4 6RS &

NEW CHEAPER
VW CALIFORNIA
CAM E ES
P
HOM
MOTORIEWED
REV

HELPING YOU BUY YOUR PERFECT MOTORHOME DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021 £4.99
whatmotorhome.co.uk

THE TRENDS OF 2021

What’s hot this season!

BAILEY ADAMO EDGE LINEAR WEINSBERG CARACORE

With island bed VW with style

Great value A-class GROUP PUBLICATIONS PLC

 Contents

8 Contents
52

13

56

40 46

58 48 60

62

Compacts with island beds Le Voyageur Classic LV6.8LF

News and views 24
Slimline models with great bedrooms
50
Gallic style, a huge drop-down bed and
5 Welcome New trends this season more in well under 7m
28 Magnificent seven
But maybe more change in 2022?
These 7m models have it all 52 Swift Escape 604
6 This month An all-electric camper Sub six metres with a drop-down bed
Plus a cheaper VW California 34 Twin lounges with drop-down beds
Spacious family ’vans 56 Weinsberg CaraCore 650 MF
10 Next month Island bed guide Super-rare A-class with a French bed
More new models reviewed
Reviews Buying
Trends of 2021 40 Bailey Adamo 75-4I 58 Motorhome hire
Exclusive first test of this Ford-based Before you invest in buying a campervan
13 High-tops with pop-tops
island bed model or motorhome, why not try renting?
Larger campervans with extra beds up top
are a rapidly growing sector 46 Edge Campervans Linear 60 Finance
Boat-builder turns to VW campers If you think your credit rating is wrong
18 Overcab coachbuilts
Once the main type of motorhome, this 48 Hobby Optima OnTour T65 HKM 62 Classified advertising Buy and sell
forgotten breed is making a comeback German low-profile with bunk beds Motorhomes and accessories

SUBSCRIBE TO WHAT MOTORHOME 5 ISSUES FOR £5 – SEE PAGE 39

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 3
 Adria Sport
Welcome
571 SP

In this issue of

It is clear that, since the national lockdown was lifted, the campervan and motorhome market has been stimulated
by the coronavirus pandemic and the desire for safe holidays in the UK. Of course, those of us who already had a
motorhome, or had experienced the lifestyle, knew what a great way this is to enjoy your leisure time but what isn’t
clear yet is how these newcomers will affect the market going forward.
In this issue we take a close look at the trends in new vehicles for the 2021 season, but these models will have been
designed long before the term ‘Covid-19’ was coined. Discussing our special feature with one leading
figure at a major European brand, it became obvious that younger buyers are now a significant force
and many of them will be using their newly acquired vehicles with families on board. Will this see a
whole new raft of bunk bed layouts? Or more campervans with pop-tops (as analysed on page 13)?
Or will new designs come to the fore to suit the needs of a new type of buyer? The 2022 season
could be a very exciting one indeed!
In the meantime, if you are new to this hobby, I would urge you to think carefully about what
you’re buying and don’t be too hasty. There’s a lot of choice out there...

PETER VAUGHAN EDITOR

Find us on WhatMotorhome facebook.com/motorhomemags

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whatmotorhome.co.uk | 5
 This month
All-electric campervan announced
S
ussex Campervans has launched a new
all-electric camper, based on the Nissan
e-NV200. It is not the first campervan to
be based on this electric-powered van but it is
probably the first to do away with gas, as well
as diesel or petrol.
The base vehicle is the latest version of the
electric Nissan panel van, which has recently
been upgraded to a 40kWh battery (from 24kWh)
to give a quoted range of up to 187 miles (WLTP
City Cycle) or 124 miles on the more realistic
Combined Cycle. It offers a power output of
109bhp and the vehicle battery comes with an
eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. Three different
6| | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
charging modes are available: rapid charger
(taking the battery from 20% to 80% in 40 to 60
minutes at one of the UK’s 1,300 CHAdeMO rapid
chargers, as seen at motorway services),
wallbox (taking seven-and-a-half hours to fully
recharge) or from a standard domestic three-pin
plug (charging time 21 hours and 30 minutes).
What is unusual about the new All-Electric
Camper Car is that not only is the vehicle
electrically powered but all its camping facilities
are electric, too, so there is no on-board gas
supply for cooking or heating. Sussex
Campervans fits this new conversion with
a lithium-ion battery pack and an inverter, and
a solar panel option is available as well.
The electric kitchen fittings include a 50-litre
compressor fridge and an induction hob, while
the inverter allows a toaster, kettle or slow
cooker to be used, even when camping off-grid
and away from campsite mains hook-ups.
The rest of the Camper Car is based around
a conventional side kitchen layout design that
the company has been offering on both diesel
and petrol-engined Nissan NV200s for the last
seven years. The vehicle offers four belted
travel seats with a rock ‘n’ roll system
converting the rear bench seat into a slim
double bed. A third berth for a child can be
offered in the rear-hinged pop-top roof, while
a memory foam topper is available for the main
bed. There is space under the seat/bed for a
portable toilet.
The Camper Car also features a swivel
passenger cab seat, reading lights and a
stainless-steel sink with tap that can be
extended for use outside. Upholstery, produced
in-house by the Horsham-based converter,
is available in cloth, leather or Alcantara and
the side kitchen has birch plywood edges and
Danish oiled countertops. Overall dimensions
are 4.56m long, 1.76m wide and 1.95m high with
the roof down.
Prices for the new All-Electric Camper Car
start from £59,995.
Newcomers bring
record motorhome sales
ollowing news that sales of new motorhomes and campervans in
F Europe are at record levels, the latest UK figures confirm that sales
here are also booming. And the appetite for buying appears to be highest
among people who have never owned a motorhome or campervan before.
Data on new motorhome and campervan registrations from the industry
body, the National Caravan Council, show that registrations in July were
71% higher than in July last year and, in August, they were 40.9% higher
than the same month in 2019.
Explaining the massive rise in sales, John Lally, the NCC Director
General, said, “This was initially thought to be pent-up demand, but it
has become apparent that the industry is welcoming new entrants to the
market. They are more decisive in their purchase; we believe they are not
just here for the short-term but see leisure vehicles as a safer ‘socially
distanced by design’ option.”
The rise in sales followed four months that saw a massive slump in
sales as dealerships locked down over the late spring/early summer
months. In April, sales were down 93.4%, while, in May, it was even worse
with a 95.9% drop compared to May 2019. In June, the situation began to
improve quickly as dealerships were allowed to reopen and buyers
flocked to showrooms to purchase both new and secondhand
motorhomes and campervans that were in stock.
Stafford-based motorhome dealer, Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld,
sold a record number of models in July, as its Managing Director, Ross
Edwards, explained. “July was a record month for our business, in fact
it was 30% higher than our previous record. We were receiving a lot of
enquiries during May when we were still closed and, then, as soon as
we returned in June, we were inundated with customers wanting to buy
ASAP,” he said.
According to the NCC, indications are that the upward trend in sales
is continuing and is being held back only by limited new stock, the effects
of some local lockdowns and the lack of pre-owned vehicles that dealers
would normally be able to sell on thanks to part-exchange deals.
However, with so many buyers being new to the hobby, the number of
part-exchange deals is far lower than usual, meaning that there are fewer
used models for dealers to retail.
BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER WEEK
DIGITAL MAGAZINE SALE
What Motorhome, MMM and Campervan
magazines are running a special digital
subscription offer that could prove to be
the perfect Christmas gift. Running from
20 November to 6 December, buyers
will be able to get a minimum of 35%
off an annual digital subscription to
one of the magazines in the Black
Friday and Cyber Week Sale.
What Motorhome will be available
for just £18.99 for the year, while a
digital MMM or Campervan subscription costs £25.99.
Digital magazines offer everything you enjoy in the print
magazine plus lots of digital-only extras, including podcasts,
picture galleries, videos, clickable links and live web pages.
For example, in MMM, Campervan and What Motorhome,
you can watch the latest series of Motorhome TV embedded
within the pages of the magazine.
Plus, all three of these, along with their sister titles, Caravan
and Camping, have the Editor’s pick of the latest news in
podcast form that you can listen to while you’re
browsing the features.
In addition, all of the digital mags offer the convenience of
a greener, paper-free publication to enjoy wherever you are,
on a PC, laptop, tablet or even a smartphone.
To get these deals, head to motorhome.ma/whipocketmags
and search for the magazine you want to buy.
February NEC show cancelled
CC Events, the company behind the two main motorhome shows at
N the NEC in Birmingham, has cancelled the 2021 Caravan, Camping
and Motorhome Show, which was scheduled to take place from 23 to 28
February 2021. The organiser said that the decision has been made due
to the changing landscape of the Government’s Covid-19 guidelines.
John Lally, CEO of NCC Events, explained, “Whilst the trajectory
of the Covid-19 virus is still very much unknown, it is clear that the
restrictions – and their impact upon businesses – are likely to be in
place for up to six months. We do not take this action lightly but, at
this time, we feel that it is the only sensible option to safeguard show
partners, exhibitors and our visitors from the financial exposure of
a late show cancellation.
“The team is extremely disappointed, as it has done
everything it can to prepare a Covid-secure floorplan, ensuring that
both exhibitors and visitors would have had a safe environment. We
understand that this decision will be a disappointment to many people
who, following the cancellation of the October show, have been eagerly
awaiting our February 2021 event.”
Across Europe, many motorhome shows have also been cancelled this
season due to the pandemic, the latest casualty being the CMT Show in
Stuttgart, which was due to be held from 23 to 31 January 2021. ❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 7
 This month
Dates for 2021 shows announced
T he dates for the outdoor-only motorhome and campervan shows have
been announced for 2021. The tickets for all these events go on sale
at 9am on Wednesday 18 November and subscribers can save £5 when
booking in advance. Subscribers can also arrive on the day as day visitors
and receive a £3 discount off the non-booked price (all shows except the
new Scottish show). If you plan to rally with a club, there is a further £2
saving available.
There are some significant changes to next year’s show season,
including the addition of the all-new Scottish Motorhome & Campervan
Show in Edinburgh and, for the first time, there will be pitches with
electric hook-ups available at the shows in Lincoln and Peterborough.
In addition, the organiser, Warners Shows, has introduced a booking
guarantee, which means, if any show has to be cancelled, a full refund
will be provided.
As with this year’s shows, all the 2021 events will be compliant with any
coronavirus restrictions in force and Warners Shows has confirmed that it
is working closely with the relevant local councils to offer Covid-compliant
entertainment. The shows are:

The New & Used Motorhome
& Campervan Sale,
26-28 February, East of England
Arena, Peterborough. Tickets: Day visitor only.
Register online for free tickets
The Yorkshire Motorhome
& Campervan Show,
19-21 March, Great Yorkshire
Showground, Harrogate. Tickets: Day visitor
only. Pre-booked £5, non-booked £8
The National Motorhome
& Campervan Show, 16-18 April,
East of England Arena,
Peterborough. Tickets: Camping pre-booked
Thursday to Monday £60 (with hook-up £95),
Friday to Monday £57 (with hook-up £92). Day
visitor tickets: pre-booked £6, non-booked £9
The Southern Motorhome &
Campervan Show, 14-16 May,
Newbury Showground. Tickets:
Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £60,
Friday to Monday £57. Day visitor tickets: pre-
booked £5, non-booked £8
The Midsummer Motorhome The Western Motorhome &
& Campervan Show, Campervan Show, 20-22 August,
25-27 June, Stoneleigh Three Counties Showground,
Park, Kenilworth. Malvern. Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday
Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £70, Friday to Monday £67. Day
to Monday £70, Friday to Monday £67. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £6, non-booked £9
visitor tickets: pre-booked £5 (for two adults), The South West Motorhome &
non-booked: £5 (per adult) Campervan Show, 10-12 Sept,
The Scottish Motorhome Bath & West Showground,
& Campervan Show, Shepton Mallet. Tickets: Camping pre-booked
23-25 July, Royal Highland Thursday to Monday £60, Friday to Monday £57.
Centre, Edinburgh. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £5, non-booked £8
Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to The Motorhome & Campervan
Monday £60, Friday to Monday £57. Day visitor Show Season Finale,
tickets: £5 24-26 September, Lincolnshire
The Norfolk Motorhome Showground. Tickets: Camping pre-booked
& Campervan Show, Thursday to Monday £60, Friday to Monday £57.
6-8 August, Norfolk Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £6, non-booked £9
Showground, Norwich. The Malvern Caravan Show, 1-3
Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to October, Three Counties Showground,
Monday £60 (with hook-up £95), Friday to Malvern. Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday
Monday £57 (with hook-up £92). Day visitor to Monday £40, Friday to Monday £37. Day visitor
tickets: pre-booked £5, non-booked £8 tickets: pre-booked £5, non-booked £8

The Beach is back

V olkswagen is introducing two new versions of its California Beach camper,
based on the latest T6.1 Transporter, following increased interest in
campervans in the UK.
Unlike the previous Beach, which was discontinued when the T6.1 took over
from the T6, there will be two variants – Camper and Tour. VW said its aim is to
make the California line-up more accessible for families and to those who need
a flexible MPV/camper to accommodate their hobbies.
The two models have just gone on sale, priced from £52,062 for the Tour and
£52,302 for the Camper, with first deliveries expected by March 2021. Both
Beach campervans feature a manual pop-up roof, 17in alloy wheels, a DAB
radio with App Connect and a camping table with two folding chairs. Each is
also powered by a 2-litre 150PS engine coupled to the DSG automatic gearbox.
The Tour features five seats as standard, with the option to increase this to
six or seven. It also features sliding doors on both sides but, like the previous
T6 Beach, it has no kitchen facilities at all.
The Camper features four seats as standard, with the option to increase this
to five, but the big news is the new addition of a pull-out mini-kitchen that
includes a single gas hob. The Camper also has a roll-out awning as standard. ❯❯

8| | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

06_ThisMonth_PV.indd 8 03/11/2020 15:11

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2014 Knaus i650 LG 4 Berth Transverse Bed Over Garage £49,995
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 This month
Brownhills to sell Sun Living
ewark-based motorhome dealer,
N Brownhills, will sell Sun Living campervans
and motorhomes from its site just off the A1.
The dealership already has the franchise for
Adria, which is the parent company of Sun
Living – both brands are manufactured at the
same factory in Slovenia.
Sun Living vehicles are Adria’s entry-level
models and are available as A Series
(overcab coachbuilts), S Series (low-profiles)
and V Series (van conversions). All models
sold by Brownhills will be enhanced with an
exclusive Sun Living Pack.
The additional specification comprises a
silver cab with painted front bumper, alloy
wheels, a reversing camera, cab air-con,
passenger airbag, cruise control, front
foglamps, a leather steering wheel, ESP and
Traction + with Hill Descent Control, Truma
Combi 4E gas/electric heating, a flyscreen
on the habitation door and, on coachbuilts,
a panoramic rooflight.
All seven models in the Sun Living range
will be offered by Brownhills and all are
based on a 140bhp Fiat Ducato with 3,500kg
maximum gross weight (increased to 3,650kg
for the A 70DK when specified with a seventh
seatbelt). A choice of manual or automatic
transmission is offered.
Jenny Colloff, Brownhills’ Marketing
Manager, commented, “We are thrilled to
have extended our new motorhome selection
with the addition of the Sun Living franchise,
made by Adria Mobil, for the 2021 season. All
our Sun Living models are manufactured with
our exclusive Sun Living Pack including the
silver cab, which looks fantastic.”
The range starts with the V 60SP (six-metre
campervan with rear transverse bed), priced
at £48,995 including Brownhills’ pack – a
saving of over £2k against the normal
manufacturer’s list price. Low-profile models
range from 5.99m to 6.99m long and include
transverse double bed, French bed, island
bed and single bed layouts, with prices
starting at £50,995. The sole overcab
motorhome in the line-up, the A 70DK, is a
family vehicle with rear bunk beds and seven
berths; it is priced at £53,995.
JOHN PAGE OBITUARY
It is with sadness that
we heard recently of
the passing of John
Page, the founding
Editor of Which
Motorcaravan
magazine (which
evolved to become
today’s What Motorhome) and former
Managing Editor of MMM magazine.
John was at the helm from the very first
issue of Which Motorcaravan in February
1986 up until August 1993 and was a keen
motorhomer, taking test vehicles of all
types – he was a big fan of American RVs
– all over Europe. He was especially proud
of the photographic standards he brought
to this magazine (almost always with a
medium format camera) and was never
one to shy away from controversy.
Prior to the founding of Which
Motorcaravan, he was Managing Editor of
sister magazine, MMM, and, before that,
he managed what was one of the largest
motorhome dealerships of the time,
Godfrey Davis of Epping in Essex, where
he introduced Dethleffs’ first A-class
model to the UK. He continued to road test
motorhomes long after leaving his editorial
position at Which Motorcaravan.

