MCD wheel estate ALLISEE SUPREMACY
MCD wheel estate ALLISEE SUPREMACY
Supreme
achiever Words by Cameron Officer Images by Cameron Officer and Peter Elliott
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Cameron Officer finds that, when it comes to building well-specified, well-laid-out motorhomes, there is a lot to be learnt from the marine industry. He also suggests that, as far as new models for 2015 go, the best has been saved for last.
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ndrew Fink, managing director of Auto Leisure & Marine (ALM) has been a boat builder for many years, studying the craft under his father. It’s a skill that runs deep in the family, his brother Lance owns Tristram Marine, a familiar name in the New Zealand industry. But Andrew’s understanding of how to maximise efficiency in the most confined spaces also comes into play when designing and building motorhomes. Assessing a space from every angle in order to gain the best use of that space is a philosophy as translatable to motorhome manufacturing as it is to super-yacht construction. “To me the only difference between boats and motorhomes is one floats and one doesn’t,” he tells me. ALM launched its second generation Allisee four berth model earlier this year at the Covi show in Auckland. It’s an evolution from the first generation model. This time ALM has chosen in favour of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 519, featuring a 140kW (190hp) six-cylinder turbo diesel.
SEAMLESS DESIGN In designing the exterior look of the Allisee, Andrew was determined that it should look like a complete unit, rather than a pre-prescribed front end with a separate box on the back. Andrew wanted a seamless flow between what Mercedes-Benz supplies and what he and his team builds. He has achieved
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this, with loads of subtle detailing such as the way the lines bookending the cab-over section echo the lines on the bonnet of the Mercedes-Benz below. This attention to detail is evident everywhere, especially inside. The Allisee Supremacy features a massive Schwintek-driven slide-out, which takes up the entire side of the living space. Andrew says the full-length slide-out brings with it plenty of challenges from a design point-of-view, but huge rewards for the owner. Even when the slide-out – which broadens both living and sleeping quarters in equal measure – isn’t deployed, occupants can still easily access the bathroom. A premium-look sliding door into the bathroom is curved at its leading edge in such a way that the bathroom is accessible when the slide-out is in, without needing to climb over the ends of beds or shimmy past furniture to get there. As the slide-out extends it essentially picks up the queen bed as it goes, repositioning it perfectly in the centre of the bedroom thanks to an arrangement of cleverly-designed spigots underneath. This engineering touch doesn’t intrude on under-bed space though; the spigot system is completely hidden from view. That’s handy because it’s from under the bed that you retrieve an infill squab to turn the L-shaped sofa into a full U-shaped arrangement with some deft repositioning of an ottoman. In Motorhomes Caravans & Destinations
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MCD wheel estate ALLISEE SUPREMACY
reconfiguring the living space to suit guests or nightly dinner arrangements, Andrew says it was important to retain a seamless, permanent look; this idea extends to items like the line the upholstery stitching takes, which all matches up regardless of whether the sofa is in its short or full configuration. Andrew was also determined that, with the Allisee having a slide-out, there be minimal impact on internal floor height. As a result there is no large step up into the dining area, or interrupting the bedroom; everything is as near to flush as possible. Other features include beautifully finished gloss doors and satin surface textures, a large full-length storage cubby door above the kitchenette to reduce clutter, integrated LED strip lighting, dimmable downlights and touch-sensitive reading lights above the bed, a clever
Specifications BERTHS
4
AXLES
2
OVERALL WIDTH
2445mm
OVERALL HEIGHT
3290mm
OVERALL LENGTH
7900mm
MAX FRESH WATER CAPACITY
250L
MAX GREY WATER CAPACITY
230L
GROSS VEHICLE MASS
5300kg
PRICE
From $300,000
slide-out wardrobe accessible from both sides and an equally well-hidden slide-out pantry system and wine rack. Dual rubbish bins, simple yacht-style door catch fittings and a 190-litre Dometic ’fridge refinished by ALM in high gloss white finish off the modern, tasteful interior.
