“Ca’ Savio Fiat Ducato”: the made to measure campsite for Ducato motorhomes

Fiat Professional has announced a new partnership with the "Ca' Savio" campsite in Jesolo, Venice, which marks the beginning of a one of a kind initiative. For the whole summer, the campsite will become "Cà Savio Fiat Ducato" and Fiat Ducato motorhome owners will receive exclusive advantages and services to allow them to enjoy a peaceful, fun and worry-free holiday.

The first ever themed campsite experience dedicated especially to motorhomes, the "Ca' Savio  Fiat Ducato" camping initiative will allow all Ducato campervan and motorhome owners to enjoy a holiday filled with first-class service and total relaxation. The total "peace of mind" which awaits the Jesolo campsite's guests will be guaranteed by an onsite Ducato "mobile service centre" located inside the campsite, as well the offer of free check-ups for all vehicles fitted on Ducato bases, with further benefits available to all of the campsite's guests, such as the free shuttle to Venice and the various entertainment activities on offer all summer long.

A model's attraction resides not only in the typical characteristics of the product which are well-known and appreciated by the press and the market, but also in the additional values which it conveys. In this regard, the "Ca' Savio Fiat Ducato" campsite initiative is an expression of shared values such as cost-effectiveness, freedom and ecology. Amongst other recognitions, the Fiat Ducato recently won 1st and 2nd place in the "Green Van 2012" contest, a prize awarded by two renowned German magazines - "VerkehrsRundschau" and "Trucker" - which took into consideration not only fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions, but also the vehicles' pollution category (mandatory in Germany), their capacity and their payload. The total points received in the various tests which the two magazines have performed over the last year allowed the classification of the entrants in order of efficiency, with the Ducato 150 MultiJet taking first place with 5400 points, closely followed by the Ducato 115 MultiJet in second place, with 5365 points.

Once again, the Fiat Ducato is "paving the way" and forging ever stronger links with the motorhome world. As the sector's clear leader, Fiat is the only vehicle manufacturer to create bases which are specifically designed, developed and manufactured for conversion, produced in collaboration with motorhome manufacturers, as well as being one of the first to offer a range of services dedicated to providing a support network conceived especially for Ducato motorhome owners. And today, Fiat Professional has taken yet another step forward in becoming the first manufacturer to "go on holiday" with its clients. And it is precisely this new service dimension that Fiat Professional is embracing with initiatives such as "Ca' Savio Fiat Ducato" which have a unique and specific objective: allowing motorhome owners to focus solely on enjoying their holidays, by providing them with made to measure service and technical support, whenever they need it and wherever they are.

Factors such as trends in registration, the size of the used vehicle market, but also the growing number of motor shows in the sector show how the motorhome world possesses potential which as yet remains untapped. Motorhome holidays are becoming ever more desirable, and the outlook is more than positive: in 2011 alone, sales of new and used motorhomes in Europe reached a new record of more than 250,000 units. A commercial success which is further confirmed by the extraordinary attendance of the sector's motor shows, such as those in Dusseldorf and Birmingham.

The Ca' Savio Campsite (Jesolo, Venice)

Located on the wide coast of Cavallino and the perfect base for visiting Venice and the islands of the lagoon, the Ca' Savio campsite in Jesolo, Venice, covers an area of 268 thousand square metres, along almost 1 km of sea front, and houses 1500 pitches, several swimming pools, parks, baby clubs, spas, restaurants, supermarkets, bars and a range of other services. For almost 50 years, the campsite has welcomed guests from all over Europe, looking to rediscover the simplicity of life outdoors with friends and family in a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.

"Born to be a motorhome"

The Fiat Ducato was definitely "Born to be a motorhome" - right from the design phase, it has been conceived and developed in collaboration with the biggest European motorcaravan manufacturers. This is reflected in the plethora of solutions devised especially to optimise both driving and life on board a Ducato-based motorhome.

Recently restyled, the new Ducato is the evolution of a best seller which for the last thirty years - with its five generations - has been reaping international awards and commercial successes, as proven by the over 2.3 million vehicles sold worldwide from 1981 to date.

This is how a winning product was born, capable of meeting every outfitter's requirements: simply consider the fact that given the possible combinations of bodies, capacities and engines, a record 700 motorhome-specific versions can be achieved, a third of the Ducato's total versions. To this we can add ease of outfitting, reduced costs, and above all, quality and versatility for the end customer. The end result is a market leading product with record sales: more than two out of three motorhomes sold in Europe are created on a Ducato base.

Euro 5 engines, the best in class in terms of their performance/consumption ratio

Fiat Professional is the only manufacturer to offer a specific engine for each type of motorcaravan, as well as a variety of power options for each engine. All Euro 5, the range of engines was redesigned last year to offer even greater power - with an average 15/20 HP increase - and consumption which has been reduced by 9-10% compared to the previous Euro 4 engines.

It is important to mention here that the Fiat Ducato's engines are the best in class in their categories in terms of their performance/consumption ratio, as well as standing out thanks to their noiseless running, optimised weight and increased service intervals (48,000 km).

The 115 MultiJet is the most "eco-friendly" engine in its category, perfect for compact motorhomes, while the 130 and 150 MultiJet versions offer optimum elasticity and are ideal for medium sized motorhomes. Specifically, the 150 HP version offers the same performance as the previous 3 litre Euro 4 engine, but with significantly reduced consumption. And finally, the 180 MultiJet Power has been adapted for large sized motorhomes, or those weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, which is a growing market segment. Depending on the version, the new Ducato engines also benefit from second-generation MultiJet injection, a byword for technology, performance and cost-effective running.