EDITORIAL ROAD TEST REPRINTS

Published by Warners Group
Publications plc, West Street,
Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH
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The views expressed by contributors are not
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Copyright © Warners Group Publications
2020. All rights reserved. No part of this
magazine may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means Two Ford-based campervans compared and a raft of new 2021
without prior
permission. models reviewed, plus a complete guide to island bed layouts

10 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

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From the publishers of

 News extra
Here is a news podcast just for digital magazine readers that
brings you all the extra news we just couldn’t find space for in this
issue. Just click on the play button to listen and use the scrolling
picture gallery to view the pictures associated with the stories

If you want to stay up to date with all the latest news, use
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Image Pixabay

The trends of 2021
Every year the motorhome and campervan markets evolve with new growing trends,
whether that’s the adoption of a new base vehicle or a previously untried layout. Over
the next 23 pages we examine five important new developments in the 2021 season
TREND 1 - POP-TOPS ON HIGH-TOPS
Elevating roofs – or pop-tops – have been
around since the early days of campervans.
Auto-Sleepers’ first camper, in the early sixties,
had a rising roof and even before that, German
firm, Westfalia, had added a lifting roof to the
original, split-screen Volkswagen van.
These early pop-tops, though, were mostly
about adding standing room to vans that were
not otherwise tall enough to stand in. Roof beds,
often in the form of stretcher-type bunks
followed, and there were all manner of lifting
mechanisms – front, rear or side-hinged roofs,
as well as electric ones and types with solid
panels, rather than canvas sides.
Today, most elevating roofs are rear-hinged
(to give maximum headroom towards the front
of the living area), have canvas sides and at least
the option of a proper double bed with a mattress
up top. Almost every VW camper on the market
is like this.
However, a more recent phenomenon is the
addition of this type of roof to larger campervans
(usually based on the Fiat Ducato) where there is
already enough height in the base vehicle for an
average adult to stand upright. What’s the point,
then? On these bigger campers it’s simply about
adding extra berths, and doing so without
impinging on the layout below.
Of course, for these vehicles a pop-top adds
cost and weight but it also means you have an
extra double bed (usually generously sized) that’s
just the clamber up a ladder away. This might be
for kids or grandchildren, but could also be for
adults, even perhaps as an alternative to the bed
below in the summer when the canvas sides and
great ventilation make this a very appealing
place to sleep. For those who don’t need the extra
beds for every trip, it seems like a good solution,
whereas a bunk bed layout might suit families
with young children better.
German brands like Globecar and Hymer
have offered optional elevating roofs on their
Fiat-based campervans for some years now but
over the last year or so the idea seems to really be
gaining traction. Auto-Trail was the first British
company to follow, with its Adventure model
launched last year, and now Compass and Elddis
(the UK brands of the Erwin Hymer Group) have
really brought the concept into the British
mainstream market.
Ross Edwards, MD at Travelworld, told What
Motorhome, “We have had pop-tops available on
our Hymer range of campervans since 2013 and
they have proved incredibly popular. Initially, we
would sell roughly 50% pop-top / 50% non-pop-
The trends of 2021
top; however, we have now ordered 100% of our
stock models with pop-tops, due to their
increased popularity.
People prefer the pop-top as it gives you
options; as well as the second double berth, it
also allows customers to use the raiseable
downstairs bed as a garage space for storage.
This year we have also seen a huge increase in
VW campervan customers wanting something
that little bit larger and with a bathroom. These
customers are already used to having a pop-top.
We also attribute these sales to the fact we can
offer Mercedes (through Hymer campervans),
and VW customers want to stay with a German
chassis and the benefits this brings.”
Meanwhile, Andy Craggs, Sales Director at
Brownhills, sees the new CV80 model from
Elddis as bringing sales volume to this sector,
due to its price. He adds that, “The Adventure
[from Auto-Trail] has sold in sensible numbers,
the large majority of customers being first-time
buyers”, while Brownhills has seen “a trend of
customers buying more expensive and very well
spec’d panel vans, moving from larger
motorhomes for a variety of reasons.”
Whatever your reasons for considering a full-
sized van conversion with a pop-top, the choice
of makes and models has never been better…
❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 13
Special feature
The pop-top is combined with upmarket Supreme spec
ADRIA
At the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf in September
Adria extended its Twin range with its first pop-top
variant, the Twin Sports 640 SGX. This features
Adria’s new roof, creating accommodation for up to
five people. Designed to suit sports enthusiasts, the
new model claims ‘aerodynamic integration of
the pop-top’ as well as Adria’s panoramic SunRoof.
It also offers a Midi-Heki rooflight in the rear, or the
option to add a roof air-conditioning unit.
The design of Adria’s new elevating roof enables
the mounting of solar panels and includes roof rack
AUTO-TRAIL
Auto-Trail was the first UK manufacturer to
enter this sector, with its Adventure, which was
launched for the 2020 season. Two models are
available, the six-metre 55 and the extra-long
(6.36m) 65, both featuring the popular British-
style floorplan with a half-dinette at the front,
central kitchen and washroom and a rear
lounge (with longer settees in the 65).
New for 2021 is Auto-Trail’s Cab-Plus with
no overcab shelf (thus full walk-through into
the driving compartment) and instead an
integrated curved ceiling with three internal
pockets for storage. It also gains a new 4.7kW
Pop-tops are a separate range from Auto-Trail
14 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
Roof design allows an air-con
unit to be mounted at the rear
rails for additional load carrying. The company
also says its roof construction is based on the use of
a vacuum lamination technology, giving a lighter-
weight solution than on competitor vehicles.
Adria says that its Twin Sports 640 SGX is the
only pop-top roof panel van on the market that
includes a panoramic front window, roof air-
conditioning (or a Midi-Heki) and a roof-
mounted awning.
The Slovenian maker is also claiming best-in-
class opening height for its pop-top and says the
gas/electric heating system mounted underfloor
and featuring the iVan touchscreen controls, as
well as a Zenec head unit in the cab with 8in
display and a reversing camera. A new option is
the Motorhome WiFi system.
Offered in two exclusive colours – Expedition
Grey or bold Light Blue – the Adventure comes
with 16in alloy wheels and a wind-out awning.
Its roof incorporates a double bed with ‘comfort
springing’, reading lights and USB charging
points. The Media Pack is fitted as standard,
including a 19.5in TV, sat-nav and Status TV
aerial. A solar panel is also standard.
acrylic-based tent material it uses offers optimum
insulation, water resistance and breathability.
The material itself is removable for cleaning,
while the bed measures 2.00m by 1.20m and
comes with USB ports and reading lights.
The pop-top is offered only with Adria’s SGX
layout which features a versatile rear space with
electrically operated elevating bed above a large,
height-adjustable garage. Up front there is the
usual half-dinette lounge and the base vehicle is
the extra-long Ducato, in either white or silver.
COMPASS/ELDDIS
Brand-new for 2021, the Compass Avantgarde
CV80 and Elddis Autoquest CV80 are sister
models that differ only in branding and
cosmetic details. They are the fourth models in
each of the respective campervan ranges and
the first ever rising-roof ’vans from their
makers, taking advantage of development done
by their parent company in Germany, the
Erwin Hymer Group.
The tooling for the new roof, which will be
used across all EHG brands, represents
investment of more than €1m. That sum is
easier to comprehend when you realise that the
group expects to make over 3,000 roofs per
annum across its many marques. The top is
manufactured using long fibre injection
technology, which is said to create a lightweight
roof with increased accuracy.
The pop-top features a double bed measuring
2.10m by 1.44m on a slatted base and there’s a
huge flyscreened section at the front for
maximum ventilation when touring the Med.
However, where the Compass/Elddis campervans
really score is with the addition of a Midi-Heki
rooflight directly over the access aperture for
the bed. Especially when the top is lowered, the
Avantgarde/Autoquest models feel a lot lighter
inside than their rivals.

DREAMER
Dreamer has offered smaller pop-top models,
based on the Ford Transit Custom, previously but
its first Fiat Ducato with elevating roof – the D43
Up – arrived midway through the 2020 season. It
will, perhaps, be best remembered for its peculiar
naming – Red Addict if painted in Profondo Red
metallic or White Addict if… well, you can guess.
However, what it should be remembered for is
being the first model from any maker to feature
both a pop-top and an overcab sunroof.
Overcab sunroof AND a pop-top from Dreamer
The twin-lounge layout is inherited from the CV40
Down below, the CV80 – based on the 5.99m
Fiat Ducato – adopts the proven layout of the CV40
with a half-dinette incorporating travel seats and a
comfortable rear lounge. As a UK-built model, it’s
also no surprise to find a kitchen incorporating a
Thetford Triplex cooker with combined oven/grill.
However, the ultra-competive pricing starts at
£47,669 with the 140bhp engine and manual
gearbox. A Lux Pack is offered to increase cab spec
and an automatic gearbox is available, too.
Unusually in this class, the D43 Up is also
based exclusively on the medium-wheelbase
(5.41m) Ducato. It also comes with LED daytime
running lights, chrome-ringed instrumentation, a
leather steering wheel, 16in alloy wheels, TEP
leather-style upholstery and the Fun + Pack as
standard. Heating is by diesel-fired Truma Combi.
The layout is the continental staple of a half-
dinette lounge area and transverse rear double
bed, but despite the D43 Up’s compact size it gets
Roof has been developed for
use across the whole of EHG
The trends of 2021
a 90-litre compressor fridge and its roof bed is
claimed to measure 2.00m by 1.30m.
The Fun + Pack means that the 140bhp
engine, cab air-conditioning, cruise control,
colour-coded front bumper, ESC, ASR and Hill
Holder, height-adjustable cab seats with
armrests, passenger airbag, flyscreen for the
sliding door, Remis cab blinds, electric step,
Pioneer radio with Bluetooth and second leisure
battery are all included in the spec.
Not addicted to red? Also
available in white!
GLOBECAR
This German campervan specialist was one of
the first to offer pop-tops on larger van
conversions and the whole of its 2021 range
(including both Summit and D-Line models) can
be ordered with the rising roof option.
Globecar importer, SMC Motorhomes, usually
keeps an example in stock at its Newark
showroom to show customers the pop-top
option, which Sales Director, Alistair Briggs-
Price, describes as, “a nice idea, giving a proper
four-berth without the dinette bed, which can
only ever cater for a certain size of child.”
The Globecar range includes both Fiat Ducato
and Peugeot Boxer-based models with a variety
of rear bedroom layouts, including both double
and single bed formats, and overall lengths of
5.41m, 5.99m and 6.36m.
Globecar was a pioneer in this sector
❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 15
Special feature
HYMER
The HymerCar name is gone but the Hymer
Camper Vans, as they’re now called, come in the
entry-level Free range, as well as the more
classical Hymer models – Ayers Rock, Grand
Canyon, Yosemite and Yellowstone. All are
available optionally with a pop-top and,
unusually, the Hymer range includes not just Fiat
Ducatos but pair of Mercedes Sprinter-based
campers, too.
The line-up kicks off with the Free 540, based
on the medium-wheelbase Fiat with a transverse
double bed, then continues with the Free 600
(with transverse double bed) and 602 (with
twin beds) on the six-metre Ducato. The Free S
combines the more youthful design of this
range with a front-wheel drive Mercedes base
vehicle measuring 5.93m long and offered with
the nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Going upmarket, the Ayers Rock (5.41m) and
Grand Canyon (5.99m) are transverse double bed
layouts, while the Yosemite (5.99m) and
Yellowstone (6.36m) come with lengthways single
beds. Then there’s the Grand Canyon S (5.93m)
with the ‘S’ standing for Sprinter – this Mercedes
Limited edition Hymer is based on the medium-wheelbase Fiat
16 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
model has rear-wheel drive as standard but can
also be chosen with four-wheel drive and greatly
increased ground clearance for serious off-road
adventures.
There have been few changes to Hymer’s
campervan portfolio for 2021 but it’s worth
looking out for the limited edition Free 540 Blue
Evolution. Based on the medium-wheelbase Fiat
in striking Storm Blue metallic with a contrasting
black pop-top, this high-spec camper gets all
manner of extra kit as standard, from matt black
alloy wheels to a 7in touchscreen with sat-nav and
reversing camera.
Ross at Travelworld reports strong interest
across all Hymer’s Camper Van range, right up to
£90k Mercedes 4x4 models, saying, “We have
Roof bed is 2m long in this Knaus
seen a really diverse customer for our
campervans, but the main attraction is always
the size and practicality of them versus larger
motorhomes. Campervans definitely appeal to
young and old customers, with many of the older
generation downsizing from larger motorhomes
and the younger customers using them as a main
mode of transport.”
Neat space for your gadgets
MALIBU
Carthago’s sister brand, Malibu, is another that’s
adding pop-tops to the range. Its new Family-
for-4 has a pop-up roof that has been developed
in-house and is manufactured in the company’s
own factory. The sandwich construction of the
roof (weighing 105kg) consists of a robust GRP
covering on the outside and aluminium with
breathable microfibre covering on the inside,
plus an insulating core made from RTM hard
foam in the middle. In the roof, the bed measures
2.00m long and there are two reading lights.
The new pop-top is offered on all Comfort
Blue Edition gets different décor, extra kit
models in the Malibu Van range, as well as the
new First Class ‘two room’ layouts where the end
bedroom and the washroom can be separated off
from the rest of the living area. The roof is also
available in combination with the Coupé model
(with full-height walk-through into the cab) or
with the GT’s Skyview overcab sunroof.
Available with the Skyview sunroof
 The trends of 2021

KNAUS
They’re not campervans according to Knaus but
CUVs – Caravanning Utility Vehicles – but
whatever you call them, this German brand can
now claim almost 15 years of pedigree in the
sector, with the Knaus (and Weinsberg) campers
coming from a state-of-the-art factory in
Hungary. And now, for 2021, it’s added a pop-top
to certain models in the range.
The new Knaus Pop-Up Roof is offered on the
BoxStar and BoxLife and is built using LFI
technology (long fibre injection). Said to be
aerodynamically optimised for low air resistance
on the road, the roof rises manually and comes
with USB sockets (plus a neat tray for your
devices), ambient lighting, integrated reading
lights and heating vents, as well as a mattress
measuring 2.00m by 1.35m. There are ventilation
channels for the mattress, in addition to an extra
fabric to efficiently prevent moisture formation.
On the longer six-metre and extra-long 6.36m
floorplans, in addition to the pop-top, an extra
roof window in the rear or a roof air-conditioning
system can be specified, while in order to retain
the silhouette of the ’van, the frame of the pop-up
roof has been extended to match the length of the
Fiat panel van.
PILOTE
This French brand has offered elevating roofs as
an option on its Fiat-based Van range for the past
three years. Today, it offers five models that can
be ordered with a pop-top, starting with the
completely redesigned V540G – a medium-
wheelbase Fiat with transverse double bed at the
back. Six-metre and 6.36m Ducatos are also
offered, as well as single bed layouts, but a pop-
top is not available on the V630G.
The elevating roof option adds 12cm to the
height and 115kg of weight, while the extra cost
is £3,552 in white or £4,278 if colour-coded.
In addition, you can order your Pilote Van in
Standard or Premium finish, while a variety of
options packs is available to increase the spec
even further.
Pop-tops in Standard or Premium trim

