Talk about Beauty and the Beast!

You could easily fall in love with the all-new Wonderland RV Amaroo 2100 RC-A — a lavishly appointed, ruggedly handsome, bona fide offroader. It offers an exquisite rear club lounge layout, with a gladiator-like armour and bullet-proof underpinnings.

Let’s start with the ‘Beast’.

THE BUILD

At first glance, the van is quite striking, and this Amaroo model looks, and is, as tough as nails. It boasts a 3mm-thick Dibond marine grade composite panel comprising a core with an aluminium skin either side. The CNC interlocked walls are cut from solid sheets of 19mm-thick structural grade timber, and the flexed timber efficiently absorbs impact. Additionally, the 35mm-thick one-piece composite floor and one-piece fibreglass roof helps keep the heat out and the warmth in.

The ‘WonderWalls’ are the way Wonderland RV constructs the framing of their caravans. The design process begins on the software program CAD where the walls and furniture are designed. They are then CNC router cut from the structural grade ply and each piece of the wall interlocks into each other providing a caravan frame that is not reliant on staples to hold it together. The end-product is a frame that is tough yet flexible enough to absorb the impacts of offroading and corrugations.

This tough-as-teak van sits on a new,  DuraGal chassis from Roadking, designed  with finite analysis to be light as possible but with no loss of structural integrity. It has three 4in sections for a total 12in of chassis, which provides amazing ground clearance. 

The purpose-built offroad warrior rides on 3.7t-rated AL-KO Enduro Outback independent coil spring suspension, with 12in electric brakes, and 245/75 R16 Goodrich tyres.

On top of this, it has an off-grid power station to take you from here to eternity — 200Ah lithium battery, Redarc Manager 30 battery management system and a 340W solar capacity, plus a 2600W inverter (wired to all the 240V outlets and the air conditioner). 

Water is at the ready with twin 100L fresh water tanks, both with a quick-fill water system. The Australian-made water tanks are 5mm-thick rotomoulded ‘virgin plastic’, providing drinkable water and no odours. There’s also a 100L grey water tank, which is always handy in national park settings. The tanks are 5mm thick, so they don’t require a gal sheet or checkerplate covering.

Click here for the latest new and used Wonderland Caravans for sale.

THE OUTSIDE

High checkerplate around the outside provides extra protection while out the back of Woop Woop, and I was also taken by the double Thule bike rack affixed to an aerodynamic front, a toolbox with nearside storage and offside slide-out generator slide, and a front hatch with an 800mm slide-out Weber barbecue tray. 

Other external attributes include two Ranger roof hatches, a drop-down picnic table, charcoal-coloured Dometic 8300 roll-out awning, double-glazed Ranger windows with midge screens, two marine grade speakers, Ranger double step, exterior shower (at a sensible height), a DO35 hitch, water tap, two 9kg gas cylinders mounted on an extended drawbar, AL-KO 8in jockey wheel, mains pressure outlet, spare wheel, four-stay rear bumper bar, twin jerry can holders, a rear and a front work light and reversing camera.

The teal decals over the Dibond composite panel are visually very appealing and tones down the overall masculine look that so many offroad caravans have. 

TOWABLITY

The Amaroo 2100RC-A is a relatively heavy van, with a tare of 2700kg and with up to almost a 1000kg payload. However, there’s no question about its manoeuvrability and tractability.

During the review, I towed it with a VW Touareg V6 TDI which demonstrated an amazing turning circle and ‘floated on air’ as we traversed the outskirts of Riddells Creek, located between Melbourne and Bendigo.

Now for the ‘Beauty’, a lavish interior where that’s, quite simply, an opulent arrangement.

THE INTERIOR

Stepping inside the van, the interior colours are fresh, light and very much a signature Wonderland RV. The team has used the Urban Republic Scandi Green on their bottom cupboard colours and combined it with a light wooden-look benchtop laminate and a printed splashback for an on-trend appeal.

The Scandinavian-style colour palette is a visual knockout, and all the cabinetry is 16mm, double laminated, solid plywood. So, if you get the picture, there’s more than a dollop of extravagance — it’s an indulgent and intelligent setup that maximises space.

