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CAMPERVANNING WITH KIDS

Family-friendly ’vans examined

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FIXED BED COMPARISON

Globecar v Malibu

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Contents

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Contents 47

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News and views

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Group test The whole eight-model range of Peugeotbased campers from Auto-Sleepers goes under our spotlight

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Full-sized for families Not all larger campervans are just for couples. We investigate the choice of more family-friendly models

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Safety first Volkswagen’s new converter approval scheme and why it’s so important

Creative X-Plorer New conversion on a used Vauxhall

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Insurance Getting cover for day vans

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Hymer Free 540 Blue Evolution Over £14k-worth of extra kit as standard

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Rear view mirror 20 years ago, coachbuilts ruled

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Thistle Rose VW T6.1 From Yorkshire with some neat ideas

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Classified advertising Buy and sell Motorhomes and accessories

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Welcome Don’t rush in!

Get the right camper, not the first you see

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This month All the latest news Taxi maker announces electric campervan NEC show cancelled – again

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Next month A variety of new models Auto-Trail’s smallest A-class and new VWs

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Range review Camper King’s VW T6.1 line-up

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Reviews 10

Comparison test The battle of the German single bed luxury campervans – Malibu’s latest takes on the Globecar Campscout

Buying

Hillside Birchover All-Motion Off-road aesthetics and four-wheel drive for this new VW camper

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First sight Welcome

In this issue of

Campervans are undoubtedly the fastest growing part of the leisure vehicle market, with buyers not only tempted by the possibility of worry and quarantine-free staycation holidays but also the flexibility of a vehicle that can double up as a second car – or sometimes even an only vehicle. That, in turn, is resulting in some exciting new models coming to market, but also some frustrating delays for those expecting to take delivery sooner rather than later. Of course, the situation is compounded by Covid-related holdups on many components, and some converters are already quoting delivery dates well into next year.

At times like this it’s tempting, therefore, to rush in and buy the first camper you see that you like. Don’t! Not all campervans are born equal and it’s more important than ever to ensure that the ’van you’re looking at has been converted with safety in mind. It’s a subject that VW is addressing with its new Motorhome Qualification Scheme, which we report on this month. That will give buyers added confidence that their new campervan meets the highest standards and, in turn, should ensure excellent resale values. And, with quality assured, your camper can help to make memories that will last a lifeime.

PETER VAUGHAN EDITOR Find us on

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Plan your next holiday in a Bilbo’s award winning campervan.

Talk to us about converting your van.

Phone: 01342 892499 to learn more.

There’s no better time to plan your holiday in the UK than by taking advantage of Bilbo’s amazing Summer bargains.

We have many exciting offers for you to see, so simply phone or email us to arrange an appointment.

Due to the current situation we are limiting visits to our site in order to safeguard us all.

Please phone 01342 892499 to make an appointment.

Space

Komba

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Nexa

To find out more about Bilbo’s & book a test drive, contact: Bilbo’s, Eastbourne Road, South Godstone, Surrey RH9 8JQ. Tel: +44 (0) 1342 892499 (Monday to Saturday) Tel: +44 (0) 1342 892499 · Email: sales@bilbos.com (Monday to Saturday) • • • • •

We buy well looked after Bilbo campers Competitive finance available subject to status Excellent range of fully prepared pre-owned vehicles Vehicles in good condition considered for part exchange Largest stock of New and Pre-owned VW campervans in UK

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All Bilbo’s campervans are Euro 6 compatible, NSSTA Type-Approved, NCC approved and are built by our skilled British craftsman in our purpose built factory with build quality guaranteed through our ISO 9001 accreditation. Bilbo’s retain the right to alter specification and prices without prior notice.

This month New electric campervan is coming EVC (London Electric Vehicle Company), which makes electric taxis, has announced the first details and impressions of its e-Camper, the first deliveries of which will be in the fourth quarter of this year.

The e-Camper will use LEVC’s range extender technology, which provides a 60-mile electriconly range but a total range of over 300 miles.

An indicative list price of £62,250 is quoted and potential customers can register their interest at levc.com/ecamper Based on the LEVC VN5 electric van, the e-Camper has a side kitchen layout and four berths – two in the pop-top roof and two created from the sliding rear bench seat. The cab seats swivel, while, more unusually, the kitchen is all-electric.

With its taxi heritage, it’s no surprise that the LEVC campervan offers a class-leading turning circle, but it is also offered in a wide range of paint colours, as well as with coloured bumpers and alloy wheels.

Joerg Hofmann, CEO of LEVC, commented, “The campervan market is growing rapidly and, despite these vehicles being used for coastal and

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countryside adventures, which often include national parks and protected areas, they are still powered by petrol or diesel engines. This is a major conflict; we can see a shift in consumer attitudes, with demand for greener mobility solutions to help

to protect and improve air quality. Our new electric, zero-emissions-capable e-Camper offers the perfect solution and is well-equipped with highquality features that can be tailored to meet a range of customer requirements.”

TWO ICONIC DESIGNS COMBINE IN NEW 4X4 MOTORHOME Duckworth Overland, based in Somerset, is building a unique Land Rover-based motorhome, called the Aerover. It aims to combine the off-road capabilities of the original Land Rover Defender with the iconic, aircraft-inspired design of an Airstream caravan.

The project, which commenced in September last year, hopes to bring beauty to the overland vehicle market and is

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aimed at people more interested in style than the usual boxy off-road vehicles.

Everything on the Aerover is handcrafted and the interior can be completely bespoke to a customer’s needs.

Built on a totally renovated 2001 Land Rover Defender with rebuilt Td5 engine, new chassis and air suspension (offering different ride heights for on and off-road driving, as well as a levelling function), the base vehicle for the first Aerover is described as better than new. Onto that base, Duckworth Overland is adding its all-aluminium body, made with traditional coachbuilding skills and featuring an aluminium frame, aluminium skin and even solid aluminium rivets.

Initially, a wooden frame was used as a buck for the Aerover’s design, over which the sheet metal bodywork is being formed, but this doesn’t form part of the finished vehicle. When completed, the exterior finish can be polished (with future

maintenance provided by the company) or it can come with a clear coat over the top for protection.

Inside, the Aerover will have a rear lounge seating four, a Victron electrical system, habitation air-conditioning, a 200Ah lithium battery, compressor fridge and an electric hob – there will be no gas on board. Heating is diesel-fuelled.

This initial Aerover is expected to be completed in September 2021 and will be priced at around £200,000. Future examples will take around six to nine months to build, although it is hoped to get this production time down to one vehicle every three months. Other base vehicles could also be considered, including the Toyota Land Cruiser, but Duckworth Overland expects the entire production run to be no more than 30 vehicles, so exclusivity is assured.

For more details, visit the website duckworthoverland.com

GREAT-VALUE WEEKENDS FOR THE SUMMER SEASON If you’re looking for a new campervan, or some new accessories, or just want an entertainment-filled weekend away, there are still some great outdoor shows coming up over the late summer period.

Why not venture to the Norfolk Motorhome & Campervan Show, Norwich (6-8 August), where you can get four nights’ camping for £60. The evenings (and daytimes, too) will be packed full of entertainment, with everything from Motown and ska to rock and more.

Then, the Western Motorhome & Campervan Show (20-22 August) features country-and-western-themed entertainment – it’s the perfect place to get out your cowboy boots, as well as researching your campervan or motorhome buying.

Shepton Mallet is the home of the Southwest Motorhome & Campervan Show (10-12 September) in the heart of Somerset and provides the perfect stopping off point for a tour of this gorgeous area. Campers at the show will be treated to a veritable line-up of entertainment, including Slade, tributes to Freddie Mercury, Status Quo and Blondie, among others.

Finally, at the Motorhome & Campervan Show Season Finale at the Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln (24-26 September), Cornish comedian, Jethro, is returning to the stage for the main Saturday night event in a final hurrah before retiring – accompanied by Beatles and Mud tributes. There’s free entertainment from Thursday to Sunday for campers, and it’s a great place to see the very first of the 2022-season campervans and motorhomes.

Head to outandaboutlive.co.uk/shows to find out more about all of these shows, and to book tickets.

Cargo Clips launches in the UK ustrian company, Cargo Clips, has announced that it will market its Cargo Camper conversions in the UK. These unique and fully removable camper conversions are available for a wide variety of base vehicles and will be supplied direct from the factory in right-hand drive form.

Aimed at an active, sporting clientele, the Cargo Camper can be converted into a working vehicle during the week, then leisure fittings can be reinstated at the weekend. Each module is fully removable and simply attaches to pegboard-style holes in the wooden lining of the base van via a specially developed system of locking nuts. All of the equipment and its fixings are TÜV approved. Additional modules – seats, beds, kitchen, toilet, etc – can be added later, if required.

The Cargo Camper concept is that one vehicle can serve a multitude of roles, saving money on tax, insurance, servicing, etc – and it can evolve as your needs change. You can even move the conversion into a new base vehicle. The company describes it as ‘the Swiss Army knife of motorhomes.’

The conversions can be added to large vans such as the MAN TGE, Mercedes Sprinter, Fiat Ducato and Renault Master, as well as more compact vehicles such as the VW T6 and Vauxhall Vivaro. Prices start at £39,500 for a brand-new vehicle, or as little as £5,500 to equip a van with the Cargo Clips system.

A full review will appear in the September issue of What Motorhome.

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NEC Motorhome and Caravan Show cancelled for second year he nation’s largest motorhome and caravan show, which usually takes place annually at the NEC every October, has been cancelled for the second year in a row. It is normally a major showcase for the launch of new motorhome and campervan models.

The organiser, NCC Events, said it blamed the cancellation on the lack of clarity over the rules for large indoor events. Last year’s show didn’t go ahead because of the situation around lockdowns and the spread of Covid.

Those who have already purchased a ticket can transfer it to the February event, to the next October show in 2022, or get a refund.

NCC Events said it will now focus its attention on the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, which will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 22 to 27 February, 2022.

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“We have taken the decision not to go ahead as planned with the Motorhome and Caravan Show this October and instead to focus on our next show,” a spokesperson said.

“With only 14 weeks to go until the show, which is one of the largest public events in the country, rules on large, indoor events continue to be unclear. We have taken feedback from our exhibitors and, while the industry is seeing a huge demand for touring caravans, campervans and motorhomes from the UK staycation boom, there are many challenges in the supply chain, which make the timing of this year’s show, and the additional demand it would generate, untenable for some.”

NCC Events added that it has also consulted with exhibition visitors and found that, although there is a huge appetite for the show, it needed

to put their wellbeing and safety first.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly as we are aware that many of our visitors, exhibitors and suppliers were looking forward to being able to get together as an industry and community,” said NCC Events.

“But you need not wait that long, as the good news is that NCC Events is increasing the scope of the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show in February.”

It says that it has already secured all the major brands for the February show, which will be used to reveal their new 2022 season models – albeit a little later than usual in the motorhome season calendar.

This year’s cancelled October show has been rescheduled to take place next year between 18 and 23 October.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 7

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This month New Vauxhall Movano is a Boxer clone

auxhall (and its German sister brand, Opel) was sold to Groupe PSA (Peugeot-Citroën) in 2017, while the latter merged with FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) earlier this year to form Stellantis. With Vauxhall/Opel now effectively sister brands to Fiat, it should not be a great surprise to see its commercial vehicles joining ranks.

Already, from 2019, the Vauxhall Vivaro had become a badge-engineered version of the Peugeot Expert and Citroën Dispatch – previously it was basically a Renault Trafic clone. Now, Vauxhall has announced an ‘all-new’ version of its larger van – the Movano (formerly a derivative of the Renault Master) – and clearly the latest model is very closely related to the Peugeot Boxer, as well as its existing sister vehicles, the Fiat Ducato and Citroën Relay/Jumper.

The new Movano, which goes on sale later this summer, is available in four lengths, three heights and with payloads up to 2,100kg. Panel van, platform-cab and chassis-cab variants will be available, along with Euro 6d diesel engines or a fully electric model with a range of up to 139 miles. Diesel models use a 2.2-litre motor with power outputs from 120PS to 165PS, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

As with Vauxhall’s other LCV models, the new Movano and Movano-e benefit from both Vauxhall Connect and the MyVauxhall app. On all versions, Live Navigation provides online traffic information in real time, while Vauxhall Connect also comes with e-Call and b-Call technology, so that, in the event of an emergency or breakdown, drivers are put in touch with a trained advisor at the touch of a button.

A range of key safety features designed to protect both occupants and other road users is also available on the new vans. Depending on the trim level, the systems available include forward collision alert, blind spot warning, lane departure warning and hill descent control.

It remains to be seen whether any motorhome or campervan manufacturers will adopt the latest variant of the ever-popular Sevel light commercial vehicles.