Weinsberg offers a pop-top on MWB, LWB and XLWB Fiats
WEINSBERG
Like its parent company, Knaus, Weinsberg has a new elevating roof option
on its Fiat Ducato campervans this season. It is fitted with a 2.00m by 1.35m
double bed, USB sockets, ambient lighting, reading lamps, heating vents and
ventilation for the upstairs mattress and even an inductive charging pad for
your gadgets. On the longer models the roof has been designed to allow a
rooflight or air-conditioning unit to be fitted at the back of the pop-top, over
the rear bedroom, but the new roof can also be fitted to the medium-
wheelbase layouts. On all versions there’s a huge mosquito net section at the
front which can be completely unzipped for the full panoramic effect.
Weinsberg’s Pop-Up Roof is offered on 5.41m, 5.99m and 6.36m versions
of the Ducato, with double bed, double bunk and single bed layouts, as well
as in the CaraBus range and the more upmarket CaraTour. In fact, every
Weinsberg layout in the H2-height Ducato can be specified with the
company’s new elevating roof.
WESTFALIA
One of the most prestigious campervans in its class, the Westfalia
Columbus (on Fiat Ducato) can also be equipped with a pop-top roof
featuring a 2.00m by 1.35m double bed mounted on plastic springs for
additional comfort. It comes painted in the body colour of the vehicle,
equipped with two reading lights and adds 85kg to the vehicle – less
than most rivals. However, for 2021, there are two further options to
consider – electric operation of the roof and an internal insulation
system. The roof is available on Columbus models 540 D, 600 D and 601
D but not the extra-long-wheelbase variants.
Westfalia also offers a Pop-Up Roof version of its flagship model, the
James Cook, based on the rear-wheel drive Mercedes Sprinter. This
ultimate campervan is 5.93m long but has a rear slide-out to extend its
bedroom area on site in less than 40 seconds, allowing lengthways
sleeping in a relatively compact vehicle. In this model, the roof bed
measures 2.10m by 1.15m while the lower bed is 2.07m by up to 1.70m.
A pop-top and a
slide-out on the
James Cook

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 17
Special feature
TREND 2 – OVERCAB COACHBUILTS
Once, almost all coachbuilt motorhomes looked
like this – with a big (and it has to be said, not
very pretty) bulge above the cab, called a luton,
where a double bed was placed. It was a British
idea originally, conceived by Ci of Poole, and it
spread across Europe and the United States,
where the type is called a C-class.
Then it started to fade away, replaced by low-
profile motorhomes with a sleeker overcab shape
for better aerodynamics. And, when drop-down
beds started to become commonplace in low-
profiles, the need for a luton to provide extra
berths was gone and the overcab was read the
last rites. Leading brands like Bailey and Elddis
dropped them from their ranges and it seemed
that only hire fleets were keeping this type of
motorhome alive.
Not so fast, though. In 2021, not only is
motorhome rental booming as those looking for
safe staycation holidays flock to try out
motorhoming, but there is also a new, younger
breed of buyer who may have a couple of kids to
accommodate in their ’van. And anyone who has
tried using a low-profile with youngsters in tow
will know how frustrating it is to pull down the
kids’ bed and discover that your lounge has now
Primero 331 has a French bed layout in a six-metre body
18 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
disappeared and you have to retire for
the night, too! That doesn’t happen in
overcab models and little people love
that upstairs space that they can call a
den of their own (though parents may
be less impressed if they have to sleep
up there as some examples have very
limited headroom, especially towards
the front of the luton).
Steven Pritchard at Rimor importer,
M and C Ltd, points out, too, that some
low-profile models have a bed that
blocks the door when down and
sometimes users bump their heads on the drop-
down bed, while other owners simply prefer the
more spacious feel, or the extra storage, provided
by an overcab model. He reports that this has
been a particularly successful sector for Rimor
and his company has ordered more bunk bed
layout overcabs this year to cope with demand.
It’s not just families that are buying models
like the Rimor Evo Sound, the brand’s best seller,
but sometimes older customers who want to
take grandchildren away, while layouts with a
large double bed over a huge rear garage often
sell to people with property abroad, as they like
the storage space on offer.
BENIMAR
This Spanish maker offers three overcab Primero models.
Introduced in 2019, these sit below the Mileo and all are under six
metres long, which is unusually compact for an overcab type. Their
small size also enables them to be offered on a 3,500kg chassis,
although an upgrade to 3,650kg is available.
The four-berth Primero 301 has the classic continental layout
with a half-dinette lounge and a rear transverse double bed over
a garage. An even more family-orientated floorplan arrives in
the Primero 313, which has a pullman dinette and rear transverse
bunk beds – an ideal combination for those with kids and who
don’t want to drive a large ’van. The final member of the trio is
the most unusual, as the Primero 331 has a French bed layout,
something you’d more typically see in a low-profile. All three
come with a good standard specification and no need to pay
more than the £48,995 price for packs or options.
Alan Buckwell, Marquis Group Sales Director, confirms the
success of these models, saying, “Overcabs are popular once
again as we see more families coming into the market – hire
companies are also buying them.”
 The trends of 2021

New compact A132 layout with transverse rear bed

CARADO
For 2021, Carado’s ‘A’ range (that’s for Alkoven, the German for overcab) grows to four models, with
the newcomer, the A132, being its smallest ever motorhome of this type. This 5.95m model has a
rear transverse bed, a central kitchen and washroom and a half-dinette lounge. A new foldaway
design for the luton bed saves weight and a slide-out step (appearing from beneath the wardrobe)
aids access to the rear over-garage bed. Price for the A132 is from £43,779.
If you’re after something larger, then the three existing Carado overcabs continue for 2021: A361
(6.60m, bunk beds), A461 (7.20m, bunk beds) and A464 (7.25m, rear transverse double).

HOBBY
Here’s a manufacturer that clearly believes in the future of the overcab motorhome, having
just launched its Optima OnTour range in this body style, following the success of this entry-
level concept in low-profiles, which exceeded the German company’s expectations.
Like the OnTour low-profiles, the new overcab range is based on the Citroën Jumper
(sister van to the Peugeot Boxer and Fiat Ducato) and features the HobbyComplete All-
Inclusive Package, the idea being that you don’t need to pay more for optional extras. As
such, standard spec includes cab blinds, coats hooks in the entrance area, slide-out gas trays
for easier changing of cylinders, a DAB radio with sat-nav and reversing camera, a heated
and insulated waste water tank, GRP roof and floor, ambient lighting and HobbyConnect, so
New interiors from Etrusco this season
you can monitor your vehicle’s controls via an app.
The Optima OnTour overcab range offers three layouts – A60 GF (6.24m, half-dinette
lounge, rear transverse double bed), A65 KM (6.99m, large front lounge with pullman
dinette and side settee, rear transverse bunk beds) and A70 GFM (7.19m long with the extra
length over the A65 KM used to provide a double bed instead of the twin bunks). All three
are built on a 3,500kg chassis, although a 3,650kg upgrade is available for those with the
relevant driving licence.

Both overcabs are on low-frame Fiat chassis

ETRUSCO
This Italian arm of the Erwin Hymer Group is an entry-
level brand that aims to offer a dash of Latin style in its
vehicles and the two overcab models get a new look for
2021 with redesigned furniture and new upholsteries.
There are two overcab models, the A 6600 BB
(6.70m, pullman dinette, rear transverse bunks) and
the A 7300 DB (similar in layout but longer to
accommodate a rear double bed over a garage with
1.20m internal headroom). Both are built on the Fiat The A65 KM has a family-sized lounge Citroën base for Hobby overcabs
low-frame chassis-cab.
❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 19
Special feature

PILOTE
Here’s another marque that’s better known for low-profile motorhomes (and
A-classes, too) that’s returning to the overcab sector. It has added the pair of
6.99m Fiat-based overcabs to its UK line-up in the most affordable, Essentiel,
trim level only. Choose from the C690G with a transverse double bed or the
C690S with bunk beds and twin, side-by-side, pullman dinettes offering
dining space for six. This six-berth model boasts rear beds for the kids that
measure 2.24m by 0.85m, a washroom with separate shower, a kitchen with
153-litre fridge and a payload of 570kg on a 3.5-tonne chassis.

RIMOR
This Italian brand (now part of the Trigano Group)
has been building motorhomes since 1978 and,
reflecting the popularity of family layouts in its
home market, it is probably the number one maker
of overcab coachbuilts. Realising that so many of its
competitors have focused purely on the type of two-
berth layouts generally favoured by older buyers,
Rimor has always kept a wide choice of family-
friendly overcab designs in its brochure and thus it
has become something of a specialist in this niche.
The brand’s UK importer, M and C Ltd in Hull,
has seen that, for some buyers, and especially
those with kids, it’s a case of ‘the bigger, the better’
with overcab models offering plenty of room for
the whole family. “With families moving away
from package holidays, it’s going to be a growing
sector”, reckons M and C’s Steven Pritchard.
Not only does Rimor offer overcabs in its entry-
level Seal (on Fiat) and Evo (on Ford) ranges, but
also in its flagship Super Brig line-up where prices
start at £59,495. Rimor’s top model includes a
classic British layout featuring a front dinette and
rear U-shaped lounge in the 7.17m Super Brig Suite,
as well as two more typically continental designs
with a garage capable of swallowing a scooter. The
687 TC has a rear double bed, while the longer
(7.37m) 695 TC has twin beds at the rear.
However, the company’s most popular model is
the £48,995 Evo Sound, based on the Ford Transit
and offering up to seven berths and seven travel
seats in a length of just under 7m. Of course, with
a 3,500kg gross weight, you’ll need to be careful
not to overload if you have a large family, but this
model will suit those with several young children,
especially as Isofix is offered as an option.
The Evo Sound has a lounge with twin pullman
dinettes, while bunk beds are situated along the
rear nearside wall, opposite the habitation door
and adjacent to the washroom. The alternative
overcab model in this range is the Evo 5 with a
rear transverse double bed, again in a 6.97m
overall length.
However, it’s the ever-popular Seal range (from
£48,995) where Rimor offers the most overcab
motorhomes – a choice of six different layouts. In
numerical order, these are the Seal 3 (6.48m,
pullman dinette, French bed), the longer Seal 5
(7.15m, pullman dinette, rear transverse double
over large garage), Seal 8 (another rear double bed/
garage layout but with an L-shaped lounge and
shorter, 6.84m, body), Seal 9 (bunk beds across the
back, twin dinettes up front, 7.30m long), Seal 50
(7.34m with a unique floorplan featuring four
bunk beds at the rear, two each side with the
washroom between, and an unusual front lounge
with two L-settees facing each other), and Seal 695
(7.35m long with rear single beds over a garage big
enough for a motorbike). The 5 and 8 layouts can
be specified with an electric height-adjustable rear
bed, while Isofix is available across the Seal range.

Evo Sound sits on the Ford Transit chassis

Seal 50 has a unique floorplan

Evo Sound is a popular bunk bed model Huge choice in the Seal range
❯❯
20 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
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Special feature

Spacious rear lounge in the Auto-Roller 746

ROLLER TEAM
It’s no surprise to see overcab coachbuilts in an Italian manufacturer’s
range and Roller Team’s Auto-Roller 746 is a spacious family motorhome
with a front dinette, central galley and washroom, and a large U-shaped
lounge at the back. At 7.47m long, this large Fiat-based motorhome has six
berths and up to six seatbelts (when on a 3,650kg chassis). The 2021-spec
version also gets new grey GRP side walls, rear speakers and, in the cab, a
Zenec Xzent DAB radio with Bluetooth and reversing camera.
For those on a lower budget, Roller Team also offers three overcab
models based on the Ford Transit in its Zefiro line-up. These include a
bunk bed model as well as the unique Zefiro Sport, which has the largest
garage in its class (1.37m high inside with huge loading doors). This is a
vehicle that’s as likely to be in the paddock at a race track as on a campsite.

SUN LIVING
Adria has dropped its upmarket Coral XL
range, so the only overcab to come to the UK
from this Slovenian manufacturer now is a sole
A Series model from budget brand, Sun Living.
The A 70 DK is a 6.99m, 3.5-tonne Fiat Ducato
with the popular twin dinette and rear bunk
beds layout that works so well for families. It
has six seatbelts and seven berths as standard,
but a seventh belt can be added in combination
with a chassis upgrade to 3,650kg. Price for

A fourth overcab joins the Sunlight range for 2021

SUNLIGHT
Like its sister brand, Carado, Sunlight has added
a new compact overcab model to its range for
2021. While Carado is the budget marque from
Hymer, Sunlight is linked to Dethleffs, but the
vehicles differ only in terms of décor, both
internally and externally, and are said to feature a
younger, sportier vibe.
The new Sunlight A 60 is the smallest of four
overcabs in the current range, with an overall
length of 5.95m. Despite that, it has two long
(2.10m) and instantly available double beds –
one in the luton, the other over the rear garage.
It is based on a 3.5-tonne Fiat Ducato chassis
and comes with a generous payload of 664kg in
standard form (even more if you upgrade to the
optional 3,650kg gross weight).
Its half-dinette is joined by swivel cab seats to No more Adria overcabs but this
make a four-seater lounge, while spec includes Sun Living comes from the same factory
Truma Combi 6 heating.

22 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

 The trends of 2021

SWIFT
The UK’s largest caravan/motorhome manufacturer caught us a
little by surprise when its new Edge range debuted a year ago with
a selection of overcab derivatives as well as low-profiles. Uniquely,
though, the Edge has its luton positioned further back over the
cab, so, when lowered for use, the upper bed sits partway above
the lounge. Still, the luton berths do not stop you sitting beneath
and the have the feel of an overcab.
Now, for 2021, the Edge gets new carbon-coloured graphics on
the outside and Aralie Sen woodgrain on the inside, both aimed
at providing a more upmarket appearance. Spec has been
uplifted, too, to include cruise control, a DAB radio and reversing
sensors on the base vehicle, plus a microwave, flyscreen on the
door and removable carpets for the living area.
Swift calls the overcab models High-Line and there are three
existing layouts, with a fourth family model being added this year.
The new six-berth Edge 466 with rear transverse bunk beds will
be available from February, priced from £51,665.
The existing Edge High-Line models are all 7.32m long and
available on a 3,500kg Fiat chassis. They are the 476 with twin
single beds over a garage, the 486 with front and rear lounge areas
New Aralie Sen cabinets in the 2021 Edge range
and the 494 featuring a transverse island bed.

this motorhome is £49,000 but you’ll want to

budget an extra £1,820 for Pack 1 (including
cab air-conditioning) and £1,359 for the
Comfort Pack.
Like all 2021 model year Sun Livings, the
A 70 DK gets new, more homely décor this
season, featuring brighter colours and new
cupboard handles, new spotlights and soft
furnishings, as well as bolder exterior graphics
and improved interior lighting.

