We look forward to hearing about your best moments, greatest experiences and unforgettable holiday stories with your chic!
No matter whether it was a short trip to Italy, adventurous trips or a holiday in the mountains. We are looking forward to your moments!
Do you also want to share your most beautiful moments with your chic?
Stories have already reached us and inspired us. We don’t want to deprive you of these stories and have already published the first story for you. Enjoy reading!
Markus Steinhauser has been working for Carthago for 20 years and has already had many experiences with the chic series. We do not want to deprive you of his beautiful report. Enjoy reading!
“In my more than 20 years of working for Carthago, I have accompanied the chic (or it has accompanied me) from the very beginning.
The beginnings in sales were still very different due to the product range at that time: On the one hand by the Malibu panel vans and on the other hand by the large Carthago motorhomes of the Mondial and M-Liner series.
In 2002, the time of chic had come and a new series began its remarkable career. Initially under the working title “Light” as an alcove model on a Mercedes Sprinter with already 6 layout variants, quasi as a “little brother” to the Mondial alcove at that time.
From the very beginning, the chic was characterised by the specific features of the Carthago Liner class: Elaborate sandwich construction, double floor concept with rear garage, technically sophisticated equipment, high-quality furniture and interior fittings. In addition, the focus was on its visual family affiliation to the other Carthago series.
I can still see the first pre-series vehicle driving out of the former factory hall in Ravensburg-Schmalegg. We were supposed to prepare it for a photo session with journalists from the trade press. It was a dull and cold rainy day, but what followed was all the more glamorous for it: a series that has shaped the Carthago brand and a segment of the motorhome industry to this day.
The sales success proved the new model concept right and so another alcove vehicle on Fiat Ducato / ALKO basis soon followed, which was then already extended in 2004 by a partially integrated vehicle (for the first time in Carthago history) and an integrated vehicle, quasi the predecessor of today’s chic c-line. Thus, the chic series family was completed as a triad of alcove semi-integrated and integrated.
In the following years, the Carthago product strategy concentrated on the further development of the integrated models in addition to the semi-integrated models, mainly due to an ever increasing market demand. Thus, after several model year changes in 2008, a new chic series division took place, with which the c-line received its current designation: With the c-line I/T and the e-line I/T on Fiat Ducato, followed by the s-plus on Iveco.
In the following years, the c-line was joined by new series such as the c-tourer and c-compactline, which pushed forward into the 3.5 t market with even more lightweight construction and more compact layouts. Thus, the c-line became the centre and core of the Carthago model variety.
In 2014, the then received its striking face in the form of a completely redesigned front mask with an even larger windscreen and thus improved field of vision. The new appearance was initially somewhat polarising and also took some getting used to for me. But it gave the vehicle the character it still has today. And subsequently, the other model series were also adapted to its appearance in order to remain true to the family idea of chic.
What is remarkable to me is that the c-line has basically played a decisive role in shaping the era of integrated motorhomes in the upper middle class and continues to do so. In its constant further development, it has always been one step ahead in all respects and has thus been able to maintain its place as the benchmark in its class.
Over the years, it has been a loyal companion not only for me, but also for many motorhome owners, and will continue to be so.
Honestly?
I can hardly count these moments, I could fill a book with them.
When we picked up our Carthago chic c-line XL 5.8Q from our dealer in September 2017, we had a two-year planning and finding period behind us. The Carthago chic c-line is our first motorhome of our own, we only had experience from our big trips with rental motorhomes in New Zealand and Australia as well as short trips in France and Spain.
What was important to us?
By no means did we need a holiday motorhome, but a load-bearing, enduring and yes, also elegant and comfortable motorhome for travelling and living, because from 2019 we planned to spend most of our new life as pensioners travelling. The room height for the 1.91m man had to be considered, we wanted enough space to move around, lots of storage space, the Alde heating, a queen bed, a large shower, a kitchen with oven, good workmanship, modern technology, good handling, automatic and self-sufficiency for a week. You can wish for anything, but paying for it is one of those things!
