GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #6 | Page 14

ROYAL WAVE FIVE KEY FEATURES OF THE NEW REGAL CONDAMINE 650X… | WORDS AND IMAGES: MAX TAYLOR Earlier this year, Regal Caravans was given a challenge by its new Queensland dealer, Fraser RVs. The Toowoomba- based caravan yard wanted something different. Something special. The bar was set high and Regal got to work. The result: the Condamine 650X, named for the southern Queensland river. It’s an offroader with a lot of heart. A lot of features, too. Characterised by smooth, clean lines, more storage than you’re likely to need – believe me, there’s a lot – and a well- defined and finished layout, the Condamine 650X cuts an imposing figure on the road. Here are five main factors to know about this van. 1. OFFROAD INTENTIONS The Condamine comes in three variants: the 650, the 610 and the 570, each a different size. The ‘X’ in our review model’s name refers to the fact it’s been 14 gorv.com.au given the offroad treatment. The van appears to have all of the right underpinnings for offroad touring. Al-Ko Enduro Outback independent coil suspension, 16in alloy wheels, a slight cutaway rear and dual 90Ah lead crystal batteries are among the offroad additions. The Condamine 650X rides on a hot-dipped galvanised chassis. The sides are smooth composite aluminium, while the roof is one-piece fibreglass. 2. STORAGE An argument could be made that too much storage in a caravan is not a good idea. The thinking is that it will only tempt the vanner to load more gear than is absolutely essential, potentially above the van’s ATM. I prefer to think of it as ‘with great power, comes great responsibility’. A bit of common sense when loading a van goes a long way. And, frankly, I’d rather have the storage space and not need it than to need it and not have it. The boot up front has twin access doors, while the right- through tunnel boot offers plenty of space as well. And if that’s not enough, there’s a compartment at the offside rear of the van. 3. SELF-SUFFICIENCY Because this van is built for remote-area touring, you’d expect it to have the necessary equipment to allow decent stretches away from civilisation. And it does. The dual 9kg gas cylinders should last a couple of weeks or more before needing to be refilled, while the onboard fresh water storage of 180L should see you through for five or so days. The 110L grey water tank is a welcome addition.