WHAT LIES BENEATH The ALM build team is just as proud of the areas of this motorhome you can’t see, as the areas you can. Again, it seems that marine industry experience really comes into play here, with the entire sub-frame fully galvanised and stainless steel fastenings used extensively. “In my experience, many vehicles just aren’t up to scratch as far as rust protection goes. We’re a coastal country and at any point in New Zealand our motorhomes are going to be on or very close to the coast, so the Allisee needs to be robust enough to put up with extensive exposure to salt.” Like the rest of the vehicle, which is 3D modelled in CAD, the aluminium under-floor lockers are CNC machined to be absolutely precise. Manufactured in the US, the windows are all double glazed and the tint is specifically colour-matched to Mercedes-Benz specification; a subtle but pleasing addition to the seamless look of the exterior design. The vehicle is fully insulated and utilises a diesel-powered hot water and heating combination unit. “The reason for this is that we up-spec the diesel capacity when we order the
Thule bike rack is an optional extra Mercedes-Benz chassis out of Germany,” explains Andrew. “The bigger capacity tank means we have a larger volume of diesel so it seems sensible to use that to generate hot water, which of course means there’s no down-time waiting for hot water when you arrive at your destination, because you can leave the diesel hot water system on when you are driving, unlike with a gas system.” Another nod to ALM’s marine industry experience is the Allisee’s use of ultrasonic water tank gauges. These work like depth-sounders, sending a frequency down and detecting the water level of the tank with absolute precision. This system will also automatically turn the pump off if the water level drops below five litres, so the pump can’t accidentally be left on without sufficient water in the tank.
The full-length slide-out creates an impressive amount of interior space
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MCD wheel estate ALLISEE SUPREMACY
TOTAL CONTROL The Allisee Supremacy also features an impressive central control system which is more comprehensive than anything I’ve seen so far in a New Zealand-manufactured vehicle. Utilising advanced hardware from BEP Marine, Andrew and his build team has redeployed in their motorhomes the CZone electronic management system, which was developed for super-yachts. The system is organised into various modes designed to provide one-touch ambient adjustment for the occupant. For example, select ‘Night entertainment’ mode and the system puts the cabin lights on, pushes power to the TV and switches both water pump and gas on. Conversely ‘Driving’ mode turns the house lights and the water pump off. There is even a ‘Night out and about’ mode which turns off all the recessed LED lighting inside, but leaves the awning lights on for your arrival home. The system can be controlled through an app on an iPad and works off the motorhome’s wifi system. There’s more to the CZone controller software than just ambient light management though. The occupant can also check on battery charge levels and water tank status in real time through the same iPad interface, meaning CZone can become a full vehicle diagnostics system. The idea, says Andrew, is that before heading off to bed or out for the night, you’re not flicking eight switches on or off and forgetting three.
Slide-out stainless steel BBQ is an optional extra Occasional table between reversible front seats creates a cosy spot for pre-dinner drinks • Robust construction and well-thought out interior layout • Impressive, intuitive automated central control system eases day-to-day living • Full-length slide-out really adds to available space
• None that we can think of
CONCLUSION Andrew says that while the specification of the Allisee Supremacy is comprehensive, it’s not all about ‘bling’. “This isn’t another ‘Me too’ vehicle. As a manufacturer in a small country, we can’t afford to do that. We have to be able to present something unique.” I think the ALM team has too. This Hamilton-manufactured motorhome boasts a rich feature set that provides tangible benefits for the occupants that make living that much easier. It’s a step ahead; an extremely well-thought-out motorhome that features the space and technology to provide years of contented recreational motoring. More than that, it’s the best motorhome I have seen this year.
For more information, phone (07) 850 5512
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The Allisee Supremacy’s main control panel is supplemented with a comprehensive CZone app for other comfort functions