After many thorough visits to trade fairs, my eye fell on a Carthago c-tourer, I got in and was in love. That settled the question of the manufacturer, but not the model. Why did the chic c-line make the running?
It fulfilled almost all our wishes and corresponded to our bank balance. Why “almost”? For the self-sufficiency we wanted, we needed another
solar system, as well as an additional air suspension for the tandem axle and a
and a load increase to 5.5t. Our dream vehicle is called “Mr. Privy Councillor”, because that would have been my dream job. Equipped like this, we set off on our first big trip 5 days after my retirement in April 2019.
The plan was to travel through France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, northern Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and a bit of Russia – for as long as it takes. It turned into a 6-month trip through the planned countries, but Finland, Norway with the North Cape, Sweden and Denmark were added unexpectedly when we were standing in the port of Tallinn in Estonia and saw the ferries to Helsinki. Oops, Scandinavia? Why not!
Whether the most unforgettable moment with our Carthago chic c-line was the moules frites in the heart of Brussels, the blooming tulip fields in Holland, the ships sailing over land in Poland, the Ännchen von Tharau in Klaipeda in Lithuania, the Zeppelin halls of Riga in Latvia, the island of Saarema and the primeval forest of Estonia, the Gesamtkunstwerk St Petersburg in Russia, the archipelago in Finland, the North Cape or the Lofoten in the Arctic Sea of Norway, the island of Öland or the old town of Stockholm in Sweden or the harbour of Copenhagen? I can’t tell you!
Our Carthago chic c-line accompanied us the more than 17,000km journey reliably and safely as our home on 6 wheels.
Marion & Hartmut Kabbe
In spring 2012 we were sure – after holidays with almost a dozen different rental vehicles – that we wanted to buy a Carthago Chic c-line 3.7. Since there was no used one on the market that met our equipment requirements, we decided to order a new one and equip it according to our wishes. As this became a bigger purchase, we had to decide whether we wanted to build an extension to our house or order our “dream Carthago”. We decided on the motorhome, which we have never regretted to this day. In Schmalegg (Aulendorf was opened later) at the spring fair we clarified the last details of the equipment and were happy that it should be delivered by Michael’s 40th birthday in October. Unfortunately, this did not work out due to delivery problems. But Mr Owander kindly provided us with a Carthago Chic c-line 3.8 for our autumn holiday – “virtually at cost price”. The anticipation was all the greater and before we received our own Carthago, we christened it “Carlchen Carthago”. In November 2012, the time had finally come and our Carlchen could be delivered. At that time, we felt like one of the youngest Carthago customers (Michael 40 and Birthe 32), but that never bothered us.
Since then, Carlchen has always been our reliable companion. In the meantime, we have spent over 800 overnight stays and a lot of wonderful time in him and experienced a lot together. Until 2015 as a couple and from June 2015 – after the birth of our son Mika – as a family. In the first years, we were on the road as a couple almost every day off. We built a parking space in the garden, right in front of the house, so that we could be ready to go at any time without stress. Our goals were very different:
In winter the Erzgebirge, the Ötztal, the Arlberg, Davos, Flumserberg, Lenzerheide/Arosa, Engadin, French Alps, Vosges ….. for skiing or winter hiking, for a city tour, to a Christmas market or just to “unwind” …. New Year’s Eve and Christmas can also be celebrated wonderfully with or in our Carlchen. No matter whether we were self-sufficient or at the campsite, our motorhome was and is always our reliable, cosy “mobile alpine hut” – even at temperatures of -27 degrees.
A very special Christmas time and turn of the year for us was on the Costa Brava 2013/2014….. for once not in the snow, but very beautiful and especially by the sea with spring-like temperatures and beautiful sunny moments.
From spring to autumn we travelled to Corsica, Brittany, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Norway, Sweden, the French Mediterranean coast or Atlantic coast, South Tyrol, Tyrol, Tuscany, the North Sea and Baltic Sea coast…..
Often we just went for a weekend to an upper Italian lake or to the mountains – Black Forest or Alps – for hiking or cycling.
