Sportsmobile and All Terrain Warriors team up

haven

Expedition Leader
I'm posting this news in both Sportsmobile and Mitsubishi truck forums.

All Terrain Warriors and Sportsmobile West have agreed to a partnership. Under the agreement, ATW will ship campers to SMB for assembly on USA-legal truck chassis. The first two chassis will be the Ford F450 and the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter.

ATW is working on an all-new camper design. The ATW web site says the new camper is different from current ATW designs, and that it will be a "super tough off-road and international tourer." The web site gives a hint of what the design will look like: "The first unit will have an electric-lifting hinged roof, but there will be a later option of a hardtop that can be removed for shipping in a container." Read more here:
http://www.allterrainwarriors.com.au...tor-homes.html


The first SMB-ATW products will be available next Spring, hopefully in time for the next Overland Expo.

Here's the press release
http://www.expeditionportal.com/vehicules/camper.html
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
I foresee doom. It will never work, because ATW always puts the doors on the wrong side.





:D
 

1leglance

2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
Well I can tell you that having visited both shops, meeting both owners and knowing the people who work at both places....anything that comes out of this partnership will be very cool and worth owning.

Sportsmobile West knows the US market and has years of experience along with plenty of factory space.
ATW has proven their skills building rigs for mining and tour operations...both of which beat rigs to death.
There is no way this can anything less than exciting for us in the USA.
 

EMrider

Explorer
Well I can tell you that having visited both shops, meeting both owners and knowing the people who work at both places....anything that comes out of this partnership will be very cool and worth owning.

Sportsmobile West knows the US market and has years of experience along with plenty of factory space.
ATW has proven their skills building rigs for mining and tour operations...both of which beat rigs to death.
There is no way this can anything less than exciting for us in the USA.

I was glad to see this news and hope it delivers us some great choices.

As much as I love the SMB, I'm approaching a stage in life where more interior room and comfort are necessary.

My understanding is that sleeping capacity will be up to 6 with full interior bath. Just what I need.

I'm girding my wallet for what comes next.

R
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
dwh....It's OK mate. We have Photoshop now.

Hah! You got me! I spewed a bit of coffee on that one. :D

I guess you can fix anything with duct tape, baling wire, JB Weld and Photoshop.


Seriously though...where's the pics? Really looking forward to seeing what you blokes come up with.
 

whatcharterboat

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Seriously though...where's the pics? Really looking forward to seeing what you blokes come up with.

I posted what you see below on this page in the Mitsubishi Heavy Truck section.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/78877-Sportsmobile-Fuso/page6

I am sure this will generate some interest. Last week at the SMB factory. Photos posted with SMB's permission. Planned launch will be next years OvEx but hopefully there will be some appearances at key shows before that.

View attachment 189514


View attachment 189515

Our guy training SMB staff in the assembly techniques that we have developed especially for this project.

Note the second unit in the background awaiting final assembly.... Sides and roof are shipped loose to aid in fitout.

View attachment 189516
 
Last edited:

haven

Expedition Leader
Thanks, John!

SMB-ATW.jpg


Here's a screen grab from the third photo John shared. The photo shows the ATW camper exterior shell in the background, and the interior being assembled in the foreground. It appears that the floor, sides and roof of the shell are separate pieces. The interior is also composed of separate modules. It seems to me that the advantage to the ATW modular approach is that it's easier and faster to design campers for different size vehicles, and for different markets. To make a model appropriate for USA, with entry door on the other side of the vehicle, a new set of sidewalls would have to be made. But the floor, roof and interior modules could remain unchanged.
 

whatcharterboat

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Thanks, John!

SMB-ATW.jpg


To make a model appropriate for USA, with entry door on the other side of the vehicle, a new set of sidewalls would have to be made. But the floor, roof and interior modules could remain unchanged.

Hi Chip...hope you are well.

No. The sides are the same. We have a door on both sides . We also have a special locker designed for Maxtracks and other recovery gear that goes behind the door on the directly opposite side to the entry door.

Actually the floor is a completely different part on the LHD version. The toilet cubicle , vanity and basin are also different but mirrored versions of our RHD models. All else is the same. There is also a moulded subframe that is designed to marry to the FUSO FGB71 and 72 which is very different to suit the Isuzu NPS we use more commonly in Australia.
 
Last edited:

whatcharterboat

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Well, OK then! No special advantage to the modular approach. :sombrero:

Hahaha........ Ok. You got me. Of course there is still the benefit of being able to swap the galley from one side to the other. It also makes for a much neater finish than typical "glassed in" furniture. Everything sort of dovetails together.

Btw . Here is a shot of the right side of the unit we completed last week. Note the recovery locker door which would become the entry on the lhd version.

image.jpg
 
Last edited:

whatcharterboat

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
It looks great. I wonder what the price range would be for something like that?

I dont think they have been able to assess that yet.....probably not until they finish the first unit and work out assembly times more accurately. This is a very different animal to a van but they are in to it now so shouldn't be too far away before pricing is released.
 

whatcharterboat

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Hi Chip,

Took this pic today to demonstrate how the recovery locker can look on the opposite side to the entry door.
image.jpg
Regards John
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,527
Messages
2,875,534
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top