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ADVERTISING Head of Advertising Fleur Chivers 01778 392071 Sales Manager Zellah Knowles 01778 392093 Multimedia Sales Executive & Classified Lineage Sue Bullock 01778 391079 Advertisement Production Kate Goulding 01778 391104 Ad Design Viv Lane, Kate Goulding

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Sunlight has shown a new concept mobile workplace. It came as a new survey – Future of Work Reports 2021 – shows that twothirds of those surveyed who can work from home would like a hybrid solution in the future, so that they can work both from home and in the office at times.

The prototype aims to turn a motorhome into a mobile home office, using a multifunctional, foldable table equipped with an additional monitor and charging options (for smartphones and other devices), as well as adapted storage space.

Sunlight said it is now looking at introducing the Home Office on Wheels solution, which could be available as a modular system in its motorhomes and campervans.

NEXT MONTH SEPTEMBER ISSUE ON SALE 19 AUGUST

NEWSTRADE DISTRIBUTION Keiron Jefferies 01778 395043 ACCOUNTS 01778 391000 While every care is taken when accepting advertisements, we cannot accept responsibility for unsatisfactory transactions.

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The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Care is taken to ensure that the magazine’s contents are accurate, but we assume no responsibility for any effect from errors or omissions.

Copyright © Warners Group Publications 2021. 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 without prior permission.

It’s a varied selection of new models under the spotlight – from Auto-Trail’s smallest A-class to the fully removable Cargo Camper conversion, plus some exciting new VWs

Contents may be subject to change

EDITORIAL Published by Warners Group Publications plc, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH Publisher John Greenwood 01778 391116 Managing Editor Daniel Attwood 01778 391154 Editor Peter Vaughan 01778 391118 peterv@warnersgroup.co.uk Online and Social Media Editor Chloë Holland chloe.holland@warnersgroup.co.uk Media Assistant Sophie Bromley sophie.bromley@warnersgroup.co.uk Designer Claire Honeywood Freelance writer Richard Dredge

SUNLIGHT SHOWS HOME OFFICE ON WHEELS CONCEPT

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Comparison test

Two for two This pair of extra-long, German-built, Fiat Ducato campervans each offers single beds and enhanced washroom facilities, but which one should you choose?

Globecar Campscout Elegance

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HERE’S no shortage of fixed bed Fiat Ducato-based campervans on the market these days. Think of a major European brand and chances are it will offer a 6m transverse double bed layout as well as a longer (6.36m) single bed model. Our combatants here take the similarities further, in that they both hail from Germany and they are each new models this season.

Globecar is a campervan specialist, as well as a market leader in its homeland, and its new Elegance models have been launched, primarily, to give a fresher, more up-to-date look to interiors that were already highly regarded for quality.

In contrast, while Malibu (part of Carthago)

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also builds low-profile and A-class motorhomes, its roots are in van conversions. It offers a huge range of Fiat-based campervans, of which this Charming GT 640 LE RB is the newest – in addition to claiming the title for the longest model name.

As tested, it’s also significantly more expensive, although starting prices are very similar. The Malibu, as seen here, is the piña colada with mini umbrella to the Globecar’s pint of best – but you don’t have to have it in bold Batic Orange, nor even with the porthole windows that YouTube followers insist on referring to as toilet seats…

Inside, too, the Globecar takes a more conservative approach. A new feature (along

with the Oxford tweed upholstery and revised cabinetwork) is the Open Cab Roof Concept, which gives you a full-height walk-through into the cab and a far greater feeling of space. The Malibu matches that in Coupé form, but here it’s the (£1,320 dearer) GT, which benefits not only from the extra headroom but also an overcab skylight. Both of these features are becoming increasingly common in this market sector.

OFFSIDE OPENING Each of our protagonists has an offside sliding door (as layouts remain in continental style), although only the Globecar’s soft closes, reducing the amount of effort required and the noise created as it shuts.

Globecar Campscout Elegance v Malibu Van Charming GT

Malibu Van Charming GT 640 LE RB The flush-fit habitation windows on the Campscout also look neater and provide superior security to the Malibu’s caravan-style glazing, but we have to admit rather liking those controversial portholes. The dark grey Globecar looks a world away from the orange Malibu, here, but take the former in Tizian Red and the latter in metallic black and the roles would be reversed. Almost.

Both our test vehicles were supplied as automatics and it seems that up to two thirds of customers in this category are ordering the new nine-speed transmission – even at over three grand extra we’d not hesitate to choose it, too.

The Malibu comes with 120bhp as standard

but was tested with the 160bhp upgrade (priced at £2,735), while the Globecar gets 140bhp as standard and was driven in this form. You can’t have the 120-horsepower motor as an auto’ but 140 gee-gees are sufficient. That said, the 160bhp motor is the one we’d choose for its increased torque (400Nm versus 350Nm) – and it’s only £1,295 extra on the Campscout.

Eagle-eyed readers will also spot the black mouldings around the front wheelarches of the Globecar, meaning that it’s based on a Ducato Maxi with larger brakes, additional towing capacity and the possibility to upgrade to a 4,100kg gross weight. In standard form, though, it’s the Malibu that wins the payload

shoot-out by over 100kg.

As is all too often the case, base prices of each are slightly misleading. You won’t want a Campscout without the UK Pack of cruise control, Traction+, black grille and headlamp surrounds, leather steering wheel, Truma 4 E gas/electric heating, wheeltrims and radio preparation – priced at £1,995.

Nor will anyone who doesn’t wear a hair shirt and live in a monastery order a Charming GT without the Chassis Pack (£2,645), which adds electric/heated mirrors, rear parking sensors, air-conditioning, cruise control, a passenger airbag, 90-litre diesel tank, higher-output alternator, cab blinds, a height-adjustable passenger seat, sliding door flyscreen, radio

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 11

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Comparison test FACT FILE – GLOBECAR PRICE FROM £55,755 PRICE AS TESTED £62,820 BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 6.36m WIDTH 2.05m HEIGHT 2.58m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 530kg standard, 408kg as tested BASE VEHICLE Fiat Ducato Maxi XLWB FRIDGE 90-litre compressor BEDS 1.92m x 0.82m and 1.86m x 0.82m FRESH WATER 100 litres (inboard) SPACE/WATER HEATING Truma Combi 4 E gas/electric LEISURE BATTERY 95Ah OPTIONS FITTED TO TEST VEHICLE UK Pack (£1,995), colour-coded bumper (£290), automatic gearbox (£3,095), Eco Pack (£335), 16in alloy wheels (£725), metallic paint (£625)

Looking rearwards, you can see that the Globecar’s bedroom is more secluded

Open Cab Concept gives full headroom into the driving quarters

preparation and four speakers. And you’ll probably also insist on the Main Cabin Package, which adds another £1,010 and gives you a microfibre headlining, LED ceiling lights, a kitchen upgrade, a better mattress, lashing points in the garage and an insulated waste water tank.

The Malibu we sampled also featured the £1,375 Driver’s Assistance Package (lane departure warning, automatic lights and wipers, traffic sign recognition, etc), as well as automatic air-conditioning (£410), and a DAB radio with sat-nav (£1,195), which partly explains why it ended up rather pricier than its rival. Both charge extra for metallic paint and any audio equipment but the Charming GT has the more

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Pull one of the tambour doors to close off the bedroom (with a small gap!)

comprehensive options list, potentially pushing the total price to well over £70k.

LIGHT FANTASTIC It’s unarguable that the loss of the fixed overcab shelf of older Ducato campervans has created ’vans that feel roomier inside – and, with this style of layout featuring massive stowage space in the stern, the loss of that shelf is no big deal from a locker capacity standpoint.

Both models have excellent LED interior lighting, although the Malibu’s is more eyecatching with those strips that follow the roofline down towards the windscreen. Although both campers have a large rooflight over their respective half-dinette lounges, the Charming

GT also has that fixed overcab window for even more daylight (something Globecar only offers on its Summit Prime range). There’s also a lot more choice of décor in the Malibu, which comes with two furniture styles and 13 upholstery options (if you don’t like the Elegance interior, Globecar can only point you towards a different model in its line-up).

Both of these German campervans excel in the quality stakes, with the Globecar being especially impressive in terms of its rattle-free drive. At first glance, the half-dinette lounge areas seem almost identical – not just to each other, but every other fixed bed campervan! – but closer examination reveals neat details in each. The angled galley alongside the lounge

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ALWAYS GAME For an incredible getaway

Pilote has always been living this adventure intensely by your side.

Always listening to you, our models have continued to evolve and our range has grown: 7 layouts, 2 trim levels and still hundreds of possible options.

Always concerned with your comfort, our interior spaces and atmospheres are as comfortable as they are elegant. The desire to provide you with unique experiences is what has always guided us.

Always further towards your desires, new options including the open cabin and the skyroof have come to complete the new Pilote Vans collection.

Wherever you decide to go, whatever you desire to see: the choice is yours. We’re game. Are you?

ALWAYS GAME, ALWAYS PILOTE.

VANS.PILOTE-MOTORHOME.UK

Comparison test FACT FILE – MALIBU PRICE FROM £57,005 PRICE AS TESTED £72,745 BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 6.36m WIDTH 2.05m HEIGHT 2.59m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 645kg standard, 509kg as tested BASE VEHICLE Fiat Ducato XLWB FRIDGE 90-litre compressor BEDS 1.92m x 0.82m and 1.86m x 0.82m FRESH WATER 100 litres (inboard) SPACE/WATER HEATING Truma Combi 6 E gas/electric LEISURE BATTERY 80Ah OPTIONS FITTED TO TEST VEHICLE Chassis Pack (£2,645), automatic air-con (£410), Driver’s Assistance Package (£1,375), Main Cabin Package (£1,010), 160bhp engine with Eco Pack (£2,735), automatic gearbox (£3,090), multifunction steering wheel (£175), metallic paint (£665), porthole windows (£435), Truma 6 E (£550), DAB/sat-nav (£1,195), Cherry Style interior (£525), carpets (£310), Palermo upholstery (£310), World of Sleep (£310)

Overcab sunroof makes for a lighter lounge area

in the Globecar enhances the feeling of space as it narrows towards the cab, while the table is also shaped to ease access into the cab and the rear bench might be just a tad more comfy than its rival. It also offers Isofix as an option.

The Malibu fights back with a net curtain on the side window, rear speakers, concertina blinds and easy-to-reach storage under its bench seat.

We also like the way the habitation controls are concealed under an opaque panel so that their lights don’t disturb your slumber.

GETTING A GRILLING Spoiler alert – neither of these campers comes with an oven/grill, not even as an option. If that’s a deal-breaker for you then we’d suggest

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The lack of tall offside furniture in the Malibu creates a more open feel

Two rooms concept uses bathroom door to create an en suite bedroom

you take a look at rival models from Adria, Pilote and Rapido. If, however, you can live with just a two-burner hob, then it’s worth noting the differences here.

Both use compressor fridges, but where the Malibu favours outdoor living (its fridge being positioned at the end of the galley, where it can be reached through the sliding door), the Globecar adopts a stoop-free, waist-height location for the chiller, above the wardrobe and just forward of the bedroom. With the fridge mounted high, there’s a more secluded feel to the Campscout’s sleeping quarters, too – or a less spacious feel, without a through view, depending on your personal opinion. Fridge sizes are similar but the Globecar can, optionally, be

ordered with a huge, 138-litre cooler.

The kitchen layout certainly allows for rather more worktop space in the Malibu, but storage is a win for the Globecar, thanks to its super-sized drawers that feature the added wow factor of electric central locking.

EXPANSION A disadvantage of the Globecar’s fridge location is that it becomes inaccessible when the shower is in use, because the Campscout’s washroom uses a pair of tambour doors to expand the ablutions area into the aisle. With these screens pulled around, the bathroom virtually doubles in size, while the wardrobe is now ideally placed for accessing a fresh outfit. The shower tray is

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Comparison test Cupboards over the back doors prevent you sitting up in bed in the Campscout

It’s more complex to stow the Globecar’s bed

Shirt-length wardrobe sits under the fridge

Giant drawers with central locking are a big plus

hidden under a panel in the floor in the central corridor and there’s plenty of space to use the shower or the loo. An opening window is a further plus.

So, the Globecar has everything you need to be independent of campsite facilities, it’s just that the Malibu, perhaps, goes one better. You can use its swivel toilet, corner washbasin and shower without compromising the kitchen, or access to the bedroom. Its loo slides away to create even more room for showering (although, we think Pilote does this better).

But the topping on the gateau is what Malibu calls its ‘two rooms concept’, the feature that debuted in this 640 LE RB model. It’s a simple enough idea and one that’s similar in ethos to

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Washroom has an opening window

the folding divisions in many coachbuilts – basically, the toilet room door can be opened out to close off a private en suite bedroom that has plenty of space for dressing and undressing and even comes with two low-level wardrobes (one under the offside bed, the other beneath the end of the galley).

BEDDED BLISS If you’re OK with a transverse double bed, then both makers offer sister models to these in the 5.41m and 5.99m Fiat vans, but the advantage of going longer is lengthways sleeping with easier access to your mattress (via steps) and not having to clamber over your partner at night.

