Australia needs no introduction when it comes to building the world's toughest off-road camping trailers. And perhaps no one brand better exemplifies the nation's work than Track Trailer and its Tvan, a little 'drop trailer that's been domesticating the Outback for over a quarter-century. The jawy little hammerhead camper now rolls out in its sixth iteration, combining the same ultra-rugged galvanized steel underpinnings with a roomier, more comfortable camping pod.
Track Trailer has worked over the years to give the Tvan more interior space and headroom without resorting to installing a pop-up roof or otherwise messing with the stout structural integrity of what it calls its "strong box" design. When it developed the MK5 nearly 10 years ago, it raised the height of the hard roof to clear about 4 extra inches (10 cm) of headroom inside.
For the MK6, Track Trailer modestly reshapes the Tvan profile, adding even more headroom, particularly toward the front. In fact, Track says its subtle revisions have increased interior space by a total of 20%. At the same time, it stretches out the side windows to bring more light into the cabin, further opening up the living space at camp.
The reformulated profile also stems from a taller, more capacious front storage cabinet, adding 25% more space, enough to accommodate fridge-freezers as large as 95 liters. That raises the front end, giving the MK6 less of a sharp, pointed nose than its predecessor.
Despite the redesigns, Track skillfully avoids diluting the traditional hard-edged, angular styling that's always separated the Tvan from every other trailer on the road and trail. Those hard lines aren't just for show, either, as the 16.1-ft-long (4.9-m) Tvan MK6 carries over a ruggedized construction that allows it to roll comfortably over the most foreboding terrain in the Australian Outback, on the undeveloped badlands of the US BLM, and beyond.
It all starts with a hot-dipped galvanized steel chassis, secured to the wheels via a heavy-duty 1.8-tonne (3,968-lb) MC2 suspension Track literally designed for the military. The asymmetric-link system was built specifically for giving the trailer the go-anywhere chops of the Unimog towing it, and according to Track, still enjoys military use today. Track can adjust the geometry to accommodate vehicle-matching tires up to 33 inches. The MK6 body, meanwhile, utilizes Track's tried-and-true aluminum sandwich-panel construction.
Track doesn't mess with the MK6 layout much, carrying over the Tvan's familiar rear hatch design. The combination of lift-gate and fold-down hard floor date back to the trailer's origins in 1999, but one major improvement from the MK5 version – the Skyward Lift Up Deck – ensures the MK6 remains fast and convenient in the field.
Prior to the addition of the Skyward Lift-Up on the MK5, the deck had to be deployed to access the lifting hatch door and the interior. The Skyward design allows the deck and hatch door to lift up together with the help of reinforced struts, opening up the interior in a matter of seconds.
Track based its 30-second fast-setup estimate on the original design that entailed separately deploying the deck before lifting the hatch, so the new design gets campers into bed even more quickly. They can then finish the full five-minute setup process (e.g. dropping down the rear deck, setting up the tent around it and opening up the awning) in the morning ... or after arrival at the next campsite if the first night is just a quick stop along the way.
The MK6 interior packs the familiar double bed layout from past Tvan generations, gaining an improved storage system with headliner storage and sidewall pockets. Also on board is LED lighting, a three-speed fan and dual roof hatches.
The kitchen is located outside on the left near the front, a full slide-out unit with three-burner gas stove, LED lighting, a sink fed by the 108-L fresh water tank, multiple worktops and plenty of storage drawer space. Diesel hot water is available, as is a 60-L Evakool fridge-freezer.
Track offers the Tvan in four different specifications, ranging from the entry-level AU$69,900 (approx. US$49,750) Inspire model to the high-powered AU$99,900 (US$71,100) Lightning. Each step up in spec gains additional standard features like diesel heat/hot water, an upgraded spring mattress system, and upgraded awning options. The Inspire comes powered by a single 125-Ah lithium battery wired to a 350-W inverter and 200-W solar panel. The fully electric Lightning, on the other hand, features a 500-Ah battery bank, 2,000-W inverter, 360 watts of solar charging and a dual-burner induction cooktop.
American Track distributor XGrid Trailers tells us the first two American-spec Tvan MK6 units are in production and expected to arrive Stateside in July.
Source: Track Trailer