The CaraHome 700 DG with pullman dinette lounge

WEINSBERG
This entry-level marque from the Knaus
stable has steadfastly continued to offer
its CaraHome overcab models while
others have dropped out of the sector.
Now based on Fiat Ducato for 2021
(instead of Peugeot Boxer), the latest
versions also benefit from a new wood
finish. Three models are available in
lengths from 5.97m to 7.41m, with the
classic floorplans of rear bunk beds or a
fixed double bed above a garage. CaraHome is now based on Fiat chassis

❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 23
Special feature

TREND 3 – COMPACT LOW-PROFILES WITH ISLAND BEDS

The Germans call them ‘Vans’ but they are not
van conversions, nor campervans. They are
low-profile coachbuilt motorhomes that are a
good few centimetres slimmer than the norm
(of around 2.30m to 2.35m wide).
It’s not difficult to see the appeal, because
(unless you’re parking or manoeuvring) it’s
often width, not length, that can make some
motorhomes feel just that little bit too big on
rural roads. Especially the sort of country
lanes you might want to explore in Devon,
north Wales, the Lake District…
It’s still the German makers that focus on
this sector more than other nations, although,
at What Motorhome, we can certainly see why
British buyers like them, too. As Matt
Greening, Sales Controller at Lowdhams,
points out, “Compact low-profiles had a
welcome introduction with the likes of the
Hymer Exsis and Dethleffs Globebus a few
years ago and other manufacturers have
joined in since. The popular layouts have been
the short transverse bed and the slightly
longer twin beds.”
So, up until now, most models in this
category were either around six metres long
with a half-dinette lounge, central kitchen and
washroom, and a transverse rear double bed,
or were a bit longer (around 6.60m) and had
lengthways single beds aft, again with a garage
underneath.
Perhaps it has been the German market’s
preoccupation with twin bed floorplans that
has kept the choice relatively restricted in
these compact ’vans, or maybe designers
simply struggled to innovate within the
reduced living space. However, over recent
seasons, it has also become clear that you
don’t have to drive a seven-and-a-half-metre
motorhome to have an island bed and (full-
width) island bed models have appeared that
are only 6.50m long.
So, it’s perhaps no real surprise that, in the
2021 season, there are finally several island
bed ‘Vans’ with that all-important slimline
bodywork. After all, the island bed format is
one of the most popular amongst today’s
motorhome buyers and another bonus of
going more petite with your ’van is that
payload should be greater, thus making these
models all a realistic proposition at 3,500kg on
a standard car licence.

ADRIA
The Slovenian maker’s appropriately entitled Compact range is 2.12m wide
and was redesigned for last season. The classic transverse double and
lengthways single beds feature here, as does a choice of Plus or Supreme
spec. We’d go Supreme every time as it looks so classy with its all-silver (cab
and habitation) bodywork but, whichever you choose, you get a simply
ginormous overcab sunroof that bathes the interior with daylight.
New for 2021, though, is the SC (Adria code for island bed) layout in this
range. It measures a modest 6.99m overall and has an amazingly spacious
bedroom area for such a compact motorhome. The mattress itself measures
1.91m by 1.40m and its base slides back to create a chaise longue mode – as
well as even more space around the foot of the bed, which is better than
you’ll see in many rivals even with the bed extended.
The bedside suspended wardrobes make for massive tables at each side
for your phone, book, drink, specs, whatever, and there’s a concertina
screen to close off the bed area for privacy. The washroom seems well
designed, too, with its Duplex system, meaning that the washbasin swings
around over the loo to create a shower cubicle.
Priced from £57,400 in Supreme spec (to which you’ll want to add the
Pack 1 for all the essential base vehicle toys, at £1,820, and the Luxury Pack
at a further £3,060), there are cheaper options, but the Compact SC is a
stylish motorhome that’s packed with appeal.
A full review of this new Adria appeared in our November issue.

No shortage of daylight thanks to huge sunroof Bedroom beats many larger models for space

24 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

 The trends of 2021

DETHLEFFS
The Globebus is one of the longest
established competitors in this
category and a stylish one to boot. At
2.20m, it’s not as narrow as some, but
the T 7 comes well equipped, with a
much higher standard spec in the
UK than in its home market. It has
everything from automatic air-con,
cruise control and a leather steering
wheel in the Fiat cab, to a panoramic
overcab sunroof, extra-wide
habitation door with central locking,
Combi 6 gas/electric heating and a
combined oven/grill.
The Globebus T 7 also benefits
from an L-settee lounge, rather than
a simple half-dinette, and washroom
arrangements are as you’d find in
larger models, with a shower cubicle
on the nearside and a separate toilet
compartment opposite. Go for the
GT Pack and the little Dethleffs
becomes a striking looker with alloy
wheels, flush-fitting windows, cab
running board steps and either a
white or black cab.

CARADO
Hymer’s budget brand offers a Van range that’s 2.14m wide.
Now, for 2021, there’s a third model in the line-up, the V339
with an island bed.
The layout here is not unusual, featuring a half-dinette
and washroom on the nearside and a habitation door just
behind the cab on the offside, followed by the galley.
However, Carado has kept the wardrobe (at the back end
of the galley) to a modest height to allow more through
view inside the ’van and, therefore, a greater feeling of
space. The island bed itself measures 1.95m by 1.40m,
according to the manufacturer, while the garage can carry
up to 150kg.
Rest assured, Carado builds its motorhomes tough and
practical, as well as keenly priced. The V339 starts at
£39,579 on a 120bhp Fiat Ducato. You’ll certainly want to
add the Basic Pack (panorama roof vent, cab seats with
armrests and covers, shower panelling, extra sockets in the
kitchen and garage) at £859 and, even more importantly,
the Chassis Pack (cab air-conditioning, passenger airbag,
heated mirrors, cruise control, height adjustment on
passenger seat, radio aerial and pre-cabling) for £1,719, but
this new Carado still looks fine value.

Low-level wardrobe allows through view along the offside

❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 25
Special feature

OnTour Edition has more standard kit than its rivals
HOBBY
The OnTour Edition V65 GQ was new for 2020 and its apparent success
seems to have stirred rivals into competing with it in 2021. Here, then, is an
island bed low-profile with a 6.99m overall length and 2.16m overall width.
More than that, though, the OnTour Edition comes surprisingly well
equipped, without the pages and pages of options seen with some German
brands. That starts up front, where the Citroën Jumper cab (sister to the
Fiat Ducato and Peugeot Boxer) comes with alloy wheels, Remis blinds, an
overcab sunroof and swivel cab chairs with armrests. A DAB radio with
CD/DVD, Bluetooth, reversing camera and sat-nav (with pitch finder app)
is included, too.
The habitation door has a flyscreen and, inside, there are swivel reading
lights, a Goodside premium mattress for the island bed, Truma Combi 6kW
heating and a 140-litre fridge. The coachbuilt body features a GRP roof and
underfloor, plus XPS insulation, a heated and insulated waste water tank
and a wide entrance door. More surprising is the addition of an awning in
the standard spec and even a satellite dish, as well as a 21in LED TV.
The OnTour Edition continues unchanged for 2021 and looks like a
pretty formidable package for those seeking a compact motorhome with all
the toys.
RAPIDO
In this German-dominated sector, it was a surprise to find that the
newest entrant is French – a whole new line-up of compact
(2.17m-wide) low-profiles from Rapido, called C Series. There are
French bed and twin bed layouts, but it’s the longer (6.99m) C86 –
with an island bed – that we’re focusing on here.
The most interesting aspect, though, is that Rapido has eschewed
the usual half-dinette lounge of its competitors and installed instead the
fashionable side settee layout normally reserved for larger motorhomes.
Here, the side seats are quite short but they can still be converted into
either a pair of forward-facing travel seats or a transverse single bed as
an occasional third berth. There’s a fixed (but folding) central table, too.
At the back, the bed is a fairly generous 1.96m by 1.40m
(manufacturer’s figures) but there’s also a 10cm detachable extension
and the possibility of electrically raising the bed by up to 20cm to
increase the storage below.
The washroom features separate toilet and shower compartments
on either side of the vehicle, while other standard features include an
overcab sunroof, diesel-fired Truma Combi heating, a 133-litre slim
fridge and external locker doors (1.00m by 0.75m) on either side of
the under-bed storage. The Fiat base vehicle comes with the 140bhp
power unit.
If you want more spec, the Select Pack adds a Kenwood
multimedia system with reversing camera, ESC, cruise control, a
habitation door with window and flyscreens, cab blinds, a second
leisure battery and more.
The only model in this class with a face-to-face lounge

SUNLIGHT
With Carado launching a slim-bodied island bed layout for 2021, it was
obvious that we’d see the same layout appear in the Sunlight range, but
with different design details inside and out. So, here is the Sunlight V 69.
Like the Carado, this newcomer is 6.86m long and 2.14m wide. Based
on a 3.5-tonne Fiat Ducato, it has an impressive payload of 870kg in
standard trim. The central kitchen comes with a three-burner hob and
89-litre under-counter fridge, while there’s a substantial rear garage,
half-dinette lounge, his and hers wardrobes alongside the bed and
Truma Combi 4 blown-air heating.
For the UK market, however, the V 69 takes on extra significance as
Lowdhams has confirmed that this will become the third model in its
Sunvan dealer special range. With extra specification over the standard
Sunlight Van, the first examples are expected here in the spring and
Lowdhams’ Matt Greening comments that the Sunvan was, “only two
layouts last year and proved to be popular. This was mainly due to the
size, width and length. Customers also enjoyed the special edition
Look out for a special edition of the V 69 from Lowdhams
features and the excellent value for money that Sunlight offers.”
❯❯
26 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
Take a look at Bilbo’s Talk to us about
converting your van.
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to learn more.
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Special feature

TREND 4 – MAGNIFICENT 7
Seven metres is a practical, manageable size of motorhome and the type of drop-down bed
layout we’re focusing on here is, perhaps, the most fashionable floorplan of the moment.
Low-profile motorhomes with a drop-down bed have been with us now for up to a decade.
Some use the lowering berths as additional sleeping space (rather than rearranging settees),
while there are still fixed beds (usually singles or an island double) aft. Others have the drop-
down bed as the main berths, and it’s this type that has seen a massive growth in popularity.
The first examples of this breed were compact, six-metre motorhomes and there are still
some popular models at this size, but soon customers discovered their one shortfall – a lack of
storage for bulky gear. After all, there’s only so much you can fit into a vehicle that’s around
5.99m by 2.30m (not much bigger than a campervan, really) and, without a fixed bed, there’s
no obvious home for your big outdoor chairs, bikes and barbecue to live.
It was the ever-innovative French brand, Chausson (part of the Trigano Group), that came up
with a solution. You still have the big front lounge that draws in potential buyers (especially at
shows) for a closer look. The bed glides down over the seating at night, so there’s no fiddly
juggling of cushions at bedtime (although a lower bed, under the drop-down, is usually possible
for very occasional four-berth duties). But now, with overall length stretched from 6m to 7m,
there’s room to include a huge rear washroom and an even more gigantic wardrobe, to create a
super dressing room. The really clever bit, though, is the inclusion of a garage underneath that
clothes store. And so the Chausson 640 was born – and the company has not looked back since.
However, whenever a new layout or trend appears in the motorhome world, rivals are quick
to copy, or to try to improve on the original. Chausson’s Export Manager, Pascal Lidôme, says
that he spotted the first competition a year or two ago but that, at the last NEC motorhome
show (February 2020), few buyers were directly comparing the 640 with other models. He feels
that this will remain “a very trendy layout” and says Chausson “still believes that the Smart
Lounge – as in the 640 – will be a big seller.”
Now let’s see what the opposition marques have come up with…

600 DT comes only in Plus

spec. Shown here with
optional grey cab

Redesigned for 2021, the Adria now has a double floor

Ultra-modern design
in the latest Matrix
ADRIA
We rewarded the Matrix Plus 600 DT with the award for ‘best coachbuilt without fixed bed (over £60k)’ in 2020, so
clearly this is a serious competitor. Much of its appeal centres on a lounge that sports a pair of long settees (1.66m and
1.36m) and swivel cab seats at the same level, sitting under a huge overcab sunroof (now 15% larger) for plenty of
daylight. The sofas are well proportioned for comfort and the interior of this Matrix, which has been comprehensively
updated for 2021, has a very contemporary vibe. The new season model also has a double floor containing the utilities
and creating a step-free living area, while the exterior is sharper than ever.
As with its key rivals, the Adria is equally impressive at the back end, where the palatial washroom includes a plinth-
type washbasin, a separate shower and massive wardrobe with his and hers drawers in addition to the lengthy hanging
rail. Under here, the garage has twin access doors and 1.17m headroom (up to 2.22m on the nearside!).
Even the kitchen has everything you’d expect – plus more worktop than you’d anticipate. An oven/grill is standard
and so is a 167-litre fridge/freezer. Finally, of course, there’s the electric drop-down bed that comes down to seat height.
There are cheaper options – the 600 DT is £58,900 plus £3,060 for the inevitable Luxury Pack and a further £1,820
for Pack 1 (including cab air-conditioning) – but this Slovenian ’van should be on your shortlist if you can stretch to it.
It’s probably the most stylish and prestigious option here.

28 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021


BAILEY
This brand-new Bailey – the Adamo 69-4 – is the Chausson’s closest
competitor and the Bristol firm makes no secret of the fact that its
newcomer is targeting imported ’vans (which currently account for more
than half of the UK market). Like some versions of its French rival, the
Bailey is based on the latest front-wheel drive Ford Transit but, here, it
comes with just one spec – a 158bhp (160PS) engine and six-speed
automatic gearbox.
In fact, Bailey’s all-inclusive specification, with no pricey packs to add,
nor even an optional upholstery to mull over, is a big part of the appeal.
Everything is included in the £57,999 on-the-road price tag. So, you get
alloy wheels, a silver metallic cab, automatic lights and wipers, cruise
control, cab air-conditioning, ESP, a radio with Bluetooth, reversing
camera, an overcab sunroof, TV aerial, 142-litre fridge, and (beating its
The trends of 2021
European opposition) a Thetford K-Series cooker with mains hotplate and
a separate oven and grill.
As with other similar layouts, the long side settees convert into a pair of
individual forward-facing travel seats and, although they lack Isofix, the
fact that Bailey has fully crash-tested its new range (and incorporated
changes to features like the TV mounting to improve safety), adds a great
deal of peace of mind.
Meanwhile, the fold-in-half, electrically lowerable table is a very
continental-style feature in the lounge.
Another positive is that, when lowering the electric bed right down to
seat height (730mm off the floor), you don’t even have to move the
backrest cushions off the settees. The mattress measures 1.83m by 1.52m
but usable bed length is more generous.
This Bailey is the Chausson 640’s closest rival yet
❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 29
Special feature

Look at all that space! We’re just not Tessoro gets the top-spec 170PS engine,
keen on the faux leather upholstery alloy wheels and all the toys

BENIMAR
Like Bailey, Benimar’s importer, Marquis Leisure, tends to go for a high standard spec and few options. With the Tessoro 487, which was
introduced early in 2020, the only extra cost items are a towbar (£1,350) and an automatic gearbox (£2,000). Everything else that you’d expect
in this 6.98m Ford Transit-based low-profile is included in the £58,995 list price. The base vehicle comes with a 168bhp (170PS) engine as
standard, as well as alloy wheels, cab air-conditioning, automatic lights and wipers and even a 9in touchscreen radio with sat-nav, as well as a
reversing camera. A Trackstar Leisure Category 6 security system is included, too.
To suit the British market, this Spaniard is NCC-approved and has its habitation door on our nearside, but the leather-look upholstery doesn’t
feel very warm or tactile. Another UK-style touch is the removable, free-standing table, although its storage position (in the garage) is not very
convenient. Better is the fact that this area has 1.31m headroom and internal access (via the washroom), as well as a full-sized spare wheel.
The lounge feels huge (one of the settees is 1.85m long – that’s over 6ft!), and the cab has reading lights with built-in USBs, while the travel
seats have Isofix as standard. Above, the electric drop-down bed measures 1.88m by 1.39m and comes down to 860mm above the carpet. It’s a
very comfortable bed, too.
Even the galley has been tailored to suit British buyers, as there’s not only an oven/grill and a mains hotplate alongside the two gas rings, but
a built-in microwave above the 149-litre fridge/freezer. Our favourite galley feature, though, is the tall pull-out pantry unit alongside the fridge.
If you prefer a slightly more ‘old-school’ L-shaped lounge (with more instantly available belted travel seats), then the Tessoro 486 offers much
of the same appeal, but a less spacious washroom at the same price as the 487. And, if a Fiat cab is more your bag, then the Mileo 286 (also
£58,995) mirrors the 486 layout on the alternative base vehicle.

