Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 gets Cape York ready

The Suncamper Sherwood Conqueror has been on the compact motorhome scene since it made its debut in 2020, and Suncamper’s manufacturing team have pretty much been booked solid since then. That trend is set to continue with their latest release at the 2024 Sydney Caravan Supershow – the Suncamper Conqueror 2.0.

They haven’t just slapped some new decals on and re-patterned the curtains. This thing is a comprehensive redesign that offers legit off-road capability and strength improvements. Not to mention it incorporates a few new tricks that see improvements made in weight distribution, remote travel capability and off-grid functionality.

The new Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 will be available in around 2025 (depending on demand, so get in early if this has pricked up your ears) and will lower your bank account by around $240K, depending on which options boxes you tick. When you price up the cost of a tow rig and caravan or a larger motorhome and associated running costs, that figure begins looking a lot more reasonable, too.

If you’re chasing something that’ll serve a couple in five-star luxury while burning up to harder-to-reach destinations like Cape York or a trip across the Simmo without sacrificing one iota of comfort, the Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 is your jam.

The Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 base

The Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 is built around either a Toyota HiLux SR 2.8L or Ford Ranger XL 2.0L single-cab, both of which have Pedders suspension, GVM upgrades and proper tyres fitted before delivery, so the off-road capability is right up there.

They’re further equipped for rough-road travel with a snorkel, bullbar, winch, recovery points, UHF, GPS units and 140L long range fuel tanks, making these things pretty much a pack-it-up-and-hit-the-road deal. There really isn’t too much separating these two to be honest, it comes more down to whether you’re a Ford fan or on team Toyota.

The Ranger costs a few bucks extra, and the 2.0L twin-turbo diesel has 4 whole kilowatts over Toyota’s 150kW of 2.8L turbo-dizzle to play with and is a newer Next-Gen model (arguably comfier seats and a slightly bigger infotainment unit) versus the older shape Luxy. But after that it’s all how you like your steak cooked. Both have 500NM of twisting power; both have 5-star ANCAP ratings; both are modern vehicles with a host of driver aids.

You’re not really buying a Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 for the base vehicle, it’s more about the functionality and comfort of having a tiny home that you can take on low-range high-clearance tracks.

Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 construction

This new bad boy has quite a few updated design features over the old model, including better off-road angles, more ground clearance, a 100mm raised floor that allows for the inclusion of a new frontal storage hatch (helping with weight distribution and centre of gravity), laser-cut brush bars that are lighter and stronger than the previous model’s tube bar work, and an all-new hot water system.

The structure is still built around an aluminium framework (a full composite Conqueror model is reportedly in the works) which Suncamper stand behind, telling us that it’s been tried, tested and proven all over the country – fair enough, we reckon.

The doors, hatches, vents and windows are all surrounded by the ally framework, while panelling is now a composite fibreglass construction with foam core glass sides and a thicker external fibreglass layer on the outside panels. In other words, it’s built both as a well-insulated place to spend a few days and tough enough to handle the scrapes and bangs of meandering down the odd overgrown track.

The design tweaks have enabled better access to the bed area, with further accessibility thanks to a new ladder system to help getting in, plus, there are a much larger range of colour selections and more hatches and windows to bump up the natural light inside.

An additional 200L of storage capacity over the previous Suncamper Conqueror is accessible from both inside and outside the camper, and there’s even a dedicated water locker for the external shower. There’s really very little they haven’t thought of.

Camper comfort

Yep, it’s pretty plush inside too. Much like most manufacturers, Suncamper use Italian Fillipi poplar plywood panels on the interior of the conqueror, however they stress that they only use the commercial-grade offerings. While more colours are available in the residential panels, they’re not as durable, and given the off-road-ready ethos of the Conqueror 2.0, they’ve stuck with the heavier-duty wood, which makes sense, really. They’re also using Australian-sourced wood where possible, but it largely comes down to the customer’s colour choices in terms of personalising the flooring, cabinetry, upholstery and benchtops to their individual taste.

The wraparound club lounge (which converts to a second bed) features a pair of Lagun tables for off-the-charts versatility, and there’s additional slide-out bench space should you feel the need to prepare a degustation meal while out on your travels. The Queen bed is now easier to access thanks to the aforementioned ladder, while the hot and cold water are both fed from an impressive 95L main water, 80L dedicated drinking water (filtered at the tap), the external water locker and 43L grey water tanks – a significant improvement over the previous Suncamper Conqueror. There’s also a 130L fridge and all of the electrical outlets and charging points you could want, even if you’re a teenager.

Outside, a 3M awning with LED lighting keeps the elements at bay, while the camper-mounted lightbar and spotties allow for easy campsite access after dark. There is also an outdoor entertainment package available with a table and power points should you feel like watching the last two seasons of Game of Thrones al fresco, you sick puppy you.

The electrics

One of the larger changes on the Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 has been the decision to do away with gas completely. Induction cooktops have been utilised, and the hot water and heating are taken care of via diesel. It’s actually a pretty trick system with ducting all throughout the camper and running off a digital timer. So when you’re getting up at 7 am on a chilly Outback morning, you can set the timer for an hour beforehand and have your breakfast coffee in the warmth. You can even open and close vents individually to concentrate the heat where you want it. Somewhat of an improvement over the old hot water bottle and thick socks, we have to say.

As you’d expect, a serious battery system is required for complete off-grid reliability. A Victron BMS oversees the 400Ah of lithium while a 3,000W inverter supplies 240V to run the household stuff and AC. This is all backed up by an impressive 600W of solar panels, with the availability to add more should your power needs exceed that.

I mean, if you have to do away with gas heating and cooking completely, this is a pretty darn good way to do so. Realistically, if you’re looking to pack up and hit the road full-time in the next couple of years and don’t want to be towing a caravan (or want to bring the boat with you) while still getting to the more remote parts of the country in style and comfort, this is the corner of the internet where you should be looking. The Suncamper Conqueror 2.0 may not be for everyone, but for the people it is for, it’s difficult to go past.

More information

Head on over to The Suncamper Website for more info, or if watching moving pictures is more your cup of Orange Pekoh, you can brush up on their 2024 range release with this VIDEO.