Carado is a German brand of motorhomes (Reisemobile) built by Capron GmbH at Neustadt in Sachsen. Capron belongs to the Erwin Hymer Group and builds Carado in Saxony alongside its sister brand Sunlight; since production began in 2006 the plant has turned out more than 150,000 motorhomes.
Carado at a glance
| Maker | Capron GmbH, Neustadt in Sachsen, Germany |
|---|---|
| Brands | Carado and Sunlight |
| Owner | Erwin Hymer Group |
| Founded | July 2005, as a joint venture of Hymer AG and Dethleffs |
| Production since | November 2006 |
| Assembly line | 450 m |
| Workforce | 60 at the start; over 260 in 2012; over 600 in 2017 |
| Capacity | over 5,000 vehicles a year (2012) |
| Milestones | 20,000th motorhome in 2013; 50,000th in 2017; 100,000th in 2022; 150,000th in 2026 |
| Model lines | A series and T series |
The article is based on one source, the German Wikipedia page on Capron; there is no English Wikipedia page for the Carado brand or its model lines.
History of the Carado
A caravan factory in Neustadt
Capron GmbH was founded in July 2005 as a joint venture of the Hymer AG and the Dethleffs GmbH & Co. KG. The company took over the former agricultural machinery works at Neustadt in Sachsen and adapted the existing production halls to its own needs. After the conversion, production started in November 2006 on a 450-metre assembly line with an initial staff of 60. The company name is an abbreviation of Caravanproduktion Neustadt, and the plant develops and builds the two brands Sunlight and Carado in Saxony.
Growth in numbers
By September 2012 the company employed more than 260 people and could build over 5,000 vehicles a year at the site. The 20,000th motorhome since the start of production left the line in April 2013, and a year later the 25,000th vehicle followed. In October 2017 the workforce had grown to over 600 and the 50,000th vehicle was completed. The 100,000th motorhome came off the line in August 2022, and the 150,000th vehicle was built in 2026.
The Carado range
Carado is one of the two motorhome brands produced at Neustadt, the other being Sunlight. Among its series are the A series, to which the A461 shown in the video below belongs, and the T series. Both are motorhomes rather than cars: living space on wheels rather than passenger transport.
Design and features
- One plant, two brands: Carado is built at Neustadt in Sachsen together with the sister brand Sunlight.
- Volume production: the 450-metre line can build more than 5,000 motorhomes a year.
- Rapid growth: from 60 employees in 2006 to over 600 in 2017.
- Long production run: the 150,000th motorhome was built in 2026, twenty years after the start.
- Two series: the A series and the T series.
Carado versions
- A series: motorhomes such as the A461, a six-berth layout shown in the video.
- T series: the other Carado series of motorhomes built at the same plant.
More motorhomes and cars are gathered in the Carado collection.
Video: Carado A461 für 6 Personen
Video by Anna Küssner-Störmer on YouTube.
Sources
- Capron (Unternehmen), German Wikipedia: company history, factory, staff and production figures