BÜRSTNER
This Erwin Hymer Group brand was one of the
first to compete in this sector and its Lyseo TD
680 G Harmony Line immediately shot to a
starring role in the company’s sales charts. Now,
for 2021, there’s also a similar layout in the new,
more affordable, Delfin range.
In the UK, the Delfin T 680 G is based on the
Fiat Ducato (a Citroën Jumper cab is used on the
Continent) and is priced from £58,995 with the
standard 120bhp engine, compared with £65,995
for the higher-spec Lyseo with the same Euro 6d
power unit.
The Lyseo Harmony Line’s spec includes a
silver cab, alloy wheels, twin garage doors, an
overcab sunroof, premium extra-wide habitation
door and indirect lighting throughout. Special
features include scratch-resistant kitchen
worktops and a coffee capsule holder in the galley,
plus an entrance area unit with TV position and
shelves to hold Bürstner’s special magnetic
glasses. The galley has a Thetford Triplex cooker
with combined oven/grill and a neat rotating
cover over the sink provides additional
preparation space for the cook.

Lyseo TD Harmony Line feels more

upmarket than some of its rivals

Room for bikes

Delfin is a new, more affordable option from Bürstner in the Lyseo

30 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

 The trends of 2021

CHAUSSON
For 2021, Chausson has simplified its range, but the top-
selling 640 continues – and it is now offered in three
different specification levels. The entry-level First Line
looks stonking value at £47,940, while the Titanium VIP
(£53,440) and Titanium Premium (£54,340) offer more
spec for those seeking an automatic gearbox, as well as a bit
more bling.
Based on the Ford Transit with 128bhp (130PS) engine,
the First Line is the only option for those who prefer a
manual gearbox. Chausson’s Pascal Lidôme describes it as
having “real potential for the entry-level sector” and says
that such a model would not have found favour with its
dealers two years ago but, now, with used stock in such
short supply and first-time buyers dominating motorhome
sales, its debut could not have been timed more perfectly.
A mains hotplate
is added for the UK Not that the 640 First Line is especially basic. It still
New First Line spec looks like fantastic value
comes with cab air-conditioning, a passenger airbag, cruise
control, DAB radio, diesel-fired heating (which can be used
while you drive and reduces your dependence on gas, so is
ideal for touring abroad), a flyscreen door, overcab sunroof,
USB ports and Chausson’s Technibox with service items
neatly grouped and accessible via an external hatch.
Step up to Titanium VIP and the base vehicle switches to
a Fiat Ducato with 140bhp motor and nine-speed automatic
transmission. Grey side walls give a more upmarket external
appearance, along with alloy wheels, and extra features
include an external shower and barbecue point.
Top of the tree, Titanium Premium spec (exterior image
right) returns to the Ford Transit but now with the 168bhp Pascal is confident that these vehicles “keep the Chausson
(170PS) motor and six-speed automatic gearbox. Cab design culture inside” and we wouldn’t bet against their
blinds, a premium habitation door with central locking, a continued popularity in the UK, despite stiffer competition.
roof vent with fan, automatic headlights and windscreen There’s also an improved version of the shorter (6.4m plays
Pull-out pantry wipers, additional interior lighting, a duckboard in the 7m) Chausson 650, which has a very similar layout and
storage is a great feature shower, scatter cushions and premium furniture and fabrics costs a grand less, while now being able to accommodate
are all now included. two bikes in its rear garage.

We love the spaciousness of the FC650

ITINEO
This is the odd man out in this feature because it’s an A-class, not a low-
profile. Normally, that would push it out of contention on cost, but Itineo
is one of the few brands that produces very keenly priced A-classes – this
model starts at £58,200, although you’ll need to add the Pack Life for
goodies that include cab air-con and a Kenwood multimedia system.
The Itineo FC650 is also modest of length – just 6.55m overall – and yet,
with the full-width A-class cab and panoramic windscreen, as well as a
neat galley design backing onto the bathroom, it feels as big inside as some
of the longer ’vans here. It also has the benefit of the bed (1.90m by 1.40m,
according to its maker) coming down into the cab, so the lounge area is
relatively undisturbed and the second double bed is alongside, not
underneath the drop-down one.
Built in the same factory as the motorhomes of its parent company,
Rapido, the FC650 has a modern design and bags of appeal.

❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 31
Special feature
P696D was an immediate success story
PILOTE
Launched in 2020, the Fiat-based Pilote P696D
was immediately worthy of comparison with the
best in its class. It feels really spacious, with
1.90m headroom under the drop-down bed and
up to 2.12m in the kitchen. It has a super-sized,
fold-in-half dining table and plenty of LED
Tall nearside door
for the P696D’s garage
RIMOR
Another brand-new entrant for 2021, Rimor’s
popular and well-priced Seal range gets the
addition of the 67 Plus model this year. Based on
the 140bhp Fiat Ducato, it is available from just
£49,995 on-the-road.
Seal 67 Plus starts at under £50k
32 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
Now offered in Evidence
trim for UK buyers
lighting and, while the settees are slightly narrow
in the squab, the nearside one measures 1.76m
long. The size of the electric bed is really a star
feature, though, at 2.00m by 1.55m, and it sits
just 780mm off the deck.
The garage has an internal height of 1.20m,
Washroom includes the superior Dometic loo
That price includes cruise control, twin airbags,
Truma Combi 4 heating, a three-burner hob and a
tall/slim fridge with separate bottle drawer in the
kitchen, plus dimmable LED lighting. Optional
extras include the 160bhp engine upgrade (£2,195),
One of the more compact
options, which could
be a deciding factor
twin loading doors and access from inside the
vehicle, too. The important news for 2021,
though, is the arrival of the P696D Evidence
(£59,940) with an enhanced spec for British
customers. The extra kit includes the 140bhp
engine, nine-speed automatic gearbox, Chassis
Pack, Comfort Pack, Media 8in Pack, Energy
Pack, an awning, Skydome overcab sunroof and
faux leather upholstery.
Also available in Evidence trim is the P696D’s
new little brother, the 6.20m P626D, which
offers much of the same appeal but with reduced
garage space and a different galley format. UK
agent for Pilote, Martin Storey, is especially
hopeful for this debutante, describing it as “a
perfect alternative option, not only for the
coachbuilt low-profile market, but as an
alternative to the van market – 6.2m length,
shorter than an extra-long-wheelbase van
conversion, with coachbuilt insulation and
incredible space/room.”
automatic transmission (£2,000), alloy wheels
(£895) and a Skyview overcab sunroof (£1,295).
Those new to motorhoming or with restricted
parking space at home will also welcome the fact
that it’s shorter than most rivals, at 6.45m long.
❯❯
Special feature

TREND 5 – TWIN LOUNGES AND DROP-DOWN BEDS

The twin lounge layout has long been a staple of the
British motorhome market. Up front, you
historically got a pullman dinette but, more
recently, there have been L-settee and half-dinette
configurations here, too. Then, at the back, is the
star feature, the ever-popular rear lounge, either as
two side settees or a more convivial U-shape – or
sometimes as a fashionable L-settee these days.
So, the style of twin lounge layouts has opened
up to offer more choice, even including a few
more compact designs at under 7m overall
length. But perhaps the biggest news in this
sector has been the inclusion of drop-down beds.
Beds that come down from the ceiling are not
new, of course, but they are giving a fresh lease of
life to this type of layout. Without a fixed bed,
you can now enjoy two seating areas – one for
dining and one for lounging, or one for kids and
one for adults, or even one for him and one for
her – without having to face the chore of turning
sofas into (lumpy) beds at nightfall every day of
your tour.
These layouts are popular with couples looking
for lots of space to unwind (did someone mention
bad British weather?) but also with families, and
almost all will have at least four seatbelts, some up
to six. But with mob-handed touring comes the
need for masses of storage and that’s where these
designs have sometimes fallen down. Increasingly,
though, continental models have shown that
exterior storage can be combined with a rear lounge
– now Bailey has trumped them all, including a
proper garage in its Adamo 75-4DL.
Here, we look at the newcomer from Bristol
and its latest rivals, including some more
established models…

AUTO-TRAIL
We could call this ‘the motorhome formerly known
as Tribute’ but its official title is F-Line, the revised
branding for Auto-Trail’s entry-level Ford-based
low-profiles. The F72 is the model we’re looking at
here, with the ‘F’ moniker indicating that it’s based
on a Ford Transit – a good start for any motorhome.
Oddly, the F72 has a side settee lounge and no
rear travel seats in standard form, but £825 will
change the offside settee into an L-shape with two
extra seatbelts. And you’ll need to dig deeper (£800
deeper) for the drop-down bed that makes this
motorhome into a much more viable four-berth.
This electric bed comes right down to seat level in
You’ll pay extra for belted travel seats in the F-Line the front lounge but it narrows considerably at the

34 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021


Cosy, comfortable and that shelf under the rear window is oh-so-useful
BAILEY
The Adamo is probably the biggest British
motorhome launch of 2021 and we’ve already
seen the 69-4 layout on page 29 of this trends
feature. This 75-4DL, though, is the best ’van in
the range.
As with all three Adamo models, the 75-4DL
has the immediate driver appeal of being based
on a high-spec, 158bhp Ford Transit cab with
automatic gearbox. And, again, it has the sort
of comprehensive standard spec that most
Front bed comes down
super-low, like the rear one
foot in order to preserve access through the
habitation door. At the back, meanwhile, you still
have to use caravan-style pull-out slats and
rearrange the cushions to convert the seating into a
long double bed.
The central washroom includes a separate
shower, while a generous 142-litre fridge features in
the kitchen. It’s the rear lounge that’s the key selling
point, although it’s worth noting that the seating
here is much more generous on the offside than the
nearside and the free-standing table fits much
better up front than at the rear.
With prices starting from £48,285 (albeit with
Driver’s and Lux Packs on top of that), the F-Line
looks good value.
No lounge cushions were harmed in the making of this bed!
rivals can only achieve with this pack and that
optional extra. Despite which, it just sails
under the £60k price mark.
It’s the layout we love, here, though. Up
front, you get Bailey’s new Flexi-lounge, which
features two comfortable side settees for
on-site relaxation and these then adapt –
Transformer-style – into a pair of fully crash-
tested passenger seats with adjustable rake
backrests. Then, at the rear, is a U-shaped
lounge with windows on three sides, but also
with a wardrobe in the offside corner, a shelved
locker (also accessible from outside) on the
nearside, and a huge – and hugely useful –
shelf between. The corner cabinets mean you
don’t quite get the all-round vistas of a more
conventional end lounge, but the area here
feels more cosy, more private. Lighting is
generous, too, with downlighters set into the
bed base above and reading lights featuring
built-in USB ports. It’s a great chill zone.
Better still, above both lounges is an electric
Tribute becomes
F-Line for 2021
The trends of 2021
drop-down bed. Each comes right down to seat
height (730mm off the floor) and, while the
rear bed has that large shelf under the back
window for your night-time knick-knacks, the
front bedroom comes with neat corner shelves
for specs, etc, as well as twin reading lights.
The really clever bit, though, is the
incorporation of a proper garage (running
under that shelf in the end lounge). There’s a
full-height door on the nearside that opens
onto full-width storage measuring 1.03m high
and 0.55m wide. On the offside there’s a
second, smaller loading door, while the
nearside opening also gives access to shelved
space above the garage. Anchorage points,
lights, 12V and 230V sockets and even drain
holes show that the space has been designed to
be really used.
So, here at last, is a twin-lounge layout
motorhome in which no bed-making is ever
required and where storage for the whole
family’s gear is not a problem.
❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 35
Special feature
It’s a half-dinette at the front in the Tessoro
BENIMAR
Like other models in the range, the Tessoro 482 (which was new for 2020)
is based on a Ford Transit with 168bhp (170PS) engine and has a high spec
designed to suit the UK market. It even has a layout mirrored for right-
hand drive, with the habitation entrance on our nearside.
Incorporating the swivelling cab chairs, the 482’s front seating has a
half-dinette and a small side sofa, while aft is a U-shaped lounge in the
classic British style – although very different squab depths on the side
seats affect seating comfort here. Nevertheless, it’s a spacious lounge –
enhanced by good lighting and a lack of top lockers – with the option to
add a small island leg table. Above is a drop-down bed (measuring 1.87m
by 1.39m) that comes down to just 860mm off the floor.
The second electric bed, over the front dinette, needs a ladder for access as
it doesn’t come down as low and, while this one is slightly longer, it narrows at
the foot in order to allow you to come and go easily through the door.
This Autoquest is a true six-berth
The only drop-down bed needs a ladder
36 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
Seat depths vary from side to side at the rear
Priced at £61,995, the Tessoro’s cost includes alloy wheels, a metallic
silver cab, flush-fitting habitation windows, TV aerial, solar panel, a
flyscreen door, an oven/grill, a microwave, external barbecue point and
even a security tracking system. It can’t match the Bailey for garage space,
but it doesn’t do too badly in this regard, offering full-width storage under
the rear lounge accessed only from the offside.
The fact that the Tessoro manages to pack all this into an overall length
of just 6.98m is a big surprise, but it’s a shame that the payload is rather
marginal for family use.
Those seeking more carrying capacity might consider Benimar’s Fiat-
based Mileo 282 instead. The price is the same, but the layout places the
kitchen and washroom on opposite sides to the Tessoro’s. More importantly,
there’s greater overall length (7.39m) and a lot more payload if you
upgrade to the Heavy chassis version.
ELDDIS
Here’s a much more classically British competitor,
one that’s long established and competing at the
‘value’ end of the market. In standard form,
badged as either an Elddis Autoquest or Compass
Avantgarde (or in dealer special form under all
manner of names, depending on the retailer
who’s marketing it), it is priced from £49,219
on-the-road.
Based on a Peugeot Boxer with low-line
chassis and 140bhp motor, the Elddis gets only
detail changes for the coming season, including
ambient lighting and new graphics. Its layout
remains the same – a front pullman dinette with
side sofa adjacent, a central kitchen and simple
washroom, then a rear lounge with a pair of
facing settees. It’s 7.33m long, but the key fact is
that the 196 is a full six-berth, with six belted
travel seats.
However, two of the Elddis’ three double beds
require you to convert each of the lounges into
sleeping quarters. The only drop-down bed here
is above the front lounge and it’ll require the
ladder for access.
The Autoquest remains a well-priced family
’van but you’ll struggle for storage on board if
there are six of you on tour.

BÜRSTNER
It’s always a welcome surprise when leafing through a continental brand’s
brochure to find a low-profile layout that doesn’t feature an island bed or twin
singles above a garage and Bürstner is a marque that’s a little more
adventurous in its floorplans. It’s one of the more innovative European
makers and one that isn’t afraid to try something new.
But the Lyseo TD 744 Harmony Line isn’t, in fact, a new model (our photos
actually show a 2020-spec vehicle). Here, though, is a 7.49m motorhome
with a conventional half-dinette lounge up front and a much more unusual
L-shaped lounge area (with sideboard and picture window along the offside
wall) at the rear. There’s a TV station here and armrests and scatter cushions
enhance comfort.
The Lyseo offers two electric drop-down beds (or at least it does if you tick
the box for the optional front bed). The forward bed measures 1.98m by
1.30m (max – it’s widest in the middle) and has a rooflight above, but it
L-shaped rear lounge feels more open for feet-up relaxing
MCLOUIS
The Fusion 330 is a new addition to the McLouis line-up for 2021. It
features twin lounges – a half-dinette/L-shape up front and a U-shape
at the rear, each with a fixed table – but it does so in a remarkably
compact body. This Italian low-profile is just 6.49m long.
Our photos show the continental version but UK models will have
right-hand drive, different upholstery and the habitation door on the
British side. We’ll also get extra spec, including an oven in the compact
kitchen. The Fiat Ducato base vehicle will benefit from the 140bhp
engine, Traction Plus, alloy wheels, a reversing camera, DAB radio
with steering wheel-mounted controls and cab blinds. On the
Two lounges in under six-and-a-half metres Comfortable U-shape is sure to woo UK buyers
The trends of 2021
obstructs the door when lowered. At the back, the second drop-down bed
measures 1.96m by 1.51m and doesn’t taper at either end.
The Harmony Line specification lives up to the £68,995 price tag, with a
silver cab and flush-fit habitation windows, plus 16in alloy wheels and a 4.5m
awning. A 100W solar panel is also standard, as is a multimedia system
incorporating sat-nav and a reversing camera. Further fittings include
upholstery with embroidered logos, central locking on the XL habitation
door, a 151-litre fridge with automatic energy selection and an oven above,
and cab blinds. Meanwhile, outside there’s a useful external locker running
under the rear settee – a good space for your outdoor camping furniture, if
not large enough for bikes.
This is a classy-looking motorhome that sits at a different price point to
the Bailey but offers a huge payload of nearly a tonne on its standard 4,250kg
chassis (for which you’ll need a C1 category driving licence, of course).
Lyseo Harmony Line is a stylish
’van with alloys and flush-fit windows
habitation side, again, the spec will be comprehensive, including a
flyscreen door, Skydome overcab sunroof, Truma Combi 6 EH gas/
electric heating, a solar panel and Winter Pack. The new model is
expected to retail for £55,095.
Despite its compact size, the latest Fusion has a drop-down double
bed coming down to just below window height in the rear and a drop-
down single bed up front. It also offers a modicum of external storage
under the rear lounge. Definitely one to look out for if you want a more
compact vehicle, especially as these latest McLouis have impressed us
on our road tests.
The bigger drop-down bed is at the rear
❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 37
Special feature

A larger rear window is available as an option Two lounges, two drop-down beds, and under 7m long!