Both ’vans here have unequal-length single

Good-sized shower extends into the aisle

beds that fill the full width of the rear of the camper, although Globecar adds a couple of central cushions to do this.

In the Malibu, the longer bed is on the offside (1.95m), while the nearside bed measures 1.81m. The Globecar isn’t quite as suitable if you’re very tall, its longest mattress (on the nearside) being 1.92m, but its beds are closer in size, with the offside one being 1.86m. And, if you prefer to turn the whole bedroom area into a vast double, it’s the Campscout that takes an easy victory.

Both bedrooms feature a small roof vent, as well as an array of opening windows, but the differing cupboard arrangements mean that it’s only in the Malibu that you can sit up in bed.

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Globecar Campscout Elegance v Malibu Van Charming GT

Easier-to-access gas locker in the Charming GT

We love the porthole bedroom windows, but some people really don’t!

Twin wardrobes, neither very deep

Loo slides away, tambour door covers the basin

Showerhead bracket seems poorly placed here

The Charming GT also has useful little shelves at the head of each bed – perfect for your specs – while the Campscout has the better bedroom lighting (the Malibu’s is rather fierce when you’ve only just woken up!).

Both models are shown here in two-berth form but they can each add an extra lounge area bed as an option – always check these out carefully as they can be painfully awkward to erect and/or equally lumpy to sleep on!

If you want a full four berths to go with the quartet of travel seats, then Malibu offers the Charming GT as a Family-for-4 model with a pop-top roof costing an additional £3,530.

Globecar also offers a rising roof (priced at £5,250) but only on its older D Line models and

Another ’van with no oven option

not this new Elegance range.

Of course, at the rear, each of these campervans is as much about the generous, almost garage-style storage on offer as the bedrooms. With the beds in situ, the Malibu’s boot space is taller (880mm plays 690mm) but, otherwise, it’s the Globecar that offers more room for your chairs, barbecue, etc – its 1.52m by 1.16m central load area easily beats the Malibu’s smaller (1.29m by 0.93m) space.

If you want to get tall items (bikes, perhaps) on board, then each of these campers offers a way of folding the beds away to create even more room. This time the tables are turned, though, and it’s the Malibu that wins with a much easier way of stowing the beds.

AND THE WINNER IS… These are top-quality campervans that take a popular recipe and add the latest in contemporary campervan design. Both have their advantages, but it’s the Malibu’s more expansive kitchen, more convenient fridge position and neat ‘two rooms’ design that make it our winner. That said, the Globecar looks better value and its more conservative design will suit some. And these are by no means the only options in this category. We’d suggest you also take a look at some of the other alternatives (including the Adria Twin Supreme 640 SLB, Dreamer D68 Limited, Hymer Yellowstone and Pilote Van V630J Premium) – if you can find any of them in stock at a local dealer – before you decide…

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 17 10 Globecar Campscout Elegance v Malibu Van Charming GT.indd 17

15/07/2021 16:47

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Group test

Auto-Sleepers’ 2021 campervans Few companies anywhere in the world have been building campervans for as long as this Cotswold firm. Here, we take a detailed look at the latest models…

I

T all started 60 years ago when the Trevelyan family, with two young boys, decided that a campervan was what they needed for a holiday in the South of France. That toe-in-the-water Morris-based conversion was built in 1961 but it was the second, an Austin, that resulted in the first retail order and the formation of Auto-Sleepers.

Throughout the 1960s and early ‘70s, poptop campers based on the Commer van were the mainstay (the Editor’s family owned a yellow and white 1976 example) but soon coachbuilts joined the line-up, as well as a wide range of different base vehicles. Quickly, the company

18 |

developed a reputation as being a bit more ‘premium’ than its mainstream British rivals but while production grew – up to 850 vehicles per year currently – it has never left its Cotswold home in the picturesque village of Willersey.

It couldn’t remain a family business forever, though, and it was eventually swallowed (along with sister retail company, Marquis Leisure) by the Trigano Group, which is one of Europe’s largest leisure vehicle producers.

While other makers are often more focused on coachbuilt motorhomes, Auto-Sleepers has never left behind its campervan roots and, today, over

half of its production is accounted for by the campervan range. That’s the eight models reviewed over the following pages, all of them high-tops and all of them based on the Peugeot Boxer. However, an exciting new development is the return of a pop-top (see This Month, page 6).

Perhaps that loyalty to Peugeot goes back to those early Commers, which are a very distant cousin, but, if you want an automatic gearbox in your camper, then Auto-Sleepers also offers the Fiat Ducato sister van as an alternative (£2,000 extra with 140bhp, £3,000 with 160bhp). The spec and the interior are identical across both

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18 Auto-Sleeper Campervans.indd 18

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Auto-Sleepers’ 2021 campervans

chassis. In either case, it is the window van that’s the base, so you get tinted athermic glass windows right along each side for a more automotive look that you won’t find elsewhere.

The opening sections are in fixed positions, though, so suit some layouts better than others.

GOING PREMIUM As you’ll see on the following pages, there’s plenty of choice in terms of floorplan and you can opt for medium-wheelbase (5.41m), long (5.99m) or extra-long (6.36m). There are two and four-berth layouts, as well as models with

two, three or four seatbelts. Each one comes with Peugeot’s 165bhp engine, in addition to a vehicle tracking system, driver and passenger airbags and a choice of three metallic colours (see above). All models also get an underslung gas tank (for cheaper refills and easier continental touring), a choice of two upholstery styles (each in five different colours) and Grade III insulation. Completing the all-season camping compatibility is a Whale blown-air heating system mounted underneath the vehicle, while the Winter Pack adds concertina cab blinds, wheelarch insulation and heater

blankets for the underslung water tanks (69 litres fresh, 40 litres waste).

What no Auto-Sleeper campervan will ever leave the factory without is the Premium Pack.

This adds an integrated DAB radio with sat-nav, alloy wheels, semi-air suspension, cab airconditioning, a Thule canopy awning, colour reversing camera, cruise control and an 80W solar panel.

If you want to upgrade further, the Media Pack (£995) adds a Mecatronic 65cm automatic satellite dish, while habitation air-conditioning (£1,000) is also becoming increasing popular.

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Group test

Auto-Sleeper Symbol

THE COMPACT ONE FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer PRICE FROM £58,995 (inc Premium Pack, Winter Pack) BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 3 LENGTH 5.41m WIDTH 2.26m HEIGHT 2.64m GROSS WEIGHT 3,300kg PAYLOAD 450kg

T

HE only Auto-Sleeper based on the medium-wheelbase Boxer window van, the Symbol can trace its development back to the Talbot Express-based Symphony of the early 1990s. This layout has seen unwavering popularity ever since.

Part of the appeal, of course, is its compact size and, when manoeuvring the campervans for filming and photography, it was noticeable how much smaller it felt (the turning circle reduces from 14.24m to 12.64m). Despite that, and an overall length not much greater than some VW T6 campers, the Symbol packs in all the facilities of its larger stablemates, including a fully appointed kitchen and, crucially in these times, a proper toilet/shower compartment.

The galley is especially impressive for this size of ’van. There’s a Thetford Triplex cooker with

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| AUGUST 2021

three-burner gas hob and a combined oven and grill. A microwave is mounted above, while the sink is alongside. Then the worktop steps up to a higher level over the 81-litre three-way fridge.

The raised fridge eases access to your cold drinks, while a pull-out panel increases the worktop space available here at chest height. A mains socket is conveniently located adjacent and you’ll even find a set of crystal glasses in the top locker above. There’s a further folding worktop extension at the forward end of the kitchen, too.

Opposite the galley, the washroom is reasonably spacious, but it does require a curtain to be pulled around when showering. The showerhead is separate to the tap for the tip-up basin, though, and there are twin drains in the tray. Auto-Sleepers has even made a feature of

the intruding wheelarch (with a moulded soap dish), but perhaps the best aspect is the way the bathroom door opens out across the aisle to give some privacy for changing.

Up front, the lounge has a side settee and a forward-facing pew for an occasional rear passenger. With the (higher) cab seats swivelled, there’s room to seat five, with a choice of a coffee table or larger free-standing dining table.

At night, too, there’s a choice. Single beds are easy-peasy to make but the offside bed is much shorter than the nearside one (1.92m plays 1.67m). Alternatively, the offside settee backrest and two small extra cushions fill the aisle to create a 1.84m by 1.47m transverse double. So, the Symbol has plenty of versatility and all of the features of the bigger models, but compact size is its obvious USP.

Auto-Sleepers’ 2021 campervans

Auto-Sleeper Symbol Plus

FEATURING A HUG CHANGINEG AREA

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer PRICE FROM £59,995 (inc Premium Pack, Winter Pack) BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 3 LENGTH 5.99m WIDTH 2.26m HEIGHT 2.64m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 490kg

A

S the name suggests, the Symbol Plus is closely related to the standard Symbol, but this is a much newer addition to the range, built on the LWB Peugeot with the extra space dedicated to the bathroom and kitchen.

You’ll also note that, while the Symbol can be entered via the sliding side door or rear barn doors, the Plus’ furniture blocks off the back entrance. These doors now only give access to the gas taps, for toilet servicing, and maintenance of the Whale boiler – pity there’s no storage here for outdoor chairs, etc.

The front lounge looks the same as the Symbol, although, on the example reviewed, we’ve switched from Casa Milà upholstery in berry to blue. The seating area has a similar format of offside sofa facing the side door (for great views out on a fine day), an occasional rear

belted passenger seat and (at a higher level) the two swivel cab chairs.

Once again, the twin bed make-up is very simple. On the nearside, the single seat just slides forward and flattens. Opposite, there’s just a slot-in infill behind the driver’s seat to extend the length of the sofa for sleeping. This time, however, it’s the offside bed that’s the longer one, at 1.87m versus 1.80m on the nearside. If you prefer a double bed, that’s bigger, too, at 1.86m by a generous 1.61m wide.

Whilst there are obviously detail differences up front, the real advantages of the Symbol Plus are at the back. Here, the L-shaped galley – running along the offside and across one of the rear doors – feels a lot more spacious to work in, although the actual fixtures and fittings are much the same. The Thetford

Triplex cooker is fitted, as is an eye-level microwave, but here you also get a coffee machine! The 88-litre fridge is located forward of the main workspace, underneath the wardrobe, while a pull-out worktop extends the acreage for serving up.

The washroom is in the nearside rear corner but of a totally different design to the one in the shorter Symbol. It gains a fixed corner washbasin and now there’s no need for a curtain when showering. When you emerge after your shower, the whole rear of the camper can be partitioned off to create a very generous changing room, complete with a full-height shelved cupboard for your clothes that also includes an illuminated vanity mirror. It’s this huge changing area (as well as the more spacious kitchen) that is key to the Symbol Plus’ appeal.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 21

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Group test

Auto-Sleeper Warwick Duo LSOUNRGEEAARND A UPER-SIZE KITCHEN D

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer PRICE FROM £59,995 (inc Premium Pack, Winter Pack) BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 2 LENGTH 5.99m WIDTH 2.26m HEIGHT 2.64m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 608kg

T

HE alternative six-metre model to the Symbol Plus is the Warwick Duo. The Warwick name indicates a rear lounge, with the first model of this type having introduced an end lounge in a camper in 2008, or the first time since Auto-Sleepers’ Volkswagen LT-based VX10 of four decades ago!

Of course, today, rear lounge campervans are a popular part of the UK market. You don’t get any rear travel seats but you do benefit from a seating area that’s spacious and entirely separate from the cab. Indeed, the cab is redundant as soon as you arrive at your campsite. There are no swivels on the front seats.

Instead, this ’van is all about the settees in the stern and the layout becomes especially attractive when the sun has got his hat on and you can shout ‘hip, hip, hooray’ as you fling open those

22 |

| AUGUST 2021

barn doors. A choice of coffee table on a centre pole (kept in the wardrobe) or bigger freestanding table, which can also be used al fresco, increases the versatility of the space, while rear speakers and a large rooflight are part of the fully appointed spec. Reading lights feature, too, and are of the clip-on/clip-off type that can be positioned where you like.

An overhanging wardrobe on the nearside reduces seating space whilst still allowing fulllength beds. If you want to sleep singly, it’s just a quick job to jettison the backrests and have nearidentical twin beds (1.88m by 0.69m and 1.90m long with the same width) – the wardobe dictating that heads go to the rear, by the back doors. As in the two Symbol models, there’s a double bed option, too, and it’s almost square at 1.90m by 1.85m.

Unusually for a floorplan like this, the washroom is adjacent to the sliding door, while the galley is behind the driver’s seat. The ablutions include a bench cassette loo (with generous leg and shoulder room), a tip-up basin and a curtain for showering.

