While it has become ubiquitous across most brands, there’s no denying the attraction over the dated look of rolled aluminium. The move to composite external panels a few years ago has been almost universally adopted by the local caravan industry. Heading towards Bluff Rock proved to be no challenge “We gave the Marvel a pretty good workout over our couple of weeks travelling, and it handled all conditions beautifully.” THE EXTERIOR Up top, a single sheet of fibreglass keeps the weather outside while underfloor is an expanse of marine ply covered in a single flow of premium lino.
Acrylic splashbacks and laminated cupboard fronts add to the modern appeal, and the dark grey on lower cupboards and glossy white elsewhere were easy to live with for our two weeks on the road. The frame is Meranti timber, and the furniture is cut on a CNC machine for a close-fitting appearance. With a rating of 2900kg, the simple tandem axle, leaf suspension gives the van a payload of just over 700kg, which should be more than enough for most couples. The welds are neat and complete, and the crew has done an excellent job of getting wiring and plumbing up, out of the way. The Sea Breeze has a 6in A-frame leading back to a 4in chassis stitch-welded to 2in risers. Using pre-treated steel saves up to 70kg compared to hot dipping the frame after it has been welded together and as long as the welds are well painted during construction, then the chassis should last a lifetime. The Supagal treatment is considered superior to Duragal as it zinc plates both the internal and external sections of the box section rather than just the outside. Starting underneath, we see a Supagal chassis from 3mm Bluescope steel. For this reason, the 2150kg tare of the 19ft Marvel makes a lot of sense, while still delivering enough living space for couples to be comfortable. Weight is an essential issue in a touring caravan, especially for those who want to tow with mid-range vehicles. As such, it fits the most popular size for touring couples, fulfilling the Goldilocks principle of being not too small and not too big, but just right. The six different Sea Breeze layouts span from a basic 18ft version through to a more opulent club lounge 22ft 6in version, so our 19ft review van sat in the middle. Five models within the Marvel brand provide multiple levels of driving capability, starting with the Sea Breeze with its leafspring, roller-rocker suspension.
The Sunseeker team has years of caravan experience, and they set to designing a brand that offered various levels of offroad ability with sensible liveability for enjoyable times on the road. Marvel was born a few years ago when Sunseeker owner, Chris Michel realised there was a gap in the RV market for a value-packed caravan built without compromising on quality. We have been after a Marvel to review for a while, and the offer of an extended review of the van to coincide with our tour of the New England High Country region of New South Wales was too good to pass up. The Marvel brand is part of the Sunseeker RV group based in Warana on the Sunshine Coast, a few sandhills away from the Pacific Ocean and home of the regular easterly that tempers the summer heat.
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