RIMOR
When Rimor revealed its Evo range a year ago,
one layout was the most talked about – the 77
Plus. Its Italian maker described it as a ‘new
model dedicated to conviviality’ – we just said it
had a rear lounge that was sure to be popular in
our less sunny climes.
That end lounge is a cosy space, not as large as
some, but U-shaped with a fixed central table
that unfolds for dining and with windows on
three sides. It’s not the only seating area, either,
as there’s a half-dinette up front and a further
single inward-facing seat opposite, which
converts to rear-facing for travel. This is a five-
seatbelt, five-berth ’van.
Above each lounge is a drop-down double bed
– both measure 2.00m by 1.21m and both are
electrically operated.
Moving through the ’van from the rear, the
141-litre fridge/freezer is to one side, with a
large wardrobe to the other, helping to make the
back of the ’van feel quite secluded. The kitchen
and washroom are positioned opposite one
another. The washroom is divided into two
slightly separate areas, with a washbasin and
shower in a wet space and a toilet in the other.
Based on the popular Ford Transit with
128bhp (130PS) engine, cab air-conditioning,
cruise control and stop/start, the Evo 77 Plus is
priced from £50,995. A Skyview overcab sunroof
adds £1,295 and the automatic gearbox is £2,000
extra. Not only is the price quite keen, as we’ve
come to expect from Rimor, but overall length
has been kept down to just under 7m.

SWIFT
The Escape range is no longer Swift’s entry-level,
with the Edge now coming in below it. That’s
understandable when you see that this 674 model
is both 7.41m long and priced from £56,450.
As well as a half-dinette at the front, it has one of
the largest rear lounges in its class, capable of
offering single beds (lengthways) or a huge double.
These berths require you to adapt the seats, though,
and what we’re really interested in here is drop-
down beds – only one is available and it’s over the
front seating area; it’s an optional extra, too, priced
at £1,695 (including a fifth seatbelt).
With no garage, think of the Escape as a more
spacious alternative to the Elddis/Compass duo,
rather than a real rival to the Bailey or some of the
European imports with their twin drop-down beds.

This is a big lounge but, sadly, there’s no drop-down bed above it

38 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

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New ’vans
Bailey Adamo 75-4I
An exclusive first test of the island bed layout in Bailey’s brand-new Ford-based range
I
T’S not every day – nor, in fact, every year – that
a major motorhome manufacturer announces a
brand-new range in a new market sector. It’s
even rarer for UK marques to desert the comfort of
familiar, British-style layouts and dive headlong
into competition with imported brands. But that is
exactly what Bailey has done with its new Adamo
range and the company’s timing might just be
perfect, with Brexit-related uncertainties
continuing and the German market so on fire (June
2020 registrations of new motorhomes were up
more than 65% on the previous year) that some of
its makers may struggle to meet demand outside
their home market. It’s not as if imports are a minor
interest here, either, as recent figures suggest that
they account for more than half of UK sales.
So Bailey has been working for the past 18
months on a wholly new line-up of low-profile
40 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
motorhomes, adopting popular and proven
European-style layouts. These are 3.5-tonne
vehicles, so not restricted to those with a C1
licence and ideal for younger newbies that make
up an increasingly important part of the market.
Not only that but, uniquely amongst British-built
motorhomes, they come with an automatic
gearbox as standard.
That, of course, is typically Bailey, keeping
things simple with one high level of specification
and almost no options. The Adamo doesn’t even
offer an alternative upholstery, although you can
always personalise it, of course, with your own
throws and cushions.
FORD-GING AHEAD
Every Bailey motorhome up until now has been
based on a Peugeot Boxer cab with an Al-Ko
chassis and, while that continues to be the case
for the Alliance and Autograph, the desire to
offer an automatic forced the Bristol brand
to look elsewhere this time around. Instead,
then, it is building the new Adamo on the Ford
Transit, putting it in direct competition with
leading imported brands, Benimar and Chausson
(and to a lesser extent, Roller Team). Amongst
UK players, only Auto-Trail, with its entry-level
F-Line (previously called Tribute), manufactures
low-profile models on the Ford cab.
Bailey doesn’t just take a bog-standard Transit,
though. Every Adamo gets a metallic silver cab,
16in alloy wheels, cruise control, cab air-
conditioning, driver and passenger airbags,
heated and electrically adjustable mirrors,
remote central locking, ESP, a radio with
Bluetooth and steering wheel-mounted switches,

automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers.
Not only that, but here it’s the 158bhp (160PS)
version of Ford’s 2-litre EcoBlue diesel engine
rather than the usual 128bhp (130PS) unit (or
the 170PS unit sometimes fitted as an option).
That, combined with the six-speed auto’, would
add almost three grand to the cost of some rivals.
With a torque output of 390Nm (the same as
for the 170PS engine but with a slightly different
torque curve), we’ve long been impressed by the
punchy performance of this unit and with
the Ford’s smoother, more cosseting suspension
(compared with a Fiat or Peugeot), driver appeal
should be a strong suit for the Adamo, although
the long rear overhang of this 75-4I model will
need to be considered when loading.
Drivers of all sizes will be able to get comfortable
behind the wheel of the new Bailey, though, as the
cab seats adjust for height/tilt and the steering
column has variable reach and rake. There’s plenty
of in-cab storage for drinks bottles, etc, lots of
daylight from the big sunroof above and production
models will have a reversing camera with separate
display (not yet fitted on the prototype seen here).
You’ll just have to bring your own sat-nav.
PLENTY OF CHOICE
The three Adamo layouts seen at launch tackle
some of the most popular of all European
motorhomes and this 75-4I (‘I’ for island bed)
perhaps has the toughest task of all. Think of just
about any continental brand and they’ll have a
rival in this £60k sector with an island bed
floorplan. If not two or three.
Of course, the Ford cab gives the Bailey a USP
over many of those, but its side settee lounge is
Bailey Adamo 75-4I
FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Ford Transit
PRICE FROM £58,999
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 7.49m
WIDTH 2.32m
HEIGHT 2.85m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg
PAYLOAD 352kg
ALSO CONSIDER
Benimar Tessoro 494
Chausson 788 Titanium Premium
increasingly becoming the norm, where not long
ago it was the exception. Like others of this ilk,
the Bailey Flexi-lounge converts into a pair of
travel seats and, just as in the past, the company
has tried to ensure that these are as safe as
possible. Where rivals often have flimsy wooden
seat bases, the Adamo has a steel frame under
the squab cushions and these, along with the
reclining Aguti backrests, have been fully crash
tested. Not only that, but Bailey has beefed up its
TV mountings as a result of its testing – the
initial design became a missile in an accident!
There’s another important difference at the
rear of the 75-4I, where Bailey has insisted that
all Adamo layouts have a garage capable of
accommodating full-sized bikes. In an island
bed design that’s not easy without compromising
bedroom comfort, so a number of rivals install
❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 41
New ’vans
(either manual or electric) height-adjustable rear
beds, which require you to extract your cycles
when you get to your overnight site unless you
want to sleep with your nose close to the ceiling.
Putting those expensives bikes outside won’t be
ideal if you’re wild camping.
The Adamo, however, has a garage that’s
0.87m wide and 1.05m high at all times, as well
as featuring six lashing points, lighting, heating,
drain holes and both 12V and 230V power. For
some, this will be the biggest selling point.
THREE STEPS TO HEAVEN
Of course, if you raise the garage height, then the
bed has to be higher up, too. So there is a step up
from the lounge/kitchen area into the split en suite,
then another step up into the bedroom, and you go
up another level at each side of the mattress in
42 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
order to make access to the bed easy, even for those
without long legs. There’s still (pretty reasonable)
1.81m headroom when standing at the foot of the
bed and, sensibly, Bailey has not fitted any
overhead cupboards above the bed, so there’s
plenty of room to sit up with your morning cuppa.
All these steps won’t suit everyone, of course,
but the Adamo does copy another best practice
feature from certain rivals – the wardrobes
which are shaped to make the bed wider. It also
has the toilet and shower sited on either side of
the vehicle and with dual separation (both from
the living area and the bedroom).
The bed itself is a good width – few will beat its
1.60m across – but length is a more modest 1.83m
in the centre and less at the sides as the mattress is
quite radiused. That at least gives more room for
getting disrobed, along with the bed sliding back
WHO IS BAILEY?
The first Bailey
caravan was built
in 1947 and the
company moved to
its current site at
Liberty Lane in Bristol in 1960. Owned
by the Howard family since 1977, the
brand is well established as one of the
UK’s best-known and largest producers
of touring caravans but it didn’t enter
the motorhome market until 2011.
Using the Alu-Tech construction system
developed first for its caravans, the
Autograph and subsequent Advance and
Alliance models have all been based
on the Peugeot Boxer cab with low-line
Al-Ko chassis.
Today, the company manufactures over
6,500 caravans and motorhomes per
annum and, for 2021, it has launched
a brand-new mid-priced range – the
Adamo, based on Ford Transit – to sit
between the three entry-level Alliance
models and the eight versions of the
third generation of Autograph. There
are three Adamo models initially, with
a further two layouts expected to
follow in the spring.
into a daytime position. At night, space is very
limited to move around the foot of the bed.
NOT FOR BIGFOOT
Just about all the continental competition now
adopts this shower on one side, toilet on t’other
design and Bailey has wisely followed the same
philosophy. The cassette loo has surprisingly good
leg and shoulder room with the toilet door closed
and, although the lavatory itself is high up on a
plinth, the extended floor section in front means
you won’t sit there with dangling feet. There’s an
opening window here, too, but the cupboard needs
retaining straps to keep your potions in place.
Possibly more of an issue is the substantial
wheelarch intrusion into the shower tray opposite,
which could be awkward if you have very large feet.
There’s a drying rail fitted here for wet clothes but
❯❯
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New ’vans
nowhere to put your shampoo while you shower.
Forward of the washroom facilities, the kitchen
has the sort of cooker you rarely see in imported
’vans, featuring a mains hotplate as well as
a separate oven and grill. The galley here is a
straight run of furniture, rather than the more
common L-shape, and low-level storage is quite
sparse, although a folding panel creates sufficient
worktop (overhanging the offside sofa). The top
lockers above are especially deep (headroom here
is a massive 2.12m), so you might need a step to
reach the contents if you’re not tall. There are no
such access issues, though, with the 142-litre
automatic energy selection fridge opposite.
FAMOUS FIVE
Nor do you need to have legs like Jodie Kidd to
be comfortable in the front lounge, which has a
44 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
pleasant contemporary feel with a restful mix of
grey tones, as well as armrests and scatter
cushions to increase your comfort. There’s room
for five folk around the table but couples are
more likely to be the 75-4I’s demographic and
twosomes will rarely have to unfold the fixed
table to its full size. A TV bracket in the entrance
area is well placed for viewing from the cab seats
but, although a Status 550 directional aerial is
fitted, you’ll need to fork out for the telly itself.
Other dealer-fit items include an awning and
microwave, while a Kitchen Pack of washing-up
bowl, drainer and chopping board is also offered.
Everything else is standard, including Truma
Combi 4kW gas/electric heating, 100-litre fresh
and waste water tanks (the former inboard), a
100W solar panel and a 110Ah leisure battery.
However, if you want to use this Adamo as a
four-berth, you’ll need to convert the settees into a
bed the ‘old-fashioned way’. Surprisingly, this is the
only Adamo without a drop-down bed because,
Bailey says, fitting one would have compromised
the kitchen. The front transverse bed measures
2.22m by 1.20m, according to Bailey.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
At under £60k with all the bells and whistles, the
Adamo 75-4I looks great value and its big garage
gives it an equally big plus over most rivals,
especially if you want to carry bikes. You’ll
probably soon get used to the different floor levels
inside, while the huge headroom up front makes
the Bailey feel extra spacious. Be sure that the
island bed is big enough, though, and, if you
always tour en famille, you might prefer a rival
with a drop-down bed over the lounge.
Join us on the road in 2021
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F R E E D O M T O E X P L O R E

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WWW.SHOWGOER.CO.UK *January Motorhome & Campervan Sale & The Yorkshire Motorhome & Campervan Show are day visitor only events.
New ’vans
Edge Campervans
Linear
Turning from canal boats to campervans...
W
E stumbled across this new campervan at
the National Motorhome and Campervan
Sale. The clever use of bright accents with
neutral tones popped as we wandered around the
show. There’s a multitude of side kitchen VW
campervans out there, but this one seemed different at
first glance, so we stepped in for a closer look.
Based on a 2018 VW T6, the gold paint (officially
called Mojave Beige) is subtle yet classy. The vehicle in
question only had 900 miles on the clock, too, so it’s
not an old works van that has been used and abused.
Plus, it’s the more desirable Highline spec. OK, so it
only has the 102bhp engine, but you do get front
foglights with cornering lights, a heated windscreen,
factory glazed tailgate with wash/wipe, cruise control,
parking sensors, 16in alloy wheels and a DAB media
system that has Bluetooth and is app-enabled.
Stepping inside, there is a pop-top roof (a Skyline
version that can open up at the front and let the
sunshine flood in) with marine-grade canvas and a
bed board supporting a memory foam mattress. The
underside of the bed is finished in suede. The neatest
touch is the routed groove detailing, designed to
match the boat-style planking on the floor.
You may find a few more references to boats in this
review as the company has been fitting out a wide
variety of watercraft, making the move into
campervans more recently. It makes its own furniture,
allowing for the curves and unusual two-tone
colourway not commonly found in campervans.
46 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
What that curve at the front means is that the
driver’s seat, once swivelled, doesn’t feel hemmed in
by the kitchen unit. The curved section opens to
reveal shelves, while the 50-litre Webasto compressor
fridge is neatly hidden behind a door. This shape is
also mirrored in the upper lockers.
There’s a cutlery drawer above, with further lockers
and drawers to the right, and all the doors operate via
push-to-open catches. The Smev two-burner hob and
combined sink unit does take up a chunk of worktop
but there is a small amount at either end for
condiments, etc. You’re going to need to set up the
table for more extensive prep.
A large shelved unit to the rear of the kitchen has a
tambour door for access, while the very rear of this
(accessed through the tailgate) holds the electric
control panel and a removable water tank. The gas
locker is in a steel vented compartment below the seat. Words & photos
The RIB 112 seat offers belts for two, as well as Rachel Stothert
making into the main bed at night, although there is
also a double bed (more suited to kids) in the roof.
Thermal VanShades blinds are fitted to all windows to
make setting up for bedtime easier.
The demo model was fitted with USB charging
points, a gas alarm, LED strip feature lighting (including
touch on/off and a dimming facility), as well as a stalk-
style light for the roof bed with another USB socket.
Finally, heating comes courtesy of a Planar 2kW
diesel heater fitted underneath the ’van, with warm air
ducted into the camper interior.
 Edge Campervans Linear

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE VW Transporter T6
PRICE FROM £49,995
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 4.89m
WIDTH 1.90m
HEIGHT 2.01m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,000kg
PAYLOAD 620kg
ALSO CONSIDER
Bilbo’s Celex
CMC HemBil Escape
Three Bridge Infinity

BUY AN EDGE FROM…

The company has a
2,500sq ft premises
at Kibworth
near Market
Harborough in
Leicestershire,
where it builds
and sells its
campervans. You
may also see the
company exhibiting
at outdoor
motorhome shows.