But it’s the kitchen that benefits from AutoSleepers swapping the galley to the offside. The cook will love a unit that measures a whopping 1.67m from end to end, with plenty of preparation space without recourse to flimsy flaps. There’s no tall furniture on this side of the Warwick Duo, so you get a clear view from sofa to cab, while spec again includes the Triplex cooker, microwave and extractor hood.

Better still, there’s a large pan drawer as well as four small drawers, so this model is certainly one for keen chefs.

Auto-Sleepers’ 2021 campervans

Auto-Sleeper Warwick XL

THE SEPARATE SHOWER IS THE STAR

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer PRICE FROM £62,495 (inc Premium Pack, Winter Pack) BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 2 LENGTH 6.36m WIDTH 2.26m HEIGHT 2.64m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 434kg

T

HE Warwick XL is clearly a relative of the Warwick Duo, with the concept of a spacious rear lounge two-berth carried over, but in the longer, 6.36m, Boxer. This isn’t just a stretched version of the Duo, though. Here, the washroom and kitchen swap sides for a different feel to the interior.

Perhaps more important than the reversal of the floorplan up front, however, is the extra space at the rear. Not only is the seating area here more spacious but it’s better suited to lovely feetup sprawling facing the open back doors because the XL doesn’t have the overhanging wardrobe that reduces settee space on one side of the Warwick Duo. Once again, there’s a choice of a small coffee table or a free-standing table that stores on the overcab shelf. This model is all about maximum

lounging space for a couple and the long settees’ comfort is enhanced by armrests and scatter cushions in all four corners. There are rear speakers and reading lights that can be repositioned anywhere along their mounting rails, while the lack of opening side windows is addressed with a large rooflight. There’s good storage under both of the sofas, too.

As with many of the Auto-Sleeper campervans, you can choose between single beds or a double, even alternating between the two, depending on the season. The singles measure 1.90m by 0.67m each, while the kingsized double is a massive 1.90m by 1.85m.

The kitchen unit may be a tad shorter than the expansive one in the sister Duo model but, once you’ve deployed the folding flap at the forward end, it actually beats its relative’s

galley length – and that worktop extension makes a useful table for the swivel passenger cab chair. Of course, the Triplex cooker features again, as does a microwave. The fridge is an 88-litre capacity three-way model from Thetford. Above the fridge is a large area of kitchen counter – space to use the removable draining board or plug in your toaster and kettle as two 230V sockets are adjacent.

There’s a USB port here, too, and a kitchen roll holder on the wall.

Opposite the galley is a larger wardrobe than in most of the XL’s sister models, featuring a 930mm hanging height and three drawers below. But the star feature of this model is the spacious bathroom with separate wet area, including the washbasin and shower behind bifold doors.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 23

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Group test

Auto-Sleeper Fairford

BEDS AND BERTH FOR FOUSR

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer PRICE FROM £62,495 (inc Premium Pack, Winter Pack) BERTHS 4 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 6.36m WIDTH 2.26m HEIGHT 2.64m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 389kg

E

VERY model that we’ve reviewed so far has been a two-berth, but the Fairford has beds and seatbelts for four. It’s the same overall length as the Warwick XL and also has a rear lounge, but this time there’s a second seating area up front.

Most of the Fairford’s rivals adopt a halfdinette arrangement for the forward lounge, but here it’s pullman-style with forward and rearward-facing benches on either side of a wallmounted table. There are two three-point belts on the front-facing seat but, on site, this area will be tight for more than two adults. Appealingly, though, there are small backrest pads on the side wall, so you can sit ‘side-saddle’ and look out of the open sliding door.

At the back, the rear lounge is obviously more compact than in the two-berth Warwick models,

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| AUGUST 2021

but this is still a cosy and comfortable place in which to relax. You can also dine here, adding one or both of the small tables that store behind the settees’ backrests. Then, at night, the two sofas pull together to create a transverse double bed that’s 1.85m by 1.24m.

Of course, the front lounge converts into a second double bed (1.91m by 1.34m), leaving room for one person to stand by the sliding door and a slightly larger area between the washroom and galley. Bed-making here is more complex and requires a selection of infill cushions (think about where you’ll store these), so a better solution for some will be to make a smaller front bed (1.84m by 0.90m) that doesn’t require the three large infills and leaves a clear walk-through past the kitchen.

Those cook’s quarters, centrally positioned on

the nearside, are super-sized at 1.91m long, with loads of worktop on which to prepare dinner.

Keeping the counter at one modest height throughout, the wardrobe is concealed under the forward end of the kitchen. With four folk’s gear to accommodate, you might fold clothes, rather than hanging them.

Naturally, as in the two-berth models, the Fairford’s galley gets all the gear, including an oven/grill and microwave. There’s a 71-litre fridge, too, but no drawers in this kitchen.

Opposite the culinary area, you’ll discover the ablutions behind a sliding tambour door. Here, the washbasin can slide to a position above the toilet to create more room for showering. There’s sufficient room for that and use of the loo but just be careful to align the showerhead accurately when repurposing it as the washbasin’s tap.

Auto-Sleepers’ 2021 campervans

Auto-Sleeper Fairford Plus

MASSIVE GARAG STORAGEE

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer PRICE FROM £62,495 (inc Premium Pack, Winter Pack) BERTHS 4 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 6.36m WIDTH 2.26m HEIGHT 2.64m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 389kg

A

RGUABLY the most versatile model in Auto-Sleepers’ campervan range, the Fairford Plus is the second four-berth in the line-up and the newest model in the range. Its washroom, kitchen and front lounge are broadly similar to the standard Fairford but, at the rear, it swaps a second seating area for a fixed bed/garage format that looks more like something you’d expect to see in a continental campervan.

The rear transverse double bed measures 1.86m by 1.35m max and is quite high off the floor (910mm) to maximise storage below but it’s when you fold away the metal-framed bed bases to either side that the Fairford Plus really comes into its own. Unlike most imported rivals, there is very little fixed furniture in this space, so the garage area measures a generous

1.36m by 1.35m. Then, with the bed stowed, its load area height increases from 0.82m to the full headroom of the ’van – 1.88m. Anything from surfboards to mountain bikes, mobility scooters to pet cages can be kept here. There are four corner lashing points to secure your load and even seatbelts clasps for dog harnesses. A 230V socket is provided and an external shower, too. If even this isn’t enough load capacity for you, then the Fairford Plus comes with roof rack rails as standard – just keep in mind the 389kg payload.

As well as the pullman dinette, this model has a swivelling passenger seat, while the rear travel seat has a cheese-shaped backrest section to improve back seat comfort. This removes to create a flat bed, while night-time arrangements up front mirror those of the original Fairford

with a choice of small or full-sized beds.

Clearly a close relative of its non-Plus cousin, there are, however, some detail differences between the two. One of the most noticeable is the table in the front lounge. Rather than a wall rail-mounted device, here it’s a more Europeanstyle fixed table (940mm by 560mm) on a large central leg. It’s very stable in use and can twist and slide. Above the table are those clever reading lights that can be moved to suit.

Other differences between the Fairford and Fairford Plus are the position of the cooker and sink – swapped here so that splashes from your sizzling bacon don’t stain your duvet.

Otherwise, the galley is equally expansive (again with that low-level under-counter wardrobe) but a useful addition here is the pop-up power tower with three 230V sockets.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 25

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Group test

Auto-Sleeper Kingham

SUMPTUOU FIXED BED S SNOOZING

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer PRICE FROM £62,495 (inc Premium Pack, Winter Pack) BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 2 LENGTH 6.36m WIDTH 2.26m HEIGHT 2.64m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 398kg

W

HILE the Fairford Plus’ bedroom layout is designed for maximum storage, the Kingham is all about sleeping comfort. Here, then, is a unique French bed floorplan for a campervan – and the Editor’s favourite model in the whole AutoSleeper range.

That rear lengthways double bed isn’t huge (1.87m by 1.20m max), but it is exceptionally comfy and even comes with a set of fitted bedding. When the team headed off site (to the Camping and Caravanning Club’s pretty lakeside East Horsley campsite in Surrey) at the end of each long day’s filming and testing, it was the Kingham that the Editor bagged without hesitation. Pity that the schedule didn’t allow him time to enjoy the bed’s luxurious chaise longue position for a leisurely start to each day!

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| AUGUST 2021

Below that super bed (finished off with a smart moulded panel around the base) is plenty of space for your outdoor chairs, etc. It measures 500mm tall under there and the area can be reached by lifting the whole bed on gas struts or from outside, through the back doors (which also provide servicing access for the loo). Then, alongside, is a washroom similar to the one in the Symbol Plus – its space-saving tambour door slides back to reveal a fixed corner basin (so much nicer than the flip-up type), a swivel cassette toilet and sufficient space for comfortable showering without recourse to a horrid clingy curtain. There’s a vanity area opposite the foot of the bed, too.

Like its sister models in the range, the Kingham has a generous and well-appointed kitchen. Of course, the Triplex cooker with oven/

grill and the eye-level microwave are de rigeur in an Auto-Sleeper campervan, while a worktop flap at the forward end of the unit increases cooking space. The 88-litre fridge is opposite (under the wardrobe) and, here, there’s a second pull-out worktop extension. Better still, this galley offers practical and easy-to-access storage with four drawers, plus a larger pan drawer beneath the oven. There’s a pop-up tower of three three-pin sockets for your mains appliances, too.

Up front, both cab seats swivel and the small island-leg table that slots in here is perfect for light meals. The layout also includes a side sofa, facing the kitchen and sliding door, that is more comfortable than most, as it doesn’t have to convert into a bed or a travel seat – the Kingham is purely about comfortable touring for two.

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Auto-Sleeper Kemerton XL

A LOUNGE WITH SPACE TO ENTERTAIN

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer PRICE FROM £62,495 (inc Premium Pack, Winter Pack) BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 3 LENGTH 6.36m WIDTH 2.26m HEIGHT 2.64m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 411kg

I

F the Symbol Plus takes a time-honoured floorplan and adds to it, then you might like to think of the Kemerton XL as a Symbol Plus Plus! There’s a similar front lounge format, with a side settee and single rear travel seat but, as an XL model (on the 6.36m window van), it gains extra space for the lounge, more storage and a much more generous washroom.

That forward seating area is completed with twin swivel cab seats and a choice of a coffee table or full-sized dining table, the latter suiting the larger space of the Kemerton XL better than either of the Symbol models. The bigger base vehicle also equates to larger beds, the nearside seat flattening to make a 1.92m-long single, while the simple addition of an infill to the offside settee makes a 2.05m mattress.

Not only that, but you can leave the nearside

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seat in its bed position, add backrest cushions across the sliding door and create a HUGE lounge with comfortably room for seven people – or more! Also, there’s the possibility of a supersized double bed (1.92m by 1.84m) but, if you want to use the nearside settee and the double bed, you’ll need to plan carefully where to stow all the extra cushions.

Not that the Kemerton XL is short of storage space, especially thanks to the taller nearside furniture behind the lounge. Here you get three large drawers for folded clothes beneath the wardrobe and the largest-capacity fridge in Auto-Sleepers’ campervan range – a 105-litre three-way unit mounted off the floor for stoopfree access to your chilled Pinot Grigio.

There’s some higher-level worktop on the nearside, but the main galley area is opposite.

It’s here that you’ll discover the hob, oven/grill, eye-level microwave, power tower for 230V appliances and lots of cupboard space (albeit with only one small drawer).

Across the back of the camper, the layout really diverges from the two Symbols – and the rest of the range. On the nearside is the benchstyle cassette toilet (easier to clean than swivel types and with a larger holding tank), with plenty of room for its use.

Then, on the offside, is a separate wet area surrounded by tambour doors. This space includes a tip-up washbasin as well as the shower – and a mirror backlit in blue! More significantly, of course, the washroom can be accessed directly from outside, through the barn doors, before you tramp mud into the carpets or put soggy wetsuits on the upholstery.

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New ’vans

Hillside Birchover AllDon’t want to be a stick-in-the-mud? With raised suspension and four-wheel drive, this Tango-

WHO IS HILLSIDE? Hillside has grown rapidly over the last decade to become one of the country’s largest campervan manufacturers. Now specialising solely in VW-based vehicles, it builds on both the T6 Transporter and the larger Crafter van. It converts over 200 vehicles per year, as well as building dealer special campervans for several leading motorhome retailers.

The firm was founded and is run by brothers, Adrian and Dave Cross, both of whom are campervan owners – each with a Hillside T6, of course, but Dave also has a modified classic VW Type 2.

T

HERE has long been a niche sector for offroad-capable leisure vehicles – everything from basic Land Rover campers for those willing to rough it, up to Unimogs kitted out for year-long safaris where there simply are no roads. In between, you’ll find four-wheel drive versions of motorhomes from companies such as Hymer (including its new CrossOver models) and RP Motorhomes (see our April issue) – both using the impressive Mercedes Sprinter 4x4.

