2015 CTOTY: Track Trailer Tvan Murranji

The Murranji is the top-of-the-line Tvan from Track Trailer, and its features and accessories have steadily improved over the years. While a standard Murranji has a RRP of $52,600, the unit presented at CTOTY came in nearly $10K dearer. That sounds like (and is) a lot of money, but you get a lot of camper for the cash, along with proven reliability, proven on and offroad performance and proven resale value.

Design & Construction

Different to any other camper on the market, the Tvan features impressive MC2 military-grade independent suspension, which is custom-tuned to each camper model. The camper’s wheels are also customised to match the specific tow vehicle.

The well-designed and manufactured chassis is hot-dipped galvanised, while the body consists of twin aluminium skins with a riveted sandwich panel construction.

At the front of the Murranji is a big storage box on the A-frame, which holds a fridge of your choice on the kitchen side of the camper and has a cavernous storage area on the other.

The drop-down floor and rear-opening hatch also sets the Tvan apart and makes for a very flexible camping setup, whether you want to deploy the tent or not. Even if you do drop the tent from its storage position, it’s a pretty easy and quick set-up and with a little practice you’ll do it easily in four or five minutes. The test unit also came with a large annex for the kitchen side of the camper and a bathroom for the other.

Interior

Inside, is a comfortable queen size bed, a three-speed fan, more storage, a good stereo system, and the side windows now open to let a bit more breeze through the camper.

Back on the outside, there’s a slide-out kitchen that has a two-burner stove, sink and water pump along with adequate, but not huge, bench space.

THE JUDGES’ Wrap Up

The Tvan is a true Aussie camping legend and for good reason — go deep into the outback and it’s Tvans you’ll see. While the Tvan is ideal for couples, it is also suitable for smaller families with the addition of bunk beds in the back. The Tvan was, and is, unique as well as innovative, which is probably why it hasn’t been copied by overseas clone manufacturers. The MC2 suspension is still the design’s greatest single feature.

With top-quality engineering and fastenings, the finish is excellent. The kitchen set-up is comprehensive, though having the cooktop at the back of the bench may be an issue for shorter people and there is not much in the way of storage around the kitchen. At this price, the lack of any hot water system or space heating is a bit of a letdown.

But if you couldn’t survive in the bush with the Murranji, you’re on the road to extinction anyway — 400kg of load capacity is very good, allowing you to carry all the necessary gear you might need. Tvans are iconic and, if you can bypass the price, it’s just a matter of whether you like them ergonomically or subjectively that will determine whether you choose this or another brand.

Check out the full review in issue #85 February 2015 of Camper Trailer Australia magazine. Subscribe today for all the latest camper trailer news, reviews and travel inspiration.