Dealers and press were invited to the unveiling of Swift’s exciting new Trekker and Trekker X campervans at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in late February. The new models are the company’s first panel van conversions on the Transit (the Monza is based on the smaller Transit Custom) and reflect the growing relationship between Ford and Swift – the Voyager 5 Series low-profile motorhome range is the latter’s best seller and Swift has gone from zero to 1,237 Ford-based units per annum in only three years.
The new models also reflect Swift’s long-term belief in the UK motorhome market and the fact that campervans are the fastest growing sector (accounting for 57.5% of sales in Germany in 2022). So, the Trekker range is designed to appeal to a new customer demographic and not to compete with the existing (Fiat-based) Carrera models. Its development is the result of over £500,000 of investment and the first preproduction models will be in dealers for viewing by the time you read this.
ONE SHADE OF GREY
You won’t mistake the two Trekkers for any other campervans. With a very on-trend non-metallic Grey Matter paint finish, black 16in alloy wheels and matching window mouldings, plus bold grey and yellow graphics, these new campers are certainly eye-catching.
Both models also come with a pop-top (from German specialist, SCA) with an upstairs double bed (2.00m by 1.26m) on plastic springs. Lighting and USBs are fitted at the front of the roof where, in hot weather, you can unzip the whole of the fabric for a massive panoramic flyscreened view out. A solar panel is mounted on the top and storage is provided for the roof bed’s ladder in a cupboard at the rear. The pop-top is also fitted with a Heki rooflight, so there’s plenty of daylight in the vehicle even when the roof is down.
Each model has a 3,500kg maximum gross vehicle weight, so can be driven on a Class B car licence. Payloads are 530kg (Trekker) and 415kg (Trekker X), reducing by 45kg if you choose the six-speed automatic gearbox (the only listed factory option).
Standard specification on both models includes the 170hp 2-litre TDCi engine, front fog lamps, parking sensors, height-adjustable swivel cab seats, and a Zenec 9in touchscreen infotainment system with DAB radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth.
FIXED BED LAYOUTS
The standard Trekker is super-compact, at just 5.53m long, but like its bigger brother it has a fixed bed layout, featuring a transverse double bed (on ClimaPlux springs)