We also used our Chic c-line regularly to visit friends or to celebrate extensively at parties – we always had our uncomplicated, cosy hotel bed with us. This way, we were and are always at home and independent on the road.
When our son Mika was born, he was allowed to join us on tour at the age of 3 weeks. Our Carlchen was ready to go as a family mobile with just a few preparations. The baby car seat and later his child seats fitted perfectly and we had upgraded his bed with a colourful fishing net to make it crash-proof. The only installation that was still necessary was the bike rack on the rear wall, as the garage of our 3.7 (the only short garage that Carthago ever had) had reached its limits with prams, high chairs, bicycle trailers, children’s bikes, awning, other toys …… especially when travelling for more than 4 weeks.
Our travel behaviour as a family has changed a little, but not less. Mika and we enjoy every time we spend in our Carlchen, whether it’s a short trip to the mountains in winter for skiing or a longer trip to the sea or simply to Freiburg or the Black Forest and Palatinate to visit relatives and friends. At some weddings, Carlchen also gave our Mika a good place to sleep, while we parents could still dance into the morning with the baby monitor and Carlchen looking after Mika.
A spontaneous family trip over the weekend to Ravensburger Spieleland, Legoland in Günzburg or Europapark in Rust was always spontaneous and uncomplicated with Carlchen.
Our Carlchen allows us to be self-sufficient thanks to its solar panel, the large inverter (which also reliably charges Mika’s Tonibox, among other things) and the large water supply, but it is so handy and compact to drive that we never have any problems finding a suitable place even on narrow coastal or mountain roads or on small campsites or supermarket car parks. Equipped with a large fridge, freezer compartment, gas cooker and oven, it is not only easy to prepare breakfast and snacks, but also to “conjure up” extensive family holiday menus.
Our Carlchen has now accompanied us reliably through all seasons for almost 9 years. It still looks as fresh and young inside and out as it did on the first day, even though it has had to put up with a lot as a family mobile from time to time. Last year, it bravely withstood a heavy storm with hail in the Black Forest. It only suffered a few small dents on the passenger side. Otherwise, we survived the thunderstorm well and felt very safe in it.
We hope that our Carlchen will accompany us on many short trips and journeys for many years to come and that we will be spared any accidents. If we ever have to exchange our Carlchen, it is already certain that it will be a Carthago chic c-line again. Unfortunately, our 3.7 is no longer available as a new vehicle, which is why at the moment the chic c-line I 4.2 DB would be an alternative for us as a family – with the same equipment as our Carlchen.
In the meantime, we meet more and more families with a Carthago, who appreciate the family suitability as much as we do.
In the meantime, we “feel” that we are no longer among the youngest Carthago customers and this is not only because we have become older together with our Carlchen.
Michael, Birthe and Mika
For years we have been the proud owners of a Carthago c-line XL. When choosing the vehicle, winter suitability played an important role, as we want to be on the road with the motorhome all year round. We are enthusiastic skiers and also feel very comfortable in our c-line in winter. Because despite the bitter cold outside, the heating combined with the good insulation provides cosy warmth. The holiday with our c-line in Fieberbrunn was particularly beautiful. Fieberbrunn in the Pillerseetal is a real snow hole. Before our arrival it had snowed extensively for days. The groundsman had just managed, with effort and heavy equipment, to clear part of his site for the newly arriving guests. Some of the permanent campers were snowed in up to the roof. The access road to the campsite is a bit steep and we had to put on our snow chains. We managed the drive and arrived safely at our campsite despite the thick snow.
The special thing about this campsite is that you can ski directly from the piste to the site. We were able to make ample use of this, as the weather changed and lured us onto the numerous slopes in sunshine and frosty temperatures over the next few days. When we sit in the cosy seating area in the evening and watch the sun set behind the mountains through the large front window, it is simply indescribable. With beautiful skiing days, great weather and the best snow conditions, we had pure relaxation. Just one day before departure, the weather changed again and there was permanent snowfall. With a packed snow surface and driving snow, we started our way home with a queasy feeling in our stomachs. With due caution, our c-line with the tandem axle mastered even these difficult road conditions and we arrived home safely.