeso that the front is slightly higher than therear to facilitate drainage, because thedrainage pipe is located in the floor in theback section of the shower cabinet. Whenunderway of course water quickly drainsaway. Doug pointed out that future vanswould have a wooden stand-on rack tokeep feet above surplus floor water. Whatwe did appreciate was the largecombination roof vent and fan along withand open out window to quickly dissipatesteam and moisture. The hot water systemproved to be extremely efficient and madeshowering a pleasant experience.SLEEPINGVersatility is the keynote here with threebed options to satisfy most needs. Therear lounge area can be used as twosingles or a few seconds of your time willconvert the singles to a double bed by agentle tug and a slatted section cleverlyconcealed under the rear lounge seatpulls out. Place the lounge backrests onthe slats make up the bed and prepare fora comfortable nights sleep. Because welike the idea of a permanently made upbed we chose to sleep in the bed abovethe cab. A removable aluminium laddergives access to this area, but using aladder always involves a small risk.During the night my wife decided to comedown for a drink of water and failed toplace her feet securely on the rung. Shecame crashing down, and althoughbruised and shaken, fortunately nothingwas broken. We think that some sort ofhandrail, “D” handle or support wouldreduce the risk of this sort of accident.SUMMARYWe both agreed that a true test of a“getaway from it all” vehicle such as theVeneto needs to be done when it is notattached to its 240-volt umbilical cord.For this reason we chose the KaurangaValley a DOC park and wilderness area inthe Coromandel ranges. I would describeour experience of the Veneto as havingyour own beautifully appointed motelroom in a scenic location of your choice.Don’t be put off by the size of thevehicle. My wife remarked on how carlikeit was to drive and we had no troubleusing supermarket car parks – theuncovered parks areas that is. I am surethat if we had a few more days to spendwith the Veneto more interestingdiscoveries would have been made aboutthe features built into this motorhome.Apart from two or three minor niggles(and knowing Trakka will already haveplanned solutions) we would heartilyrecommend this motorhome to a buyerwho is looking for a vehicle that is goodto drive, is capable of spending time awayfrom a 240 volt power source, is compactenough to access remote locations butprovides all the home comforts youcould ever need.Thanks to the operators of TakapunaBeach Holiday Park for its use as ourphoto location. Ph/fax: (09) 489 7909;www.KiwiTravelChannel.co.nz;22 The Promenade, Takapuna, Auckland.20 NZ Motorhomes Caravans & Destinations www.traderpoint.co.nz