Those needing something a bit smaller – or more affordable – might have been temped to look at the Volkswagen Transporter 4Motion… except that the VW really hides its mud-plugging credentials under a bushel. Or it did until Hillside Leisure got hold of it...

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FOUR BY FOUR BEFORE Of course, a VW camper with all-wheel drive is not new. The Germans dabbled with the idea of a 4x4 microbus as long ago as the 1970s but the bay window Type 2 with more never reached production. That changed in 1984 with the arrival of the Syncro derivative of the rear-engined T3 (or T25) Transporter, which was a proper off-road vehicle with increased ground clearance.

When the Transporter went front-engined and front-wheel drive with the T4, though, the 4x4 model became harder to spot. Then, with the T5 and T6, the name changed from Syncro to 4Motion, while the emphasis stayed on coping with snow in Switzerland and Austria, more than bouncing over boulders where you’d find Land

Rover Defenders and Mercedes G-Wagens.

So, over the last couple of decades, a few buyers have dug deep into the pockets and forked out thousands extra to have four-wheel drive on their VW camper – without anyone else really noticing.

Now, though, in this post-pandemic world, there are lots of new, younger, more adventurous buyers of campervans, some of whom want to be able to go off the beaten track. Hillside Leisure, in Derby, isn’t the first company to tap into this niche but the addition of a separate model in the range – the Birchover All-Motion – can be seen as a significant move from such a major converter.

As a toe in the water, Hillside built a 4x4 camper to take to the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show in February 2020. Just like the

Hillside Birchover All-Motion

- Motion

go- tastic camper could be for you…

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE VW Transporter T6.1 All-Motion PRICE FROM £58,995 BERTHS 4 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 4.90m WIDTH 1.90m HEIGHT 2.40m GROSS WEIGHT 3,200kg PAYLOAD 700kg

ALSO CONSIDER Jack’s Shack Swamper Rolling Homes Expedition

Rolling Homes Expedition (another VW that was prepared to get its wheels dirty), which had debuted there, Hillside’s camper sold instantly and interest from showgoers was through the roof.

FUEL FOR THOUGHT Hillside has always offered its customers the 4Motion option, in the same way that you might specify an engine upgrade or DSG gearbox. Not that you will have noticed, because (with regular road tyres and wheels) they look just like any other VW T6.1. And that’s not what customers want when they order an off-road campervan.

The reason the Rolling Homes Expedition was so eye-catching was because it was bright orange, had roo bars big enough to take on an elephant

and great big knobbly all-terrain tyres. Had it been a regular, fresh-out-the-factory, VW 4Motion panel van, featuring all the sex appeal of a dreary people-carrier with a ‘Baby on board’ sticker in the window, it’s unlikely anyone would have given it a second glance.

So, in a nutshell, following the success of that NEC show experiment, Hillside has taken the decision to launch a 4x4 camper with its own name – the Birchover All-Motion. If you want an off-roader and you spot this on Hillside’s forecourt, what you see is what you get, as pretty much everything is included in the standard £58,995 price tag.

Since the 4Motion is already four-wheel drive, Hillside starts its rugged transformation by

adding all the aesthetic stuff, as well as a few practical elements. That starts with an Eibach lift kit, which raises the height of the vehicle by 35mm to give extra ground clearance. Then it adds 17in wheels and all-terrain tyres, and sporty black decals (including wheelarch surrounds not shown on our test vehicle) to complete the go-anywhere vibe. And, if the bright orange paint (a special order colour, costing £500) is a bit much for you and your Raybans, then there are lots of other VW colours to choose from instead.

The base vehicle is a Transporter T32 in Highline spec. That’s the heaviest version of the VW van, chosen to allow for the extra weight of the four-wheel drive running gear. It ensures you still get a healthy payload of 700kg.

❯❯

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 31 30 Hillside Birchover All-Motion.indd 31

16/07/2021 08:32

New ’vans

As standard, the All-Motion also comes with the popular 150PS turbo-diesel engine (our recommendation for any T6.1), with a six-speed manual gearbox. For an extra £5k, you can upgrade to the range-topping 204PS engine with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

Meanwhile, Highline specification means you get colour-coded bumpers and mirrors, but it’s mainly behind the wheel that you’ll appreciate the extra toys. For example, the T6.1 comes with front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, sidewind assist, front assist with emergency braking system, electric folding and heated door mirrors and Volkswagen App Connect.

Other features include a DAB+ radio with 6.5in colour touchscreen, leather multifunction steering

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wheel, Bluetooth, heated front windscreen, automatic windscreen wipers, hill hold assist and cab air-con, while a factory-fitted alarm and immobiliser are standard, too. VW also includes a three-year warranty and roadside assistance.

On smooth, dry, Tarmac, the 4Motion often feels much like any other VW Transporter but, unlike some 4x4 vans, the T6.1 has permanent four-wheel drive, so the benefits are there as soon as the going gets wet or slippy – without pressing any buttons or fiddling with extra levers. Its Torsen differential distributes power 40:60 between the front and rear wheels in normal circumstances but, when – as Billy Ocean says – the going gets tough, the system automatically apportions power to the tyres with the most grip.

It’s not all good news, though, because the raised ride height can make the VW feel a bit bouncy compared with the standard model and the taller stance means this Birchover is much less likely to slip under a height barrier at your local car park than a more conventional camper. Of course, being higher off the ground also makes it a greater climb up into the ’van – something to consider if you don’t have the legs of a supermodel.

Another drawback to consider is fuel consumption – the best we achieved was 27mpg, which compares to around 34mpg for an equivalent front-wheel drive version. But if you’re reading this, I suspect you’ve gone ‘la-la-la’ through the downsides because you’ve already made your mind up that you want – nay, need – a four-by-four.

Hillside Birchover All-Motion

BUY A HILLSIDE FROM… Hillside Leisure sells its campers direct from its impressively large factory on the outskirts of Derby, where you’ll always find a good selection of campers already converted and ready to go. Stock is predominantly VW T6s, but you’ll see short and longwheelbases, poptops and high-tops.

If you’re not local to Derby, look out for Hillside at the NEC shows (February and October), as well as many outdoor motorhome shows.

BIRCHOVER PLUS The Birchover is the mainstay of the Hillside portfolio and the All-Motion version joins the S, Classic and Executive as the fourth derivative in the range – all feature a typical side kitchen layout with an RIB bench/bed and an SCA poptop (or a much less frequently seen high-top).

The All-Motion’s living area is borrowed from the Birchover Classic, where ample storage, as well as functionality, is key. That starts with Hillside’s trademark swing-out cupboard door that conceals the 65-litre compressor fridge/ freezer and the gas-powered grill above. With several shelves, the hinged locker is deep enough to store all kinds of smaller items, from mugs and cups to packets and tins.

To the right of the fridge, there are three big cupboards, which are perfect for pots and pans, food, etc – but there are no drawers (not even one for cutlery). Above the fridge, there’s a combined two-burner hob and stainless-steel sink under individual black glass lids. Upmarket Corian worktops, available in a choice of colours, mean the kitchen should be really hard-wearing, while – unusually in a VW campervan – a small 230V boiler provides hot water to the kitchen sink and an external activity shower when you’re hooked up to the mains.

The storage continues with a wardrobe in the back corner, and this can be specified with shelves or a hanging rail. Below the RIB bench, there are another two cupboards, one of which

houses the Dometic portable loo. Then, above the galley, there’s a small open shelf that’s handy for storing bits and bobs like your phone. A lollipop reading light with a built-in USB port is adjacent, while a pair of three-pin sockets and a 12V plug live below, along with the control panel.

Hillside is a VW-approved converter and a member of its recently launched Motorhome Qualification Scheme (as well as having European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval and NCC Approval), so its panel vans arrive with Volkswagen factory-fitted options, including a split-charging system and crashtested swivelling cab seats. Because of the depth of the kitchen unit, there’s extremely limited legroom when the driver’s seat is swivelled, but

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 33

❯❯

New ’vans

the rotating passenger seat is most welcome and a lot more comfortable than the double passenger seats often seen in VW Transporters.

Mealtimes are catered for with a table on an island leg, and both the tabletop and leg clip to the end of the kitchen unit, behind the driver’s seat. You can only reach the table from the rear bench seat.

NIGHT, NIGHT Come night-time, the side windows and tailgate window are fitted with blinds and flyscreens and there’s a removable curtain on press studs for the cab. It’s worth noting, though, that the back window’s blind frame does reduce visibility somewhat to the rear.

As always, the RIB bench is rather high off the

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floor for comfortable sitting, but it transforms very easily into a double bed measuring 1.80m by 1.20m. One thing we like about the RIB design is that its rearmost section can be tilted to create a sort of chaise longue.

By day, the back seat features two seatbelts and Isofix fixings but it lacks the versatility of a sliding seat system (as seen in the California and models from the CMC HemBil range, for example). With belts for four, the Birchover AllMotion is a four-berth – the second bed is, of course, housed in the elevating roof and the mattress here measures 2.00m by 1.10m and sits on a wooden slatted base. Four uplighters on either side of the ’van illuminate the pop-top at night, while a long LED strip light on either side

provides lighting down below.

You can not only choose from a wide range of exterior paintwork for your Birchover AllMotion, but also upholstery and furniture colours. The grey automotive-style interior here is always a popular choice, while the black leather upholstery costs £2,095 extra. The only other option fitted was an upgrade from 17in to 18in alloy wheels (equipped with off-road tyres to give you proper benefit from the four-wheel drive), at an additional £695.

At £62k as tested, then, the latest Birchover retains Hillside’s usual reputation for good value for money – it would be easy to spend more on a two-wheel drive camper and then get stuck on a campsite’s wet grass…

Camper King

Camper King

We meet probably the UK’s largest converter of VW Transporters…

C

AMPER King is not a name you’ll have seen at the major motorhome shows, nor is it a member of the National Caravan Council (like other well-known campervan brands), but it claims to build more camper conversions on the Volkswagen Transporter than anyone else in the UK. That’s currently up to 35 vehicles per week, following a period of rapid expansion and a move to new premises near Banbury in June 2020.

In fact, the deal on the new site was signed just days before the first Covid lockdown, resulting in more than a few tense moments. However, as we all now know, the pandemic has caused

unprecedented demand for campervans, so the former prestige car sales site proved a fortuitous decision and the company can now present seven vehicles indoors to potential customers, as well as showing different flooring, worktops, wheels, etc, in its ‘configuration lounge.’ It has also been able to add MoT facilities and an accessory shop selling everything from sleeping bags to awnings.

Camper King can also undertake habitation servicing on site and, if you return to the factory annually for this service, it will extend your warranty for a further year – every year that you own the ’van, if you purchased it from there. Not that you have to buy direct from Banbury in the

first place, as Camper King has dealers throughout the UK – 17 outlets, all listed on the website, camperking.co.uk While it can carry out conversions on customers’ T5 and T6 Transporters, Camper King converts mostly new T6.1s, although these are pre-registered panel vans. None of its conversions have Type Approval and nor is it a member of Volkswagen’s new Motorhome Qualification Scheme (see page 56).

The company uses its own pop-top roof and its own design of rock ‘n’ roll seat/bed system, although an RIB bench is available at extra cost on some models. Prices start in the mid-£40,000s

❯❯ whatmotorhome.co.uk | 37

Range review

on a used base vehicle, with typical new campers (on pre-registered vans) costing around £55k, although it’s possible to spend a lot more…

Before you decide, you might like to hire a VW from Camper King. The cost of a two-day rental can be refunded if you subsequently purchase a ’van. Even if you have no thoughts of buying, a hire fleet of 25 campers (rising to 50 next year) could give you a taste for the lifestyle while you save up. In the meantime, here’s an overview of the Camper King model range, all of which feature the classic side kitchen campervan layout.

ST TROPEZ A four-berth, five-seater camper with a double passenger seat in the cab. It comes with a combined hob and sink unit, 50-litre fridge, 110Ah leisure battery and on-board 20-litre fresh water tank. Key options include electric or diesel heating, a solar panel and the RIB rear seat. The long-wheelbase version offers extra storage or a Porta Potti cupboard.

MONTE CARLO Adding a grill unit in the side kitchen, the Monte Carlo also gains an Ambient Lights Package (worktop, cupboard and logo lights). Again, you can choose short or long-wheelbase and opt for

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| AUGUST 2021

an RIB seat at extra cost. There are special upholstery options, too, as well as upgrades to 18in or 20in alloy wheels.

LE MANS Offered only in short-wheelbase form, the Le Mans benefits from a wider, three-person rear bench seat, so you get a broader bed, too, while the side kitchen narrows aft of the 50-litre frontloading fridge. Spec now includes a wireless charging pad, as well as a wind-out sunshade finished in either black or white. Heating and exterior styling packages are offered amongst the extra-cost options.

