What’s new from Lunar, Alaria and Venus for 2018?

Alarias are now eight feet wide and a new twin-axle, transverse bed model joins the Lexon line-up.

Words by Val Chapman
Photos by Richard Chapman

The big news from the Lunar stable is the flagship Alaria brand is now eight feet wide. This is the first super-width model to be produced by the Lunar factory. And the Alde-heated Alaria range grows from three models to four.

Lunar is launching an additional model to the Lexon range; the four-berth 660 has a transverse island bed and rear shower room.

Venus

Above: the 2018 Venus 540 

The Venus brand goes into 2018 with new, Italian-made locker doors and handles, new graphics, a new awning light style, a new kitchen worktop and a new entertainment system which, for the first time, does not include a CD player, reflecting trends away from use of CDs.

There are five layouts for 2018; the two-berth 460 is discontinued. The single-axle models are the side-bed, rear shower room 540/4, the twin-bed 550/4, the transverse island bed, rear shower room 570/4 and the six-berth 590/6 with bunks and a family dining area at the rear. The twin-axle six-berth 620/6, a high volume selling model, has a bed at the rear on the nearside with a shower room alongside it.

Lunar

Lunar Quasar and Ariva

Above: the 2018 Quasar 674

Quasars now have sunroofs, yet retain some front locker space, with lockers in a triangular shape on both sides of the sunroof. New locker doors are in cream with a contrasting feature band. Splash-backs, taps and worktops are new.

Soft furnishings are influenced by the marketing campaign which Lunar ran during 2017 in conjunction with clothing retailer Joules. Plain cream curtains have deep pink ties. Cushions have a floral pattern. There is also a touch of Joules styling in the splash-back, with a subtle petal pattern.

Above: Inside the 2018 Avira

All eight layouts go through into 2018. The Ariva (end kitchen; the same spec as the Quasars) and the Quasar 462 (end shower room) are both two berths. The 524 has a side dining area. The 544 has a nearside bed. The 554 has twin beds. The 574 has a transverse island bed and a rear shower room, the 586 is a six-berth with bunks and the twin-axle 674 has a transverse bed and a rear shower room.

Lunar Lexon

The arrival of the Lexon 660 brings the range to five, including the two-berth Stellar which has the space spec as the Lexon models. The other three, all on single axles, are the transverse island bed 560, the twin-bed 570 and the rear island bed 590.

Lexons have restyled, sleeker design gas lockers for 2018. Grab handles are new, in a chunkier design. Grey kitchen locker doors are introduced, together with a new splash-back (the same design as in Quasar) and tap design. A Belfast-style washbasin arrives, together with a new fabric scheme using pale chocolate brown.

Curtains pick up the chocolate shade and mix it with creams in a horizontal pattern. Cushions are a stunning feature of the decor, with the words ‘beach, sun, soak and seaside’ involved in the pattern.

Lunar Clubman

All six layouts continue into 2018. These are the two-berth CK, the side-dining-area ES, the single bed SB, the nearside bed SE, the transverse island bed SI and the rear island bed SR.

Gas lockers have been redesigned; the gloss-black doors of 2017 have been replaced by white. Grab handles are also redesigned, with lights inset, for use on a pitch.

Interior colours revolve around duck egg blue shades. New locker doors are in a magnolia shade; new splash-backs, headboards and paler worktops are introduced

Lunar Delta

The twin-axle Delta range, with the same spec as the Clubman, has an additional layout for 2018. The TR is a stretched version of the Clubman SR, with a rear island bed and central shower arrangement.

Delta layout choice is now the RI, with a transverse island bed and central shower room; the TI, also with a transverse bed, this time with a rear shower room; the TS with single beds and the new TR.

Alaria

The TR layout also goes into the Alaria range, making a total of four Alarias for 2018, the same bedroom and shower room configurations as the Deltas. The now-eight-feet-wide Alarias have L-shaped lounges. Spec includes the LevelSystem automatic levelling system.

Just one 2018 Alaria was unveiled at the preview event; the full range will be on show for the first time to the public at the Lawns caravan show in East Yorkshire (2 and 3 September and will also be at the NEC show (17-22 October.)

The Lunar factory launched the Alaria brand for 2017, with unique L-shaped lounges, automatic levelling systems and a choice of three bed-shower room configurations.

Prices and weights are yet to be announced.