WHO IS EDGE CAMPERVANS?

Edge
Campervans,
owned by
Russ and Clare
Hubble, has
tackled a massive range of projects
involving traditional narrowboats, wide
beam boats, inspection launches and
Dutch-style barges, but moved into
campervans after looking at holidays
with their young daughter.
That’s when the idea of Edge
Campervans was born, but it took three
years to realise the dream and bring
the company to life. You can see its
demonstrator, as well as pictures from
the company’s previous boat history, on
its website – edgecampervans.co.uk

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 47
New ’vans
Hobby
Optima OnTour T65 HKM
A high-quality low-profile for all the family
H
OBBY’S Optima OnTour range combines
sturdy German quality with an un-Germanic
standard specification. The maker calls it
HobbyComplete and the concept is simple – that you
don’t need to add loads of extras to the basic vehicle.
That’s probably even more important here, because
the T65 HKM model is a rare find – a low-profile
motorhome that’s designed specifically for families. It’s
just a whisker under 7m long and built on a 3,500kg
chassis but, while the cab looks familiar, the badge on
the front is the double chevron motif of Citroën, not the
usual Fiat roundel. As a German model, it’s badged
Jumper and the standard engine is a 120bhp diesel –
exactly the same power unit as you get in a Peugeot
Boxer. Like that chassis, it’s manual-gearbox-only here
– there’s no auto option, but you can upgrade to 140 or
165bhp. Extras fitted on this show model included alloy
wheels and cab seats trimmed to match the living area.
The standard Citroën spec includes air-
conditioning, driver and passenger airbags, cruise
control, mudflaps, height-adjustable cab chairs and a
front bumper and door handles that are colour-coded.
It’s the layout that’s the USP, with a pullman dinette
on the offside and a long sofa opposite. There’s no
need to struggle with infill cushions at night as the
bed simply pulls down from the ceiling above. It
measures 2.00m by 1.30m (according to Hobby) and
there’s also a pair of bunk beds across the back of the
’van. These aren’t just for kids, either, at 2.13m long
and 0.84m or 0.90m wide. Better still, they’re a decent
48 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
distance away from the dinette, so you won’t disturb
the little loves as they (hopefully) sleep.
Whether it’s family time or after the kids have gone
to bed, the lounge is a good size, even without
bringing the cab seats into play, and the table extends
towards the settee for when you’ve got an extra visitor.
The kitchen is well separated from the lounge,
although the chef may be disturbed by comings and
goings through the habitation door. Its L-shape design
incorporates a surprisingly generous amount of worktop,
even before you deploy the extra flap across the door. A
full-sized oven/grill is an option that’s sure to be required
by most British buyers and it’s mounted at floor level –
better, perhaps, than up in the sky over a fridge/freezer,
but certainly requiring some bending down. Opposite,
the tall/slim 133-litre fridge is not only easy to access but
comes with automatic energy selection.
The Optima OnTour also comes with a range of
other features, from body construction with a GRP
underside and hail-resistant roof to a pull-out gas
shelf to make changing cylinders much less of a back-
breaking exercise. Heating comes from the powerful
(6kW) version of Truma’s Combi, although you do
have to pay extra for the less baffling CP Plus controls,
as well as the gas/electric EH version (standard is gas-
only). Fresh and waste water capacities are adequate at
100 litres and 96 litres, respectively, while even the
latter is heated and insulated. That’s the philosophy
here, a practical motorhome with all the essentials
and, with the HKM layout, it has few direct rivals.
WHO IS HOBBY?
Hobby has been making caravans for
five decades and first sold motorhomes
in the UK – its original, striking and
iconic metallic gold 600 – in the mid
1980s. Today, it employs almost 1,000
people at its factory in Schleswig-
Holstein, northern Germany – one of the
largest caravan/motorhome plants in
Europe. Over half of its campervans and
motorhomes are exported and it has over
350 retailers all over Europe.
Hobby builds Optima OnTour low-profile
and overcab motorhomes, high-spec
OnTour Edition low-profiles and Vantana
van conversions (but no A-classes).
Hobby Optima OnTour T65 HKM

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Citroën Jumper
PRICE FROM £49,747
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 6.99m
WIDTH 2.33m
HEIGHT 2.85m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg
PAYLOAD 515kg
ALSO CONSIDER
Benimar Tessoro 413
Pilote Pacific P696S

BUY A HOBBY FROM…

Hobby Caravans
and Motorhomes
Great Britain and
Ireland Ltd is now
the importer for
all the German
brand’s vehicles,
operating from
premises in Preston,
Lancashire. It has
appointed a number Dealer

s
of retailers, as well 7

na
ti o n w i d

e
as service partners.
There are currently
seven dealers for
Hobby campervans
and motorhomes around the UK, from
The Motorhome Sales Scotland, near
Glasgow, down to WKD Caravan
Services in Essex.
Your nearest Hobby dealer can be found
at hobby-caravans.co.uk/dealer-
locator/

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 49
New ’vans
Le Voyageur
Classic LV6.8LF
The smallest model from this prestige brand
is also one of the most spacious
T
HIS premium French marque is celebrating four
decades of A-class production. It has always
ploughed its own furrow, with vehicles that look
a little different to the Teutonic norm and this smallest
model in the range is also one of the most interesting.
Based on an Al-Ko chassis with 26cm-deep double
floor encasing the water tanks as well as basement
storage, the Classic range includes floorplans up to
8.55m long. Luxury doesn’t have to come in such a
voluminous package, though – the LV6.8LF is 6.80m.
Part of the reason this model can be compact and
yet still feel remarkably roomy is that it doesn’t have a
fixed bed. Instead, the main bed is a drop-down one
above the cab. This isn’t just an ordinary pull-down
bed, though, as it lowers electrically and then extends
so that you can sleep lengthways. Not only does that
result in a huge 1.94m by 1.86m mattress area but it
also makes for much easier access, as you won’t have
to climb over your partner to get out. There’s even a
small amount of lounge space left with the bed down
– somewhere to sit to put your socks on, perhaps.
With the bed stowed, you can appreciate the size of
the lounge. The long, luxurious sofas are well-shaped
for relaxing, while the large (1.20m by 0.82m) dining
table folds in half to become less dominant. There’s a
height-adjustable TV bracket (the telly actually hides
away when raised) and a three-bottle wine rack is
incorporated in the table’s base – how French!
A flat floor throughout the living area leads aft to
50 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
the generous galley at the offside. There’s plenty of
preparation space here, as well as lots of well-planned
storage, including large drawers incorporating two
bins and a six-bottle wine rack…
You only get a two-burner hob but three rings are
an option, or you can go for the full monty with a
mains hotplate and grill/oven. Even a microwave is on
the options list, while the sink is deep and the fridge is
a giant, 160-litre automatic energy selection model.
There’s a good array of overhead cupboards, plus even
more storage behind a tambour door to the rear.
There’s internal access to the garage, too.
With internal headroom of 1.29m and two large
external loading doors, plus an exterior shower, 12V
and 230V sockets and an LED strip light running
almost the full width of the vehicle, this is a great space
for bikes and more but, if you want to make the most of
it, the standard 350kg payload may not be enough.
Fortunately, a 4,500kg Heavy chassis option is offered.
The washroom is stylish. The super-sized shower is
the star feature and the only downside is that the loo
(a ceramic bowl Thetford) is rather high. Excellent
wardrobe storage (with a hanging rail that slides out
towards you) makes it a spacious changing room, too.
There’s an optional third travel seat, but this
motorhome is all about luxury for two. Details like the
padded headlining reinforce the premium vibe, but
bear in mind that our photos show a 2020 model and
the latest version has some detail cosmetic updates.
BUY A LE VOYAGEUR FROM…
Once represented by
a sole UK dealer,
Le Voyageur now
has four outlets
in England and
one in Northern
Ireland. The
southernmost
retailer for the
brand is Wilmoths
in Southampton,
while Pullingers
Leisure Vehicles
is in Essex and,
further north, you’ll
find Oakwell in
Barnsley and Signature
Motorhomes & Leisure in Preston.
Across the Irish Sea, the dealer is
Camper NI.
Le Voyageur Classic LV6.8LF

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Fiat Ducato Al-Ko
PRICE FROM £92,369
BERTHS 2
TRAVEL SEATS 2/3
LENGTH 6.80m
WIDTH 2.24m
HEIGHT 2.95m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg
PAYLOAD 350kg
ALSO CONSIDER
Frankia F-Line I 680 SG

WHO IS LE VOYAGEUR?

Unlike many manufacturers, Le Voyageur

makes only A-class motorhomes – that’s
been true for most of the company’s
four decades of history. Today’s range
stretches from 3,500kg to 12,000kg
and 6.80m to 10.80m, with some of the
largest liner models even including a
garage for a small car. The company is
based at La Membrolle-sur-Longuenée in
central France.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 51
New ’vans

Swift Escape 604

Looking for a compact British low-profile? You’ve come to the right place

WHO IS SWIFT?
A stalwart in the
UK motorhome
(and caravan and
holiday home)
industry, Swift
has been making
leisure vehicles
for over 50 years
(and motorhomes since 1985). Based on
the outskirts of Hull, its largest market
is, of course, the UK but it also exports
to Europe, the Middle and Far East and
down under (both Australia and New
Zealand).
The Swift motorhome range has now all
been brought under the parent company
name, including van conversions
(previously under the Autocruise
banner), while the Bessacarr name
disappeared in 2020. Kon-tiki is the
flagship, with Edge at the opposite end
of the line-up.

I
F you’re looking for a compact low-profile
motorhome then Swift offers sub-6m layouts
in both Escape and the slightly slimmer
(2.26m wide) Escape Compact ranges. At
2.31m overall, this Escape 604 is the same
width as its bigger brothers (ranging up to
7.86m) but it is now the only compact Escape
that isn’t an Escape Compact, if you get my
drift. The Escape 612 and 622 (classic two-
berth layouts with front and rear lounges,
respectively) have been dropped from the
rationalised range for 2021.
The good news, though, is that the little 604
is very much an on-trend design with its drop-
down bed and four-berth/four travel seat
versatility. It’s also been upgraded for the year
ahead, not only with new graphics but extra
spec, too. Our photos are of the 2020-season
version, so don’t show the new alloy wheels but
the panoramic sunroof seen here is now a
standard feature, rather than part of the
optional Comfort Pack.
In fact, there is no longer any pack to factor
into the cost of your new Escape. The only
options listed from the factory are a 140bhp
engine upgrade (£1,295), that motor with the
nine-speed automatic gearbox (£3,495), a
Thule roll-out awning (£795), a detachable
towbar (£655) and SwiftShield upholstery
(£450). The standard spec now includes cruise
control, a reversing camera and reversing
sensors, removable carpets, a microwave, a
flyscreen for the habitation door and a pleated
windscreen blind. The Winter Pack – waste
water tank heater (including en route heating),
underfloor pipe insulation and fridge vent
covers – is also now part of the standard spec.
And, best of all, the new list price (£54,345) is
less than 2020’s figure when the previous
Comfort Pack is taken into account.
PLUS ÇA CHANGE
Fundamentally, this is still the same ’van. It
looks neat and its ultra-short rear overhang
should ensure excellent stability and handling.

52 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

 Swift Escape 604

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Fiat Ducato
PRICE FROM £54,345
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 5.97m
WIDTH 2.31m
HEIGHT 2.91m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg
PAYLOAD 643kg
ALSO CONSIDER
Adria Matrix Axess 520 ST
Benimar Mileo 202
Roller Team T-Line 590

The gas locker (at the rear offside) is rather
high, so you’ll need to eat your spinach before
changing gas cylinders, but alongside is a
second hatch that reveals shelved storage for
your mains lead, hose, etc. There’s no larger
external storage for chairs, bikes, etc, and the
habitation door doesn’t have a window but
neither does it need an external step, as the
entrance is nice and low. Being so compact,
the standard 120bhp Fiat diesel engine should
be perfectly adequate, too, unless you’re drawn
to the delights of the automatic option.
Inside, the drop-down bed over the front
lounge is a defining feature. It’s manually
operated but doesn’t require a great deal of
effort and it is shaped (narrower on the
nearside) to avoid obstructing the entrance
when down. Its dimensions of 1.88m by 1.29m
(max) are adequate and it lowers until the
cupboards hung from its underside rest on
the settees. At that point it’s 1.11m off the floor.
Swift has thought about ventilation and
fitted a small rooflight directly above, but there
are no reading lights, just an LED strip adjacent.
And, if you want to use the 604 as an occasional
four-berth, you can stop the bed in a mid-
position and convert the sofas below into a
second double bed (2.09m by 1.48m, according
to Swift) – just watch the headroom as those
underslung cupboards will reduce it for
‘downstairs’ sleepers.
When the lounge is acting as a, um, lounge,
it’s both a good size and comfortable, despite
the cab floor being higher than in the rest of the
’van. The front seats rotate through a full 180
degrees, too, so you can get socks on sofas for
complete chillout. The padded window
surrounds are typically Swift and a
contemporary piece of design. The overcab
sunroof means there’s no shortage of daylight,
while artificial illumination (plenty of it) is
provided by pin LEDs under the top lockers,
ambient lighting above the top cupboards and
flexible arm reading lights in the cab. There’s a
TV bracket above the travel seats and USB
❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 53
New ’vans

BUY A SWIFT FROM…

Swift has a large
network of
dealers, as you’d
expect from the
UK’s biggest
manufacturer.
In Scotland, it is
represented by
Perthshire Caravans,
Knowepark Caravans Dealer
and Burnhouse

s
38
Caravans.

na
ti o n w i d

e
In Wales it has
Spinney Flintshire,
Newport Caravans and
two branches of 3As Leisure.
In Northern Ireland Swift vehicles are
sold by Thompson Leisure.
Then, around England, there are 31
dealers, including two branches each
of Lowdhams and Dolphin. You should
never be far from your nearest Swift
dealer while you tour the UK.

ports adjacent.
In this rather continental-style layout there’s
a Euro-style fixed table that’s quite compact
(840mm by 495mm) but perfectly adequate for
a couple. If you’re feeding four there’s a rather
fiddly slot-in extension panel to increase the
acreage of the table, although it’s nothing like as
slick as the usual swing-out panel.
The kitchen is a small unit to the rear of the
habitation door but, although it’s compact, it’s
not short of facilities. There’s a Thetford three-
burner hob with combined oven/grill below
and a microwave is installed above, at eye level.
There’s a cutlery drawer in the cupboard under
the sink and another drawer below the oven,
but the worktop flap that opens across the
doorway will be essential for all but the most
basic culinary endeavours.
There’s better news across on the offside,
where the 139-litre fridge is the latest Dometic
type with a door that can be opened from either
side. Then, alongside that, is a tall ‘n’ slim
wardrobe with generous hanging height, as well
as shelves top and bottom.
PETITE ’VAN, GRANDE BATHROOM
However, another reason to buy this baby Swift
will be its anything-but-diminutive washroom,
running right across the back of the ’van.
There’s a second decent-sized wardrobe in here,
plus a large shelved cupboard behind the fixed
basin and an unusually generous amount of
worktop for make-up, etc.
A separate shower is included here, too,
complete with a Swift-branded panel
incorporating the riser bar, but there’s no
storage for your gels and shampoo.
With a lot more living space than a van
conversion of the same length, a great
washroom and an almost instant double bed,
the little Escape 604 is an appealing couples
’van that might serve as an occasional four-
berth. With more kit, the 2021 version is even
more appealing but there are some good
competitors to consider before you decide.