SANTORINI Effectively, the Santorini is the long-wheelbase equivalent of the Le Mans as it, too, has the

wider rear seat/bed. Standard spec includes swivel driver and passenger seats, individual coffee tables, diesel-fired heating, 18in or 20in alloy wheels, a sunshade awning and the Ambient Lights Package. Optional extras include the well-regarded RIB seat, parking sensors, reversing camera, stereo upgrades and special upholsteries.

PORTOFINO Another long-wheelbase-only model, the Portofino is a rare find in the VW camper world, as it includes a full-sized oven/grill. It also has a three-seater rear bench (RIB with Isofix at extra cost), swivel cab seats, diesel heating and an exterior gas barbecue point. Exterior styling packages, a solar panel and parking sensors again feature on the options list.

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New ’vans

Creative X-Plorer Feel like you’re being priced out of the campervan market? A new conversion on an affordable used van could be the solution...

I

T’S not hard to spend £60k on a new VW campervan, which is simply too rich for a lot of budgets. Some buyers, therefore, turn to conversions on pre-owned base vehicles, but supply and demand has even pushed up the prices of used VW Transporter vans. And, much as we love the Vee-Dub, there are cheaper alternatives.

The Renault Trafic has always been a good vehicle to drive, without the price premium of its Teutonic rival, and Creative Campervans turns to this and its sister Vauxhall Vivaro (the pre-2019 model before it became a rebadged Peugeot). Not only does the Vivaro wear a built-in-Britain badge to please patriots, but in Sportive spec it comes with cruise control, parking sensors, Bluetooth, a trip computer and front foglamps as standard. Creative also supplies only one-owner base vehicles that have less than 40k miles recorded and are less than two years old, so the balance of Vauxhall’s warranty remains in place. Both short and longwheelbase Vivaro vans can be converted, with prices ranging from £33,000 up to just under £40k, depending on the cost/age of the base vehicle. Wolfrace 18in alloy wheels add the ‘sport’ in Sportive, while a roof spoiler above the barn doors completes the cosmetic makeover.

Inside, Creative’s X-Plorer conversion starts with a rear-hinged rising roof from PopTop Roofs of County Durham, so it’s no surprise to find a standard side kitchen conversion when you slide back the side door.

The layout includes a FabworX Eazy-Lift bench/bed, which is M1 tested. Once a knurled knob has been

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| AUGUST 2021

removed, it simply pulls forward and flattens to make the bed, while returning it to seat mode is assisted by a gas strut. It’s a completely flat double, measuring 1.82m by 1.11m, and a second mattress can be supplied for the bed board in the roof. As a seat, the FabworX unit is rather flat but it includes two three-point belts and small, integral headrest sections. Creative’s Russ Mason tells us that he’s especially proud of the company’s upholstery standards, with diamond stitching seen here (and on the matching swivelling double cab seat).

The kitchen unit is all made on a CNC machine for accuracy and is finished in typical grey laminate with some contrasting silver tambour doors and sparkleeffect worktops. Simple overlaid cupboard doors feature but there’s plenty of storage, as well as the typical fittings of a Dometic compressor fridge and a combined two-burner hob and sink unit. Top lockers above the galley increase cupboard space, especially in the roomy LWB model shown, but the boot area offers rather limited capacity compared with some rivals.

The X-Plorer is lined using recycled plastic insulation, which can’t retain moisture, and there’s full LED lighting, including downlighters over the cab and rear seats, plus a long strip over the kitchen. Blackout curtains are fitted and a 12-month conversion warranty is provided. An independent habitation check certificate is supplied with each conversion to reassure customers, while ’vans can also be tailored to personal preference in terms of the colour scheme and alloy wheel designs.

Creative X-Plorer

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Vauxhall Vivaro (pre-2019) PRICE FROM £37,950 as shown on pre-owned 68-plate van BERTHS 2/4 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 5.40m WIDTH 1.96m HEIGHT 2.11m GROSS WEIGHT 3,030kg PAYLOAD 805kg

ALSO CONSIDER Auto Campers Day Van Eco-Line A pre-owned VW T6 camper

BUY A CREATIVE CAMPERVAN FROM… Based near Stratfordupon-Avon, Creative Campervan Conversions sells its vehicles direct and has also recently been exhibiting at Warners’ outdoor shows – see outandaboutlive. co.uk/shows – where we came across this family firm. It can supply new conversions on pre-owned vans that it supplies, or convert your own panel van.

WHO IS CREATIVE CAMPERVAN CONVERSIONS?

This is a family business, started twoand-a-half years ago by husband and wife team, Russ and Wendy Mason.

Motorsport brought the couple into motorhomes, as with so many before them, and, after converting a van for themselves, they set up a business building campervans based on the Renault Trafic/Vauxhall Vivaro as well as the larger Peugeot Boxer (a fixed bed, two-berth, called the Radnor Edition). Russ and Wendy claim over 20 years of caravanning and motorhoming experience, as well as 30 years in engineering, construction and carpentry.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 41

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New ’vans

Hymer Free 540 Blue Evolution A compact special edition with over £14k-worth of extra kit fitted

F

EELING a bit blue? Well, this Hymer could be just the tonic to cheer you up – especially when you see its extensive kit list, which Nottingham dealer, Lowdhams, says includes £14,516-worth of options. Not only that, but this limited edition model is surprisingly compact and looks fetching in Storm Blue metallic (hence the name) with contrasting black alloy wheels. It has flush-fit windows, a flyscreen on the sliding door and a wide electric step, as well as an awning as standard.

The Fiat base vehicle comes with the 140bhp engine, Eco Pack (with stop/start), air-conditioning, cruise control, foglamps and a leather steering wheel.

The Media Pack is included, too, so you get a 7in touchscreen, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, four speakers and a reversing camera.

The layout is the typical transverse rear bed format but two features make the Blue Evolution more unusual – the use of the compact 5.41m van and the addition of a rising roof. That pop-top makes this Hymer into a four-berth with a 2.00m by 1.28m double bed upstairs.

There’s a lollipop light with built-in USB port in the roof, too, as well as flyscreened vents at the front and on the offside (and a window on the nearside). The bed’s ladder splits into two to stow on the overcab shelf.

Below, it’s a half-dinette with a wall-mounted table featuring a swing-out extension leaf. There’s a 230V socket adjacent and pleated blinds cover the windows.

The cab windows get blinds, too, while the rear bench has automotive head restraints and Isofix.

Just inside the sliding door, the 70-litre compressor

fridge has a door that opens from either side – handy when reaching for a cold cola to go with your barbecue.

Alternatively, cooking in the ’van is on a two-burner hob that’s part of a combined unit incorporating the stainless-steel sink. The galley also includes three softclose drawers, while a slightly raised worktop to the rear hides a small wardrobe (970mm hanging height).

Opposite, the tambour door slides back to reveal a washroom with corner basin, opening window and mirrored cupboard with fiddle rails. A wooden duckboard is provided, as is a shower curtain, but the latter only needs to cover the basin and loo rather than going all the way round.

The rear bed measures 1.94m by 1.21m and comes with a window on the offside, as well as openable glazing in the back doors. There are reading lights that clip into any position on their rails, rear speakers, and cupboards over both ends of the bed (so you can’t sit up in bed, but you’ll probably be grateful for the storage). A bedside heater outlet is a welcome touch – warmth coming from a 4kW Truma Combi system.

Beneath the bed is a storage space measuring 750mm wide and 760mm tall – more if you stack the bed to the nearside. Under-bed cupboards include the gas locker on the left and the 100-litre fresh water tank on the right.

With its grey cabinetwork and great spec, the Blue Evolution looks a very attractive compact camper that could suit those trading up from a VW T6 to a ’van with a washroom. Better still, it doesn’t have the usual long list of essential extra cost options to add.

WHO IS HYMER?

Hymer is probably the best-known name in the industry and has been building motorhomes since 1961, when it unveiled the Borgwardbased Caravano pop-top camper.

Of course, today, the brand is more often associated with its luxury A-class models, but campervans were reintroduced in 1980 and the Hymercar name was coined for these vehicles in 1982. In 2008, Hymer returned, belatedly, to this growing sector with its first fixed bed model on the X2/50 Fiat Ducato, but the current range developed from a 2011 redesign.

Now referred to as Hymer Camper Vans (the Hymercar name having been dropped in 2019), the line-up includes entry-level Free models as well as the compact pop-top Sydney. In all, there are two Mercedes-based models and eight on Fiat Ducato, with lengths from 4.96m to 6.36m.

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Hymer Free 540 Blue Evolution

BUY A HYMER FROM…

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Hymer has a campervan dealer network ranging from Knowepark Caravans in Scotland and 3 A’s Leisure in Wales down to Southdowns Motorhome Centre on the south coast. Other Dealer outlets are Adventure 10 Leisure Vehicles ti o n w i d (Cumbria), Lowdhams (at both Huddersfield and Nottingham), Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld (Stafford), Campersales (Sussex), and Highbridge Caravan Centre (Somerset and Devon). Of course, as one of Europe’s premier motorhome marques, Hymer has retailers all over Europe – from Russia to Portugal, as well as in the rest of the world. The EHG group, as a whole, boasts over 1,200 dealers.

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Fiat Ducato PRICE FROM £57,238 BERTHS 4 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 5.41m WIDTH 2.08m HEIGHT 2.70m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg PAYLOAD 540kg

ALSO CONSIDER Dreamer D43 Up Red Addict Pilote Van V540G

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 45

THINKING OF BUYING A MOTORHOME OR CAMPERVAN? Buying Your First Motorhome has all the information you need to help you buy a motorhome or campervan, whether it is your first or you are upgrading your existing model It is packed with all of this and more: • Types of motorhomes and campervans explained • A comprehensive guide to layouts • Motorhome hire • Base vehicles – why choosing the right one is important • What you can buy in different price sectors • 2021’s top 20 new models • Where to buy – online, shows, dealers and auctions • Finance – how to fund your motorhome purchase • Buyers’ guide – all the prices, models and specifications • Dealer directory – contact details for motorhome and campervan dealers around the UK

Download it for just £4.99 at motorhome.ma/yfm21 Get your printed issue for £5.99 + p&p motorhome.ma/byfmprint21

Thistle Rose VW T6.1

Thistle Rose VW T6.1 A side kitchen conversion with some interesting details

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE VW Transporter T6.1 PRICE FROM £55,945 as shown (or £24,337 for conversion only) BERTHS 4 TRAVEL SEATS 6 LENGTH 4.90m WIDTH 1.90m HEIGHT 1.99m GROSS WEIGHT 2,800kg PAYLOAD 614kg

ALSO CONSIDER Autohaus Spartan CMC HemBil Urban

I

T was the duo-tone, mint green and white colour scheme that caught my eye first in the halls of the Harrogate show, but even a quick look inside suggested that this wasn’t just another budget entry in the overcrowded world of VW campers. For a start, the £56k price tag on a T6.1 T28 Startline with 110PS engine, five-speed manual gearbox and Business Pack, puts the Thistle Rose conversion directly up against some highly respected competitors.

Company owner, Peter Occardi, was also quick to point out his previous working life in

the world of emergency vehicles – and his passion for creating campervans with an emphasis on safety. The conversion shown here uses an RIB three-seater bench, with a double crossmember underneath the vehicle.

In his own words, “If I wouldn’t put my kid in it, we won’t build it.”

That approach continues with the fitment of the Drivelodge elevating roof, where a frame is used to maintain rigidity between the B-posts – the corollary of which is a useful shelf at the front of the pop-top when it’s raised, where the original cab roof is retained (not cut out).

The roof bed also has a hinged base to create more headroom – Peter is a tall chap!

A further detail is that Thistle Rose even extends the VW exhaust to exit at the rear of the vehicle, rather than behind the cab as it does on the latest bulkhead-equipped T6.1 panel vans.

So, there’s clearly a desire to go about things the right way here and, not only that, but this North Yorkshire converter offers a huge amount of choice. Side kitchen layouts are to be expected in a T6 but here they come in versions with a two or three-person bench

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 47

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New ’vans

BUY A THISTLE ROSE FROM… This conversion company, like many of its ilk, sells direct from the factory.

In this case, that means visiting Skipton, North Yorkshire – although we came across the firm when it was exhibiting at The Yorkshire Motorhome & Campervan Show, Harrogate.

WHO IS THISTLE ROSE?

Trading for five years, Thistle Rose Leisure began building campervans for hire, often finding that its renters then went on to buy a campervan soon afterwards. It specialises in camper conversions based on the VW Transporter and Ford Transit Custom, as well as offering campers on the smaller, all-electric Nissan e-NV200 and the larger Fiat Ducato.

It also manufactures a dismountable Camper Pod for mounting onto popular 4x4 double cab pick-ups, such as the Nissan Navara. Most of its conversions are built on vans supplied by its customers but it also builds on pre-registered base vehicles for stock.

Currently, the company builds three conversions per month, with workshop space limiting volume.

seat (both from RIB). Then there are rear galley layouts, too, in short and longwheelbase forms and even an unusual rear U-shaped lounge offering.