LIVEABILITY

The split ensuite, right next to the bedroom, is pragmatic and can be closed off for privacy. You’ve also got dual benchtops in the kitchen, and a large rear club lounge that invites relaxation and has the versatility to sleep 1–2 kids.

There’s a whole lot to love about the internal decor, starting with the van’s piece de resistance — a microfibre leather lounge enveloping the rear. It’s a zone for relaxing and socialising. I also liked the pragmatism of the drop-down dining table leg, with the table capable of swivelling and/or sliding back and forth.

Move into the kitchen and the stunning oak-coloured, timber-look benchtops are a winner. The galley is well equipped complete with a Swift gas/electric stove, with grill, 188L Dometic compressor fridge/freezer and 23L mirror-finished Sphere microwave. There’s also a deep-bowl sink with a three-in-one tall gooseneck kitchen tap.

The stylish bedroom features a 6ft 3in caravan-queen-size pillowtop mattress, and the deep robes offer good hanging space and plenty of storage. There’s also abundant light and ventilation courtesy of the double-glazed Ranger windows. 

A split ensuite is highlighted by a modern ceramic ensuite bowl with waterfall mixer tap in front of a full-length mirror. There’s also a full-height one-piece moulded fibreglass shower with a frosted screen, plus oodles of storage space. You also get the convenience of a 4kg Camec front-loading washing machine.

I’m also impressed with the double laminate solid furniture and acrylic doors, while the metal-sided drawers, concealed overhead catches and D-shape pull handles demonstrate attention to detail and complement the swish interior design.

Meanwhile, the CAD-designed interior walls and CNC-cut solid modular furniture are matched together. This allows all load-bearing furniture sections to be fixed from the outside in, with 50mm-long screws penetrating through the 19mm wall into the solid furniture.

There’s copious internal storage and full LED lighting throughout the van, plus blue-coloured mood (Disco) lighting, and this Amaroo wins the battle with Australia’s harsh climate, with a roof-mounted Aircommand Ibis 4 reverse cycle air conditioner.

Wonderland RV is well-known for diligent after-sales service. It has myriad families living in its vans, travelling on a full-time basis. It offers a five-year chassis warranty and a three-year structural warranty, covering all aspects of structural integrity. We were assured that all customer queries are dealt with swiftly. 

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Amaroo 2100RC-A is both an alluring ‘beauty’ and a ‘beast’ — a rough-diamond, go-anywhere van. Internally, it is a dazzling ‘Belle’, and on the outside, it is a ‘Prince Adam’, the Master of the (offroad caravan) Castle.

Click here for the latest new and used Wonderland Caravans for sale.

SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

Overall length 9m (29ft 6in) 

External body length 6.4m (21ft)

External body width 2.5m (8ft 2in) 

Travel height 3.1m (10ft) 

Internal height 1.95m (6ft 5in) 

Tare 2700kg 

ATM Up to 3500kg

Payload calculated 800kg

Ball Weight 160kg 

EXTERNAL

Frame Structural grade ply 

Cladding Dibond composite

Chassis Roadking 12in lightweight chassis

Suspension AL-KO Outback 3.7t 

Coupling DO35 

Brakes Alko 12in electric 

Wheels 265/75R16, with Goodrich tyres

Water 2 x 100L (fresh), 1 x 100L (grey)

Battery 1 x 200Ah lithium

Solar 2 x 150W

Air conditioner Aircommand Ibis 4 reverse cycle 

Gas 2 x 9kg 

Sway control No 

INTERNAL 

Cooking Gas stove, with grill

Fridge Dometic compressor 188L 

Microwave Sphere 23L

Bathroom Separate shower and toilet

Washing machine Camec front-load 4kg

Hot water Swift gas/electric 28L

OPTIONS

200Ah lithium battery; 2600W inverter; Redarc Manager 30; double Thule bike rack; 2 x Sirocco fans; Trail-A-Mate jack; front-load washing machine; white sink/taps and printed splashback; slide-out Weber BBQ tray

PRICE AS SHOWN

$109, 950 (on-road, Victoria) 

MORE INFORMATION

Wonderland RV

Ph: (03) 9357 8885

W: wonderlandrv.com.au