54 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

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New ’vans
Weinsberg
CaraCore 650 MF
An A-class with a French bed is an ultra-rare
combo and this one’s keenly priced, too
T
HE French bed was once one of Europe’s most
popular floorplans. Today, it has been largely
usurped by the island bed, which offers easier
access for both occupants. That’s not to say the French
bed is dead, though, and it still exists in ranges from
the main UK manufacturers, often at entry-level
pricing. And it still has appeal, with the bedroom
being less dominant than in other fixed bed formats.
But what if you fancied a French bed combined
with the prestige (and drop-down cab bed) of an
A-class? That’s a wholly different story, for this
combination is now almost impossible to find.
Weinsberg clearly still sees a market for such a
motorhome, though, and launched the CaraCore 650
MF in 2020. In fact, this is a whole new range, with the
trio being completed by a pair of single bed models.
It’s keenly priced for an A-class, too, but manages to
avoid the boxy appearance of some more affordable
motorhomes of this type. That’s helped here by the
optional Styling Package (£1,160) with 16in alloy
wheels and some gloss black highlights on the exterior.
UK-bound CaraCores also benefit not only from
RHD but a host of extra gear as standard, including
cab air-con, sumptuous Grammer captain’s chairs with
height/tilt adjustment, and gas/electric heating. Gross
weight can be 3,500kg or 4,000kg. You might want to
consider the latter as the 650 MF has a surprisingly
capacious under-bed storage area, accessed from the
offside. Headroom in here is 0.87m (not sufficient for
56 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
bikes, unless they fold), stretching 1.14m across the
’van with a width of 0.83m. Then there’s a shallow
section extending underneath the bathroom floor.
Inside, the layout certainly feels more spacious than
many island bed rivals, especially as this Weinsberg is
a modest 6.99m long. As well as the L-shaped settee
on the nearside, there’s an extra-long sofa opposite,
while the superb cab chairs complete a living space
that’s ripe for family living or couples to entertain.
A high back to the rear passenger seats gives clear
separation between the lounge and the galley and, with
the headrests removed, there’s a useful serving shelf.
The kitchen itself comes with a three-burner hob and
two XXL-sized drawers, while the 142-litre fridge is
opposite, at the foot of the bed. There’s no factory option
to have an oven in this layout, unfortunately (it’s offered
in other CaraCores), but a dealer-fit might be possible.
You can’t separate the bedroom completely but
there is a privacy curtain. More importantly, perhaps,
the bed is a good length (1.96m) and it doesn’t suffer
the acutely lopped off corner that so hampers sleeping
comfort in some French beds. There’s plenty of room
to sit up in bed, too, while well-placed reading lights
and a roof vent overhead are further pluses.
Also well-planned is the washroom, especially WHO IS WEINSBERG?
considering that it is tucked into the space alongside
the bed. With a Dometic ceramic loo, a separate
shower, corner basin and clothes drying rail, it’s
another positive in this CaraCore. The first Weinsberg leisure vehicle – a
Fiat-based pop-top camper – debuted
in 1969. The company entered the
coachbuilt motorhome market in 1981,
again with Fiat providing the chassis.
Then, in 1992, it was taken over by
caravan firm, Tabbert, which merged
with Knaus in 2003.
Since 2008, Weinsberg has been
an entry-level brand, sitting below
Knaus, and its CaraLoft, CaraHome and
CaraCompact ranges were announced in
2014, followed by the highly successful
Pepper Edition in 2017. Finally, the first
Weinsberg A-class arrived in 2019,
completing a line-up that also includes
a variety of campervans, low-profiles
and overcab coachbuilts.
Weinsberg CaraCore 650 MF

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Fiat Ducato
PRICE FROM £63,330
BERTHS 5
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 6.99m
WIDTH 2.32m
HEIGHT 2.79m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg
PAYLOAD 570kg
ALSO CONSIDER
Eura Mobil Integra Line 675 SB

BUY A WEINSBERG FROM…

Weinsberg has 13
dealers across
the UK, details
of which can
be found on
its website at
weinsberg.com/
en-uk/support/
dealer-search/
In Scotland you’ll Dealer

s
find Weinsberg 13

na
ti o n w i d

e
vehicles at
Camperco, while
in Northern Ireland
the dealer is Bunk
Campers, in Belfast.
Tenby Tourers represents the German
brand in Wales, while in England it
has outlets as far west as Alan Kerr
in Devon and as far north as Preston
Caravans and Motorhomes.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 57
Buying advice
Rent first
If you’re not quite ready to invest thousands of pounds in
your own ’van, why not try hiring before you buy?
H
iring out a motorhome or campervan is a
great way to get a first taste of the outdoor
lifestyle, before you make a commitment to
buying. It’s a chance to see if a motorhome suits you
and to get used to driving one. Before you make a
booking, read these top tips to make sure you get
the perfect model for you.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT MOTORHOME
OR CAMPERVAN FOR YOU
Give some genuine thought to when you’ll be using
the motorhome or campervan.
Why? Well, if you plan on touring in the winter,
you’ll need a motorhome or campervan with Grade
III insulation, so it has a suitable heating system to
cope with cold weather. You may be spending
longer inside the motorhome than in the summer,
so consider a model with a comfortable lounge to
relax in. Also, how many people will be sleeping in
the motorhome?
Check the model you’re hiring has enough berths
for everyone, whether that be fixed or via settees
that can be converted at night. If you plan on
cooking, make sure the kitchen is well equipped.
What will you be doing? If you’re planning on
cycling, make sure it has a bike rack and/or a garage
large enough to get bikes inside. If you’re
considering a family holiday and eating outside, ask
for an external barbecue point and/or a garage large
enough for all your chairs, table and barbecue to fit
in. Don’t forget to check that the motorhome has
enough belted travel seats for all passengers.
Hiring a campervan for a holiday or
weekend away is a good first step
58 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
AGE AND DRIVING LICENCE REQUIREMENTS
There are typically age limits for drivers who want
to hire a motorhome; be prepared to pay extra or
even be turned away if you’re aged under 21 or
over 70. This doesn’t mean you can’t hire a
motorhome but you may find there are fewer
options open to you.
You will be governed by your driving licence
regarding the models you can hire. Almost all
campervans are OK if you have a standard UK car
licence but, if you want a larger motorhome, look at
your licence categories. If you do not have category
C1, you will be limited to a motorhome with a
maximum gross weight of 3,500kg or less. This will
exclude some larger motorhomes.
Think about whether you are comfortable
driving a larger vehicle. While many campervans
are no longer than a family estate car, coachbuilt
motorhomes can be well over eight metres long. If
you are unsure, consider taking a training course
first from either the Camping and Caravanning
Club or the Caravan and Motorhome Club.
INSURANCE
MAKING A BOOKING Insurance comes as part of the hire; you don’t want to
Most companies will have prices on their websites write off a £60,000 motorhome and have to pay for it!
– school summer holidays are likely to be the most Usually the cover will be fully comprehensive for the
expensive periods. Some companies have online named driver but, if there’s a party of adults, it makes
booking systems but others require you to call them sense to spread the driving load by adding additional
or go to the office in person. Either way, you’ll need drivers, for a fee, so in case of emergencies, someone
your credit or debit card. Be prepared to leave a else can drive the motorhome back. If the named
deposit to secure your booking, and potentially a driver has any medical conditions, these must be
security deposit, too. discussed before the booking is completed, as they
may invalidate the insurance cover.
Breakdown cover may also come as part of the
motorhome rental charge, although it’s often
limited to the UK. So, If you’re heading for Europe,
ensure the breakdown policy is extended
accordingly so that you’re fully covered.
COLLECTING THE MOTORHOME
On the day of collection, there are some important
steps to go through. You’ll need to bring your driving
licence – don’t forget it! On the handover, check the
motorhome for any dents or internal damage. Be
sure to declare any concerns on the hire form. If you
don’t declare them before signing the form, you may
be liable for the damage when you return.
Ask the hire staff to demonstrate as many
features on the motorhome as possible. It’s worth
recording this on your phone or camera for later
reference. If something doesn’t work properly, you
can get it signed off so you aren’t liable for it when

you come back.
If you have brought all your items with you –
rather than driving the ’van home first – transfer
everything to the motorhome and pack it securely.
Then, it’s time for the adventure to begin. Remember,
all your passengers must be in a forward or
backwards-facing seat, with a seatbelt fitted.
IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT
If you are involved in an accident while in possession
of your rented motorhome, you should be aware of
what to do. For something minor that doesn’t
involve another vehicle, take note of what has
happened, photograph the damage and then call
the insurance or breakdown company as specified
in the hire agreement.
HIRE COMPANY CONTACTS
CAMBRIDGE CAMPERVANS
cambridgecampervans.co.uk
01480 461463
CAPRICORN CAMPERS
capricorncampers.com 01692 538948
FREEDHOME
freedhome.co.uk 08007 223880
JUST GO MOTORHOME HIRE
justgo.uk.com 01525 878000
Hiring a motorhome or campervan is a great way of getting a taste of the lifestyle
If you are in an accident with another vehicle, the
process is the same as if you were in a car. Put your
hazard lights on and turn off the engine. By law, you
must call the police if you are the driver and anyone
else has been injured, damage has been caused to
another vehicle or someone else’s property, or an
animal (horse, cattle, sheep, pig, goat or dog) has
been injured or killed on the road.
Even if the accident is not your fault, you cannot
just drive off. You must stop at the scene so that you
can exchange details with other drivers, or wait for
the police, if that is required. It’s a legal requirement
to give your vehicle registration number, name and
address to anyone else at the scene who asks for
them. If you don’t, those details must be supplied to
a police station or officer within 24 hours.
MCRENT (c/o Lowdhams)
lowdhams.com
01159 663838 (Notts) 01484 642613 (Huddersfield)
POPLAR MOTORS
poplarmotors.co.uk 01246 275396
RENT EASY
rent-easy.co.uk 0049 7562 91389-290
ROSEISLE
roseislemotorhomehire.com 01316 535023
Hire
RETURNING THE MOTORHOME
When it’s time to return the motorhome, it should
have the agreed amount of fuel in it. Sometimes
you’ll start with a full tank and you’ll be expected to
fill it up before returning. Failure to do so will incur
a surcharge.
As much as you can, clean the motorhome inside
and remember to empty the toilet. Unpack your
stuff and the hire company will come out to do an
inspection, referring to the hire form that showed
any pre-existing faults. Any new damage will either
be charged for or claimed against the insurance,
subject to the excess charges agreed at the start.
Make sure you get a copy of the sign-off sheet that
shows the motorhome has been returned in the
same condition it was hired in.
ROLLING HOMES
rolling-homes.co.uk 01743 443877
SWIFT GO
swiftgo.co.uk 03332 472222
THREEWAYS MOTORHOMES
threewaysmotorhomes.net 01745 827607
WORLDWIDE MOTORHOMING HOLIDAYS
worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk
02477 670638
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 59
Buying advice
More credit
where it’s due
In the last issue we looked at how your credit rating is worked
out, but what if you think your rating is inaccurate?
I
f you’ve been turned down for a loan you have a
right to see your credit reference file from any of
the three credit reference agencies mentioned in
last month’s column – if you missed it, they are:
Experian (experian.co.uk), Equifax (equifax.co.uk)
and TransUnion (transunion.co.uk). Known as a
statutory credit report, an agency must give it to
you for free, although they may offer other
(chargeable) services where you are sent a copy of
your file regularly. If you’re thinking about signing
up to this, read the terms and conditions and check
it’s what you want before you agree to it. If you sign
up to a free trial and decide it’s not right for you,
cancel before the trial ends or you’ll be charged.
If you think any of the information in your file is
wrong, you can write to the agencies and ask for it
to be changed – but not just because you don’t want
lenders to see it. You can also add extra information
about your situation, such as having paid off a debt.
This is called a notice of correction and it might just
help you if you apply for credit in the future.
When lenders search your credit reference file
they may find a warning against your name if
someone has used your financial or personal details
in a fraudulent way. For example, there may be a
warning if someone has used your name to apply
for credit or forged your signature. There might
60 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
also be a warning against your name if you have
done something fraudulent. To be able to see this
warning the lender must be a member of Cifas
(cifas.org.uk), which collates information about
fraudulent activity.
If there’s a warning against your name, the lender
needs to carry out further checks before rubber
stamping your application. This may include asking
you to provide extra evidence of your identity to
confirm who you are, so you don’t end up being
chased for money you don’t owe.
If there’s a Cifas warning against your name
you’ll be able to see this on your credit file and, if
you’re an innocent victim of fraud, Cifas members
must send you a letter telling you of this alert. A
Cifas member can’t refuse an application because
there’s a warning on your file; they must make
further enquiries before making a decision.
GETTING CREDIT WITH A POOR
CREDIT SCORE
If you have a low credit score, a lender may ask for
a guarantor, or someone who signs a credit
agreement to say they’ll repay the money if you
don’t. Your guarantor will have to give information
about their personal details, so the creditor can
check they’re creditworthy, so pick a guarantor with
Pixabay
Words Richard Dredge
a good credit score. If you’re thinking of being a
guarantor, make sure you understand what you’re
agreeing to by reading the small print in any
agreement before signing it.
If you’re refused credit, you may be able to do
one of several things. If you’re having problems
with the size of your outgoings, you might be able
to get help with your bills. Check your credit
reference file before you apply for credit or a loan,
so that you know whether there are any facts about
you which might affect your credit score. Facts that
might affect your credit rating include court
judgments or a poor payment record. Get any
incorrect information changed or removed and add
a correction notice to explain if there are any
special circumstances.
If you apply to lots of lenders, this will leave a
trail on your credit reference file. This may affect
your credit score as lenders may think you already
have lots of borrowing, or have been refused by
other creditors. If you’re still finding it difficult to
borrow from mainstream lenders, such as banks
and credit card companies, check if there’s a credit
union in your area – but, whatever you do, don’t
resort to borrowing money from anyone that isn’t
on the Financial Conduct Authority register, which
you can view at register.fca.org.uk
 Display classifieds
ACCESSORIES FOR SALE
Ferry Good
for Al-ko
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T 01925 740666 • M 07874 046643

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Your Midlands motor home service provider Call 01422 396 754
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MMM 201501 Wanted - Half Page (18.11.2014)_Layout 1 19/11/2014 21:06 Page 1
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 DIGITAL EDITION
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AUTO-SLEEPERS TRIDENT HIGH TOP VOLKSWAGEN

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62 | | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021


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whatmotorhome.co.uk | 63
 : A special edition range fully equipped from
£55.940* !
Take the best selling low-profile and A-Class motorhomes and provi-
de them with the finest equipment then travel with tranquility. You get
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The Evidence range has been designed with you in mind and will provide
the perfect traveling companion. Carefully chosen level of specification
that will deliver everything you require for the perfect journey. All you need
to decide is where you wish to go.

STANDARD: HIGH LEVEL OF EQUIPMENT

ENGINE COMFORT PACK

• 140 ch EcoPack
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• 8” Media pack
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• Android Auto/Apple CarPlay
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• Front and rear speakers
ENERGY PACK
• 95 Ah AGM battery
• Booster for quick charge.
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LUXURY INTERNAL PACK
• Leather steering wheel
• and gear knob
• Steering wheel controls
• Chrome instruments,
• Aluminium dashboard
• Living area door with window
• 2-point central locking
• flyscreen
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AND MUCH MORE
• Imitation leather upholstery
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(only in low-profile)
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• 16’’ alloy rims
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Pilote has also developed different layouts in both Essentiel & Sensation to
fit your desire. Low-profile or A-Class, 9 layouts, 2 equipement lines and
hundreds of options are at your disposal.

WWW.PILOTE-MOTORHOME.CO.UK
*Price for P650C. Models available in Evidence Range P650C, P626D, P696D, P740FC & G740FC.