Whichever floorplan ticks the box for you, Thistle Rose makes all of its furniture in-house and the model shown here features an aesthetically pleasing curve as the galley worktop sweeps up to incorporate the rear corner wardrobe. The company makes its own laminate, too, so that it can offer units with an inflection curve, with the worktop rounded down at the forward end as well as upwards at

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the rear of the camper.

Here, though, it’s a slightly more conventional L-shaped kitchen unit with the 50-litre compressor fridge jutting out quite a way into the living area and a combined twoburner hob and sink unit mounted above, thus freeing up more preparation space to the rear (albeit over top-loading cupboards). There’s a single drawer over the fridge, while the tambour-door cupboard in the slimmer section of the kitchen hides the twin 13-litre water carriers.

Another tambour door is used for the

wardrobe, while rear boot space (both above and below the mattress) is pretty generous.

With a double passenger seat (mounted on a swivel base), and the broad, 1.29m, RIB bench, this camper has belted seats for six – and seats for five when camping (the driver’s seat doesn’t swivel). This example also comes with a 100W solar panel and a 2kW Mikuni diesel-powered space heater, but Peter is keen to stress that every camper the company builds is configured for the customer, so no unnecessary kit is added and the total price of the complete vehicle is kept down.

THISTLE ROSE LEISURE HIGH QUALITY CAMPERVAN CONVERSIONS TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONS Campervans based on Volkswagen Transporters, Transit Customs and Nissan NV200’s in a number of layouts including side kitchens and rear built-in WC’s

01756 795771 Ask us about discount code WGP1

www.thistleroseleisure.com Skipton, North Yorkshire

Buying advice

Full-sized for families Most VW campers can sleep four, thanks to a bed in the poptop, but larger campervans are often designed for couples.

Here, we seek out the family-friendly options…

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he typical Volkswagen T6 camper has a bed made from its rock ‘n’ roll bench seat and another sleeping space in the pop-top roof. What you don’t get in your typical VW, though, is a walk-in washroom. For that you normally need to go up a size – often to a conversion based on the Fiat Ducato.

However, while the Italian panel van is wider and squarer than the Vee-Dub, as well as over a metre longer (when comparing the popular longwheelbase Ducato with the SWB Transporter T6.1), many of the layouts on the market are aimed at older empty-nesters. British converters often favour rear lounge designs, many of which don’t even have any rear travel seats, while the continental makers tend to go for more versatile fixed bed designs with four seatbelts but still only two berths (or, perhaps, three with a sometimes small, frequently rather unsatisfactory, optional extra bed made from the lounge seats and extra cushions).

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Don’t despair, though, if you want something more spacious than a VW and haven’t put your little darlings up for adoption! Bigger campervans that suit family camping are out there and these models, with a proper shower/toilet compartment, could be seen as more desirable than ever in these post-Covid times when it’s obviously appealing to have all your own facilities. Better still, as the Fiat is more keenly priced than the (admittedly more sophisticated) VW, a bigger ’van need not necessarily mean a bigger bill.

There’s more good news, as the rapid expansion of the campervan market has seen manufacturers keen to cover every base – including families. So, while pop-tops on these larger campers were previously seen as a very niche interest, many manufacturers now offer them as a way of making their ’vans family friendly. And this isn’t the only way of getting a full-sized camper for four…

BRITISH POP-TOPS WITH A REAR LOUNGE Auto-Trail was the first UK manufacturer to adopt the idea of adding a pop-top to a full-sized campervan, where its role is purely to provide extra berths (as standing room is already a given in these taller panel vans, unlike in a VW Transporter or Ford Transit Custom). Its Adventure range was launched in 2019 and comes in two flavours – the six-metre ‘55’ and the extra-long ‘65’. Each has a similar floorplan, featuring a half-dinette with the requisite rear seatbelts, a central kitchen and washroom and a rear lounge. With different graphics and soft furnishings to other Auto-Trail campervans, the Adventure models are high-spec vehicles with a solar panel and Media Pack (including a 21.5in TV, reversing camera and motorhome-specific sat-nav) as standard. The elevating roof ’s bed features comfort springs and there are reading lights and USBs upstairs, too.

Prices start at £57,309.

Family campervans Compass (sister brand to Elddis) added a well-priced pop-top model this season

The Elddis roof bed – like others in this class it’s a good size but don’t expect it to be so appealing in mid-winter

If that’s beyond your budget, then Elddis (and its sister brand, Compass) introduced its first pop-tops this season. Benefiting from development work by the parent company, Erwin Hymer Group, the Autoquest CV80 has a brand-new roof featuring long fibre injection technology. Up top, there’s a 2.10m by 1.44m double bed on a slatted base and a huge flyscreened section at the front can be opened up for maximum ventilation. Where the Elddis really scores over its pop-top rivals, though, is the addition of a large rooflight directly over the access aperture for the upper bed – when the roof is down, the Autoquest allows a lot more daylight into the front lounge than its rivals.

Like the Auto-Trail, the Elddis has the popular UK layout of a half-dinette up front and a second seating area in the stern. In fact, the layout is adopted wholesale from the existing CV40 model and it comes in just one length – 5.99m. Prices for the Autoquest CV80 start at a highly competive

£47,669 but you will need at add the £1,218 Lux Pack for essentials like cab air-conditioning. Look out, too, for special edition versions of the Elddis at some of the UK’s largest motorhome dealerships.

EURO POP Of course, it was European manufacturers that first introduced the idea of these taller, larger campervans with a pop-top and, on the other side of the Channel, they prefer their campers with a rear bedroom (which will also come with superspacious under-bed storage). Once seen as a novelty, with Hymer models amongst the first to be sold here, there’s now a huge selection of pop-top models from continental makers.

Today, Hymer offers elevating roofs throughout its campervan range, both in the entry-level Free line-up and the more classical Camper Van models. There are single bed and double bed layouts (downstairs), as well as medium, long and

extra-long Fiats – even a pair of twin bed, sixmetre models (the Free 602 and Yosemite). The special edition Blue Evolution gets a full review on page 44.

You can’t consider fixed bed campervans, though, without investigating the original – Adria’s Twin. New for 2021 was the Twin Sports 640 SGX (from £55,900), the first pop-top model in the range, based exclusively on the extra-long (6.36m) Ducato. For 2022, however, Adria is expanding the Twin Sports line-up with a range of four layouts, including a single bed model and a six-metre version. All have the company’s exclusive overcab SunRoof, a heated and insulated waste water tank, framed windows and a choice of exterior colours.

The design of the elevating roof allows for a habitation air-conditioning unit or a Midi Heki rooflight to be fitted at the rear, while a best-inclass opening height is also claimed.

Going one better, with a choice of three overall

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 51

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Buying advice Adria is the original when it comes to fixed bed campervans – now it’s got a range of pop-top models, too

Rear fixed bed layouts still form the basis of most European campervan ranges – and they offer great under-bed storage

It’s a long ladder climb up to any of the roof beds in these pop-top ’vans, but you don’t need to raise the roof for standing room

lengths in its pop-top campervans (sorry, the company says they aren’t campervans, they’re CUVs – Caravanning Utility Vehicles!), Knaus – and its budget brand, Weinsberg – moved into this sector in 2021. We like the Knaus Pop-Up Roof ’s design, which incorporates a neat tray for your electrical devices in the upstairs bedroom, with USB ports adjacent, as well as reading lights, heater vents and an additional frame at the rear of the pop-top to create a stepless exterior roofline on these campers.

Malibu is another German brand that’s added pop-tops to its line-up this season, including a four-berth version of its new ‘two rooms’ layout (see page 10), where the washroom wall becomes a division between the en suite bedroom and the rest of the living space. The four-berth models come under the Family-for-4 banner and the new roof has been developed in-house. It is available on all Comfort models in the range (predominantly 6.36m ’vans, but also one 5.99m layout) and can be specified on GT models with the Skyview overcab sunroof.

French brand, Dreamer, was already wellestablished in offering family-orientated campervans (described later in this feature) when it

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launched its first rising-roof model, the peculiarly named D43 Up Red Addict (well, it comes in metallic red). Its rear transverse double bed is the European norm but, unusually, it’s built on a medium-wheelbase (5.41m) van and it was the first campervan to combine a pop-top with that other fashionable feature, an overcab sunroof. With the Fun + Pack included, the Red Addict comes with plenty of kit – even a Pioneer radio and a second leisure battery – included in its £47,000 price tag.

Also from France, there are Pilote Vans with a pop-up roof option. With so much choice (Standard or Premium décor, three fridge sizes, 11 options packs, five models, eight exterior colours and more), it’s no surprise to see the firm from Nantes offering this addition on medium, long and extra-long Ducatos, but it might be especially interesting on the V630G with its larger-thanusual L-shaped lounge.

Finally, Bürstner’s new Eliseo campervan range comes with an optional pop-top, while – not to be left out – Hobby is expected to add an entry-level rising-roof camper to its line-up for 2022. And, at the luxury end of the market, Westfalia offers a pop-top option on its Amundsen and Columbus models.

GOT A FIAT PHOBIA? So far, everything we’ve considered has been Fiatbased, but there are a select few alternatives if you’d prefer a different chassis.

Firstly, it’s worth noting that Hymer’s campervan range includes Mercedes-based models and both the Free 600 S (front-wheel drive) and Grand Canyon S (rear or four-wheel drive) can be ordered with a pop-top. Remember, though, that as the Sprinter van is considerably narrower at roof level than the Ducato, its upper bed will not be as commodious. That said, the CrossOver 4x4 model has considerable appeal for adventurous families with the wherewithal to purchase such a vehicle.

Another Mercedes-based option comes from Westfalia. Its James Cook is a unique offering with a rear slide-out section creating a generous bedroom in a sub-six-metre campervan. With prices starting at around £80k (and many options to push that cost considerably higher), this won’t be a mainstream option, but the James Cook can be chosen in HD form (with an extra-high roof incorporating a 1.99m by 1.15m roof bed), or the AD version with a pop-top that includes an even longer roof bed with greater headroom (but without the insulation for winter use).

Family campervans Volkswagen’s stylish Grand California can be ordered with a roof bed

Both Westfalia (shown) and Hymer offer four-berth campervans on the sophisticated Mercedes Sprinter

Another option to consider is Volkswagen’s Grand California. The six-metre 600 model – from £74,711 – comes with the pricey (£2,514) option to add a second bed (1.60m to 1.90m by 1.22m) above the cab and lounge. The big brother to the bestselling T6.1 California, the Grand Cali is based on the great-to-drive Crafter van and comes with the classic transverse rear bed layout, plus a very automotive interior. It’s finished to the standards you’d expect of a product that’s VW from bow to stern and it comes with alloy wheels, sat-nav and the 177PS engine with eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, as well as a raft of driving assistance features such as adaptive cruise control and crosswind assist.

TWO LOUNGES You can read our review of the Auto-Sleeper Fairford on page 24 (and its fixed bed sister model on the following page), but this isn’t the only option if you want a campervan with lounges front and rear, each of which can be turned into a double bed. Swift’s Select 184 takes a broadly similar approach but, unlike the Auto-Sleeper, it has a half-dinette front lounge that includes both swivel cab seats. Priced from £52,310, the Swift comes with an overcab sunroof and is based on the extra-long Fiat van.

Different again is the Devon Sahara (from £57,839), which has two individual rear travel seats behind the cab. Rather than two doubles, this means the Sahara can offer twin beds up front in

addition to its rear double. Arguably, then, this is the most flexible model in its class.

While these layouts seem as British as pie ‘n’ mash, there’s also a Gallic contender to consider. Dreamer’s Living Van has a half-dinette up front and U-shaped seating at the rear, but it has two clear advantages over its UK-built rivals – firstly, the Modul’Space wardrobe/ washroom design that cleverly creates a separate shower cubicle and, secondly, a superb adult-sized drop-down bed over the front lounge. An inboard fresh water tank, insulated waste tank and second leisure battery are further pluses of the £52,700 Living Van. Of course, with both beds within the van body, this camper is already better suited to winter use than pop-top models with their fabric-sided roofs.

Swift’s Select 184 adopts a different approach, with front and rear lounges each making into a double bed

❯❯ whatmotorhome.co.uk | 53

Buying advice BUNKS AND DROP-DOWN BEDS In coachbuilt motorhomes, bunk bed layouts are the obvious choice for families but in campervans there are surprisingly few such designs – unless you include fixed bed models where a second double bed is simply added above the first, usually resulting in inadequate headroom for both parents and kids!

From the UK, the obvious bunk bed choice is the WildAx Solaris XL (£54,995), based on the extralong Citroën Relay. Its front lounge has cab seats that swivel to face two individual rear travel seats, the lounge converting into a transverse double bed at night. There’s a nearside galley and corner washroom, with adult-sized bunk beds running along the offside at the back. These can even be converted into a sofa during the day.

If you’re looking for something to compare with the WildAx, seek out your nearest Dreamer dealer.

