Full review

The concept of a dealer special set us pondering the meaning of the word “special”. Are they faux special, as in just different – or just not quite run of the mill. To me and my cynical view of product marketing, the word special (often followed by ‘offer’) simply equates to the strange use of an adjective in the quest to shift something that’s still hanging around close to its sell-buy date.
The use of the word in its truest form should translate into something that is overall better, superior or finer in some way – and not just different.
So then, when White Arches Caravans wanted to celebrate its 40th anniversary, it took Swift’s stock Challenger Sports 514 and made it “special” – firstly by calling it the Archway Ruby Rockingham.
The name’s quite posh. But in what way has this caravan the confidence to call itself special? After all, this popular fixed-bed model is already a big seller and not without good reason.
Even before the White Arches team got their mitts on it the 514 was attractive, well built, sensibly priced and well specced within a practical and workable interior. Why dabble with a winning theme? But indeed this transformed Swift Challenger Sport has become a hard-hitting talent of a tourer whose interior and enhanced spec will smack you right between the eyes. Rockingham? Rocky, more like.
Steve Sharpe, White Arches’ man at the helm, tells me: “When we choose the interior fabrics for our branded caravans we choose them bold.” Another twist on the beige theme? Not a chance here. It’s brave thinking and not without risk, as any interior design Guru will preach, brash is as bad as boring.
The Rocky pulls no punches with its additional goodies. There’s meaningful stuff here. Immediately obvious is the large panoramic sunroof. The nearside profile has a usefully large exterior locker for loading the space under the double bed. Further forward and ahead of the door, twin hinged caps mask two more additional goodies, a BBQ point and external mains socket.
It’s at this point on special editions that you drift off into frippery such as embroidered door mats and engraved mirrors with the brand name embossed on them. The Rockingham has these too, but there’s a list of relevant and important equipment additions, too.
There’s an alarm, auto change-over gas system, solar panel, heavy-duty corner steadies and – much improved over the base spec model to my mind – quality concertina window blinds. There’s more. Omnivent three-speed extractor fan, upgraded ultra comfort mattress, AL-KO secure wheel lock… The list goes on.
Whilst Swift’s Challenger sits on the next level up from Challenger Sport, its range starts at £18,735 delivered; that’s for the smaller Challenger 480.
The bare figures indicate you’ll pay £1801 more for the Rockingham than for the standard 514. But not only have you got almost £2500-worth of additional toys, but a more desirable tourer to enjoy now – as well as spec that will help sell it in future years.
Whilst it seems fixed single beds are flavour of the month, sales suggest doubles are still a buyers’ favourite.
With a forward lounge of decent proportions and an offside kitchen, the Rockingham’s interior has quite an open aspect, helped in no small part by the low drawer unit above the Truma heater that’s tailor made for your TV, even though it’s backed by the central bulkhead marking living quarters from bedroom. And it’s here that the decorative theme scores highly. Not that it’s any different from the lounge, just that the bold floral patterning and ruby tone somehow flows the bedroom into the living area. The bulkhead clearly denotes the abrupt end of a room and the start of another, but the clever use of fabrics draws them together again. The upshot? The Rockingham actually feels larger than it is.
The lounge fabrics, taken together with the Rockingham’s unique bedding scheme, creates something of real appeal. Perhaps even truly “special”.
Let’s be clear. I’m not evaluating the Rockingham as a simple 514 layout test. We already know it’s a fine layout and we’ve written as much on many occasions before.
My conclusions deal with a simple but essential question: Does the Rockingham and its £1800 price premium stack up as a better overall proposition than the already-talented off-the-shelf stock 514 from Swift?
I can only answer that by putting myself in the position of a buyer wanting a 514. And yes, assuming the extra funds weren’t an issue, I’d buy it. And if not? I’d save until I had the extra to do so. Hope that’s “especially” clear enough!