Customers are therefore able to select the engine option which best meets their needs and best suits the type of motorhome they require.

 "Comfort-Matic": the ideal solution for travelling in total comfort

Also of great interest to motorhome customers is the Comfort Matic 6-speed robotised gearbox, which is already available on the 180 MultiJet Power and has recently also been extended to the 130 and 150 MultiJet engines.

Technically, this is a robotised manual gearbox. The gear shifts are activated by electronically controlled hydraulic actuators. This is a highly advanced, unique, latest generation product which offers extremely swift and self-adaptive gear shifts.

In addition to the automatic mode, using the joystick on the dashboard, the vehicle can be switched to semi-automatic or completely manual, meaning it can be adapted to suit a wide variety of needs.

Also of note is the exclusive "UP" function: pressing the designated button activates a range of functions especially designed for those who - such as motorhome owners - need to travel fully loaded, over challenging mountains and rough roads. In these situations, the system ensures greater engine braking and anticipated gear changing.

Total safety with the "Traction+" control system

Already at the top of its category in terms of safety features, the model now includes the Traction+ system which assists drivers in situations with low grip, in a similar way to an electromechanical self-locking differential, but without the extra weight and friction of four-wheel drive system.

The system exploits the state-of-the-art hardware present on vehicles with ESP, which electronically simulates the behaviour of a self-locking differential: when a wheel starts slipping, the electronic control unit of the hydraulic circuit applies the brakes to the wheel and transfers the drive torque to the wheel on the road surface with the most grip. This makes it easier to manoeuvre the vehicle on surfaces with poor grip: such as snow or mud, ice or the grass of a campsite pitch.

The range's latest new features

Over recent months, several solutions have been introduced which have been designed to improve vehicle usage for motorhome owners. Starting with the new van base which has been adapted for large volume motorhomes, combined with specially designed light mechanics with 15" wheels to allow driving with a category B license. And another new feature, the introduction of the new cab and chassis cowl versions with extra-long wheel base (4300 mm) to ensure better dynamic behaviour and increased stability on the road.

There's also a new dashboard design for an even more welcoming interior which is packed with intelligent solutions to make life on-board easier, like the seats which can be rotated by 180 degrees. And not just that, depending on the trim level, you can also choose between three different dashboard looks: dark grey (standard), "Techno" (with aluminium coloured air vents) and "Elegant" (which includes air vents and the central module in walnut effect Dip-print^TM ).

The new Ducato's infotainment system is also well worth a mention. It includes exclusive and innovative solutions like the new car radio integrated in the dashboard, myPort for the "Tom Tom" navigator and the integrated Blue&Me system, which has controls on the steering wheel and manages an array of connection functions, like hands-free telephone and playing music from MP3 devices (including latest-generation iPods^TM).

Dedicated services for special customers

Fiat Professional is offering itself to leisure users not just as a producer of chassis, but as a true 'travel company' which considers every aspect of the motorhome holiday, providing information, services and solutions such as the new mobile application, the website www.fiatcamper.com and the freephone number reserved exclusively for this customer category.

The "fiatcampermobile" application

Available for free from this month, the first app dedicated especially to Ducato motorhome owners. An application rich in utilities and contents which will accompany Fiat Ducato clients through 15 European countries, offering information on campsites, parking areas and places of interest to tourists, as well as the option to contact their nearest dealer, Customer Care or roadside assistance. There's also a function which allows your motorhome to "register" its exact location once parked. This makes it super easy to "get home", by accessing the "Find" function which will show you the way to go.

Website

With more than 120,000 hits per month, the dedicated fiatcamper.com website is being visited more and more often by motorhome owners all over Europe who are looking for services or information. With a graphically pleasing appearance and simple and responsive navigation, the website offers technical information, news and events, as well as specific functions such as the "chassis check", one of the most popular services, which allows you to check if your motorhome has been updated with the latest technical set-up or is subject to any recall campaigns.

Other widely used functions include the "Find a service centre" option, which allows you to search quickly by country, extremely useful for those planning a trip who are looking for the up to date list, which can be downloaded and printed, showing the service centres located right along your route. Specifically, there are more than 6500 Fiat Professional service centres throughout Europe, all of which are equipped to service and repair motorhomes with Fiat Ducato bases. More than 1800 of these offer further specialised services especially for this type of vehicle, with increased workspace, enclosed parking and bridges capable of supporting larger weights.

Just this year, the dedicated network has been enlarged to include new service centres along the most popular motorhome routes, such as the Scandinavian peninsula, for example. Finally, to ensure the needs of our motorhome users worldwide are met, the website is available in 9 languages, Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish.

Freephone number

Fiat Professional is the only brand to offer a freephone number for information and specific services for motorhomes across Europe. An exclusive call centre is available for motorhome owners to provide information on products and services in the customer's own language. The number 0080034281111 (alternatively +39 0244412160) is easy to memorise because the number 3428 corresponds to the letters F, I, A and T on the telephone keypad.

Using the same number, it is possible to contact a dedicated roadside assistance service for motorhomes, active 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, with employees who speak 13 languages, to cover 54 countries both in and out of Europe. A simple call to these telephone numbers allows you to receive information and speak to an operator who will assist you and, within the first 2 years of your contractual warranty, if needed, will route the call through to a specialised Europ Assistance expert (Fiat partner for road assistance) for answering specific questions concerning faults, accidents, lack of fuel, partial theft etc.

Technical specifications

30 May 2012