Its Family Van is a long-established 5.99m Fiatbased camper, but crucially it uses the taller H3 panel van to give sufficient headroom for a dropdown lengthways double for mum and dad, as well as more space for the transverse bunks at the back.

New this year is its Duo’Space washroom with swing-wall to create a better shower cubicle.

Uniquely, Dreamer also offers a true five-berth with five seatbelts – the Camper Five. Based on the extra-long Ducato, it has the same easy-to-use drop-down double for parents as the Family Van, but the extra length is used to give the kids their

A drop-down bed (here in the Dreamer Family Van) is a great idea – no bed-making and it’s within the insulated body of the camper

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Dreamer has a couple of bunk bed layouts in its line-up, including the five-berth Camper Five

own seating area at the back, adjacent to the bunk beds. Even if you don’t need all five berths, this is one fiendishly clever campervan.

And last, but definitely not least, Dreamer’s dropdown bed can also be found in the Camper Van XL Limited – a 6.36m Fiat with a large L-shaped front lounge, rear transverse double bed and Rapido Group’s ingenious Modul’Space bathroom.

Whichever model or layout you decide is best for you, go mob-handed to view it and imagine what it

will be like when the weather forces you all inside.

Think carefully, too, about storage (much more generous in fixed bed models, with bunk bed layouts also beating twin lounge designs), and payload (especially if you’ll be carrying bikes, etc).

Try all the beds, too. Then look forward to making great family memories in vehicles that arguably offer a great compromise, with full facilities in a more manageable, more manoeuvrable package than any coachbuilt motorhome.

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Buying advice

Safety first There are many, many companies converting vans into campervans and a lot of them use VWs. Now, Volkswagen in the UK is determined to drive up standards in the sector…

E

arlier this year, Volkswagen UK launched its Motorhome Qualification Scheme to highlight the best campervan conversions using its base vehicles. Companies that meet VW’s strict criteria can now display official certification on their websites and when marketing their campers.

Arguably, it’s a scheme that is long overdue, as conversion companies seem to be springing up everywhere to meet the burgeoning demand for campers – but with little enforced regulation.

Of course, the larger motorhome and campervan manufacturers are usually National Caravan Council members and will already build to the NCC’s strict standard, while even those who are not members will have to get their vehicles Type Approved if they are converting brand-new base vehicles. However, many firms circumvent Type Approval by starting with pre-registered or pre-owned vans, leaving you with little reassurance that the vehicle has been converted to a high standard. Remember that, in most cases, the structure of the base vehicle is being altered by cutting out panels to fit the windows and elevating roof, while seats and seatbelts are being added. It is seat systems that cause the greatest concern, as Nick Axtell, Specialist Sales Manager for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, advises, “Just because a seat has been pull tested and has an approval, doesn’t mean a converter’s fitment is tested and has approval.”

We have heard terrifying stories of seats simply ripping out of the floor in an accident because of inadequate fixings, while Adrian Cross at Hillside Leisure points out that a two-seater RIB bench with

Hillside Leisure is one of four companies now included in the new VW approval scheme

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two 75kg passengers has to be able to withstand a force equivalent to 7.5 tonnes to pass testing.

Clearly, NCC approval and either National Small Series or European Whole Vehicle Type Approval, already provide reassurance of a safely converted vehicle and manufacturers must meet both of these standards before being awarded membership of VW’s Motorhome Qualification Scheme. However, with so many campervans wearing the Volkswagen roundel, the company wanted to drive up standards in the sector and signpost customers towards converters meeting all the relevant standards. “There are varying degrees of approval in the market and we wanted a way to show customers which have made the investment and commitment to the very highest quality and standards”, Nick told What Motorhome.

To become part of the scheme, companies must also register on the Body Builder Database and provide a minimum of £5 million liability insurance.

In addition, the warranty provided on all aspects of the conversion – from leisure battery to pop-top – must match the three years’ cover on the base vehicle.

FOUR AND MORE Hillside Leisure in Derby, Rolling Homes Camper in Shrewsbury (see photo right), and Scottish firm, Jerba Campervans, were the first three companies to get Volkswagen’s new MQS approval. Now, VW has just signed a fourth converter to the scheme – CJL Leisure in Weston-super-Mare.

But that’s not the end of it, as Nick confirms, “We are also working towards qualification with four

other converters currently and have had enquiries from another handful to date. I think having 10 to 20 on the scheme would be ideal, giving a good range of options to customers, and helping them identify

Many converters use the crash-tested RIB seat/bed system but not all will, necessarily, install it correctly

Volkswagen approval scheme

conversions with Type Approval and NCC approval.”

And there won’t be an upper limit if the scheme helps to improve standards in the campervan industry.

Of course, not every conversion company will be able to meet Volkswagen’s exacting standards and one key requirement is that only brand-new vans are converted. “One of our stipulations is that vans are registered (first registration) correctly as a camper [motor caravan on the registration document], using a second stage Type Approval that represents the finished product. Registering first to avoid Type Approval, or just maintaining registration as a commercial vehicle, are not supported.” That can only be a good thing and one has to question how long it will be before these legal loopholes are tightened so conversions cannot be carried out without any form of Type Approval. In any case, there may be insurance difficulties – as well as lower speed limits – for leisure vehicles still registered as vans.

In the meantime, Volkswagen hasn’t refused MQS approval to any companies that have applied but it has had applications where the converter doesn’t yet

meet the minimum criteria, so it is working with them on what they need to change and improve. In these cases, Nick says, “I guess you could say we have postponed approval rather than refused it.”

And it’s not just a case of getting approval and then sitting back on your laurels. There will be follow-up checks, including annual reviews of all the criteria set, to ensure approvals and insurances remain in place and valid. Nick adds, “We will, of course, also be working with these converters throughout the year, so we will be operationally ensuring standards are being maintained and, importantly, that our customer experience expectations are being met.”

IT’S ABOUT CHOICE Volkswagen is currently developing new pages on its website to promote the MQS and qualified converters, but of course its T6.1 California (along with Grand Cali and Caddy siblings) will always be the company’s main focus. “It’s the original, the one we’re famous for, and a true factory product of which we’re incredibly proud”, says Nick.

But, he adds, “It would be arrogant of us to ignore the converters and we know customers want choice.

If that choice is not a factory-built California, I would rather signpost them to converters building on our base vehicles with the right levels of approval.”

The MQS approval has been welcomed by leading converters, too. As Hillside’s Adrian Cross says, “If you’re not going to buy off me, then you should buy from someone else who has the MQS badge.” Despite the newness of the scheme and the low-key promotion of it by VW so far, Mark Cooper at Rolling Homes has even received orders from customers who said they would only buy a VW-approved conversion.

And the reasons for looking for an MQS approved campervan go beyond the obvious safety concerns with conversions that don’t have Type Approval.

Resale values of conversions with well-known brand names and Type Approval should be excellent, while other makes may be hard to resell at all, with many dealers refusing to take them in part-exchange – at any price.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 57

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Insurance

Today’s the day

Volkswagen

Got a day van? We investigate the implications for your insurance

O

ne of the trends that we picked up on in our annual insurance survey was the increase in people buying day vans. The reasons for this include the rise in younger enthusiasts getting into campervanning, as well as the increasing number of people buying a small leisure vehicle that they can use on an everyday basis. Those two trends are inextricably linked, with an increase in the second group fuelled by a rise in the first, the intention of those younger motorhomers being to get away at the weekend to indulge in some outdoor pursuits.

So far so good, but such owners aren’t universally welcomed by insurance companies, because a lot of the time the vehicle being covered has been altered – potentially very significantly – since leaving the factory. And the problem with making modifications is that they can sometimes be done badly.

It’s possible to convert from a van to a motorhome (or motor caravan as the DVLA calls them); there’s a raft of companies out there doing this all the time. But some insurers get the jitters if you try to cover a campervan when it’s still classed as a commercial vehicle (or van) as far as the DVLA is concerned. The key is to check what’s on the vehicle’s V5C (registration document), as that’s what most insurers go by.

The thing is, in recent years, it’s been a lot harder to get a van reclassified as a ‘motor caravan’ because the

Words Richard Dredge DVLA has been much less inclined to help. Everything you need to know is supposedly available at tinyurl. com/4s2hns87 on a gov.uk page helpfully called ‘Converting a vehicle into a motorhome’. The problem is that even the DVLA’s own inspectors have been refusing to reclassify camper conversions – including some undertaken by professional converters.

According to the DVLA’s own website, to qualify as a motorhome, a vehicle must have “two or more windows on at least one side of the body” as well as an “awning bar attached to both sides of the vehicle” plus “motor caravan-style graphics on both sides of the vehicle”. Inside, there must be seats and a table, cooking and storage facilities, plus sleeping accommodation (which might be converted from seats). The problem has been that, if the DVLA’s bods don’t think your vehicle looks enough like a motorhome (and there’s seemingly a great degree of subjectivity involved), the computer will say no.

So, if you’re buying a motorhome that didn’t start out as such, check its V5C or you could find that insurance becomes a problem. Another legal consideration is that motorhomes have different (higher) speed restrictions compared with light commercial vehicles so, if your campervan is actually registered as a van, you could potentially be nicked for speeding if you drive it like a motorhome.

When we’ve done our annual survey before, we’ve come up against our sample motorhome being based on a panel van but converted professionally to become a leisure vehicle instead of a commercial one. Insured as a van, the premium would typically be 10-20% more because theft rates for such vehicles are higher. Also, your contents insurance will be more generous for a motorhome, so it really is in your interests to make sure that your camper is correctly classified by the DVLA. Andrew Evanson of Motorhome Protect comments, “The growth in the popularity of staycations and short day trips, largely caused by foreign travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic, means people of all ages are hopping into a motorhome for a little break.

“Day van owners tend be younger, as they often want to use the vehicle more regularly than just for holidays, making it a more affordable purchase. We recognise the difficulty in registering these vehicles with the DVLA and are able to cover them under motorhome policies, as long as the facilities on board make it suitable for use as a camper or motorhome. In addition, day vans that have limited facilities on board can be covered under specialist policies where the benefits are more like an everyday car policy.”

MOTORHOME INSURANCE

YOU CAN TRUST 01865 818 331 whatmotorhome.co.uk | 59

Rear view mirror Pixabay

Rear view mirror We look back two decades, to a time when coachbuilts were very much the dominant force…

O

ur star feature in the August issue of 20 years ago was a comparison test of two of Swift’s latest models – a Mondial campervan and a Sundance overcab coachbuilt – I remember it well for the jobsworth attitude of hi-vis-wearing security staff on Grimsby docks, where we photographed the two ’vans (in between showing our ID and authority to be there umpteen times).

Back then, both Swifts were available for just under £25,000 brand-new (or a tad over that figure with options). We were there to decide whether a budget coachbuilt (represented by the Sundance and very much the flavour of the moment in the early Noughties) really was a better buy than a campervan (the popularity of which seemed to be waning, unlike today). In conclusion, we said that the camper was quicker and more economical (29.9mpg on test versus 26.9mpg), as well as being easier to drive. If it was to be your only vehicle, we opined, that was all you needed to know. Some things never change…

The coachbuilt, of course, wasn’t going to take this lying down and fought back with more space for living and superior compatibility with all-year use. In the end, though, it was the odd layout of the (short-lived, no surprise there) Mondial MV that

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swung victory for its big brother Sundance 520, a thoroughly conventional coachbuilt motorhome.

Campervans might have been a much smaller part of the market in 2001 but Volkswagens were still in strong demand and the T4 (the first frontengined, front-wheel drive model) was still the Transporter of the moment. The VW-based AVA Leisure Alexandria wasn’t only the subject of a full road test but also a road trip to Belgium and Germany. It looked the business with its Projectzwo bodykit and 17in Oettinger alloy wheels but, even inside, this wasn’t your average VW camper.

Trimmed in blue and grey Alcantara, AVA’s longwheelbase high-top model had a front lounge incorporating the swivel cab seats, a rear L-shaped kitchen and a corner toilet room. We described this unusual campervan as stylish and well-finished, adding that “the options on this test vehicle push up the price, but then style has never been cheap”.

Twenty years ago, this camper with all the toys cost almost £40k (more than the fixed bed, luxury Laika low-profile in the same issue) but, perhaps, it has proven the value of a top-quality Volkswagen camper all the same. A quick look on the official MoT history website shows that this very ’van is still on the road, having covered almost 84k miles at its

last inspection.

All of these vehicles were diesel-powered, a fact that annoyed a reader from Motherwell. James preferred petrol and argued that the premium paid for turbo-diesel options could never be recouped in fuel savings. I don’t think he’d have been impressed by today’s move towards electric vehicles…

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AUGUST 2021

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The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977 Advertisements are accepted on the understanding that they comply with the Business Advertisements (Disclosure) 1977 which requires all advertisements placed by persons who seek to sell goods, in the course of a Business, to make that fact clear in the wording of their advertisements

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