GROUNDBREAKER
QUALITY - SAFETY - SECURITY
Groundbreaker offers numerous Excellent Features that are standard across all size range.
Legend Caravans holds one of Australia's Best value for money caravan packages.
External
The body of the van has a timber frame but it’s laminated poplar rather than the more traditional meranti timber. It’s all insulated, of course, and the outside cladding is aluminium composite.
The van is fitted with a Dometic glass insert style entry door, and external lighting is certainly a feature of the Groundbreaker, with not only the normal lighting on the nearside but two big LED bars back and front, as well as a strip light on the offside.
The external lighting isn’t only convenient; it’s also great for security.
External storage is another feature of the Groundbreaker with tunnel boots front and rear, along with a large alloy checkerplate storage bin on the drawbar.
Some of it is dedicated for items like the external slide-out kitchen at the front but there’s plenty of capacity. I must give my usual caveat here, though – even though the van has a load capacity of 500kg, it would be wise to keep an eye on both the loaded weight and the ball weight once you’re packed up and ready to hit the road.
Outside living under the awning really isn’t a problem with the stainless steel slide-out kitchen being well-equipped with sink, cooktop and barbecue. There’s the requisite fold-out picnic table plus an entertainment unit with TV mounting and external speakers along the wall.
Internal
One of the products of this layout is the large split kitchen which has benches on both sides. The nearside is a semi-L-shape, with a stainless steel sink/drainer and space for a coffee maker. The bathroom wall space is used for a microwave oven in the overhead locker area and a 24in flat screen TV below.
The overhead locker space is used for other functions, as well as storage.
Above the cooktop is the electrical control panel while the radio sits above the sink. Like the rest of the van, all the drawers have metal sides and the doors have piano hinges.
If needs be, the bathroom can be closed off from both sides.
CHASSIS
Caravans are, by their nature, usually pretty solid objects to start with, but what sets the Groundbreaker apart from many in the crowd is its tough shape and purposeful air. It looks beefy and strong right off the bat; it has a waistline of black alloy checkerplate, common in many offroad vans; it comes with very sturdy nudge bars, Mickey Thompson tyres (including two spares on the rear bumper) and an impressive black, white and burgundy colour scheme. And that’s not to mention the other offroad essentials like the DO35 hitch, mesh stoneguard at the front and jerry can holders at the rear.
So does the Groundbreaker live up to its name? As always with such vans, I started with what lies underneath. And due to its high ride height as an offroad van, it was quite easy to delve underneath. The 150x50mm (6x2in) RHS rails used for the drawbar and dual chassis rails are pretty standard for this type of van and the G&S independent trailing arm suspension with coil springs and shock absorbers fitted inside the coil springs looks the park.
What I did notice about the chassis, apart from the large, shiny Legend logo attached to the front rails on both sides, is that it’s very clean. By that I mean that everything – floor, piping/cabling and water tanks – is enclosed by alloy checkerplate cladding. Apart from having a protective function, it also looks good – something really only appreciated by those who have a penchant for inspecting the sub-chassis – like me! There are three concealed water tanks – 2x95L (fresh) and 1x110L (grey).
So does the Groundbreaker live up to its name? As always with such vans, I started with what lies underneath. And due to its high ride height as an offroad van, it was quite easy to delve underneath. The 150x50mm (6x2in) RHS rails used for the drawbar and dual chassis rails are pretty standard for this type of van and the G&S independent trailing arm suspension with coil springs and shock absorbers fitted inside the coil springs looks the park.
What I did notice about the chassis, apart from the large, shiny Legend logo attached to the front rails on both sides, is that it’s very clean. By that I mean that everything – floor, piping/cabling and water tanks – is enclosed by alloy checkerplate cladding. Apart from having a protective function, it also looks good – something really only appreciated by those who have a penchant for inspecting the sub-chassis – like me! There are three concealed water tanks – 2x95L (fresh) and 1x110L (grey).
