I was just browsing the Adventure Leisure website and noted their page showing the special edition models they can supply.

There's the:

542 in 60th and Adventure

530 in 60th, Adventure, Ocean and Rockabilly

430 in 60th and Adventure

310 in 60th and Adventure

But why just those models?

Some of those editions have been around for a number of years, surely it would be good to ring the changes and let potential buyers of 320, 410, 418, 420, 535, 540 and 550 in on the act?

And that raises another question, why, out of all the models, were those particular ones selected for special edition treatment? I can understand, that, possibly the 530 might outsell the other Troll models, but I can't believe that the 310 is the most popular Familia. So potential numbers can't be the reason for the choice. Is there something else here I'm missing?

Car manufacturers release special editions to sell the end of production runs. ?

Yes I did Roger and I suggested that the cost would be horrendous, given Hymer spares prices, plus he'd either have to store, or throw away the 542 bits he'd replaced, like the curly front board and the mattress/es.

I've never been able to understand the thinking behind the 542, except as a means to provide a longitudinal fixed bed that's almost 2m wide, which seems excessive. The 530's latitudinal fixed twin being nearly 2m long, but only 1.4m wide, which isn't exactly burgeoning.

We tend to use single beds in our vans, but at home our bed is 1.5m, which is bang in the middle between the two Eriba sizes and we tend to think the 540/542/420 double is too big and the 530/430 double too small.

Ah but these Eriba Touring editions are a bit different S&D. The '60th' is a celebration that's sort of overrun its original time slot and the 'Adventure' is a dealer special that's just had a few bits of trim changed colour and different decals. The OD and RB were innovative, but I'm waiting for the 'Tango' (orange), 'Aubergine' (purple) and the QPR (blue and white hoops) specials.

That's one of the probs of Eribas. The dealers place orders in advance, just like UK van dealers do, but UK vans tend to have a high spec and relatively few options. So when you order a UK van the dealer just allocates you one that he's ordered.

With Eribas there's an enormous array of options and it appears to me that most dealers get the tea boy to choose which they'll order for stock with a pin. So you go to a dealer with your spec. painstakingly sorted out and they tell you they've not got one on order with your spec. So you either compromise and agree to the nearest to what you really want, or go to the back of the queue at Bad Waldsee and wait decades for what you do want.

I asked Leisure First today about the special editions as they had some on display. He said it was the manufacturers way of getting rid of stock that wasn’t selling. There were never any ‘specials’ of the popular models.

'I asked Leisure First today about the special editions as they had some on display. He said it was the manufacturers way of getting rid of stock that wasn’t selling. There were never any ‘specials’ of the popular models.'

I can understand that for the Familia 310 but no the 430 or 530 which have always been very popular.

But a lot of the cabinetry are the very things that are different on the 'specials'. bright blue and red trimmed, white roof lockers, different finish worktops.

You would think that after three or four years a special like an RB or OD 530 would have run out of potential new buyers and that offering the same on alternative layouts, or different 530 editions would be the way to go to garner better sales. Is it time to bring back the 'Chili'? Or offer a replacement to the 'Forever Young', like the 'Always Old & Crumbly'?

Ah, the Chilli - the most stylish special of them all imho. How many do you reckon were made?
There’s a version I wouldn’t mind waiting 8 months for if they did a re-run.

Yep, a Chili 420 or 540 with the spare wheel on the back panel, a lovely classic.