Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i What Motorhome

THINK French A-class motorhome and your grey matter will probably come up with two names, Pilote and Rapido. The former has been selling motorhomes here for longer than almost any other European brand, while the latter boasts nearly as long a history here and now has a range focused firmly on A-classes. However, there’s another name – or rather two sister brands, Fleurette and Florium (differing only in décor and details) – that you should add into your noggin if you’re in the market for an A-class. These motorhomes are built in lower volumes and have just one UK outlet but, with the backing of Rapido Group as parent and a style of their own, they are not short of appeal. This Discover is one of just three models in…

YOU won’t mistake a K-Yacht for any other A-class – these Italian models definitely have a look all of their own. There are five layouts in the range, including a compact model and two with rear lounges – thank importer, Marquis Leisure, for that UK-friendly approach (which also includes approval by the National Caravan Council). And the built-for-Britain angle goes further as these are amongst the very few A-class motorhomes available with the doors (both habitation and cab) on the UK side. That is, perhaps, most relevant in the cab as the driver can hop out without shuffling past a front seat passenger. As you’d expect from Marquis, the spec list is long and the options list short – in fact, apart from dealer-fit items such as awnings, it’s nonexistent. As…

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Mercedes Sprinter PRICE FROM £107,000 BERTHS 4 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 7.54m WIDTH 2.35m  HEIGHT 2.95m GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg (4,500kg option) PAYLOAD 325kg ALSO CONSIDER Carthago C-tourer I 148 LE Comfort Hymer B-MC I 680 IF you want a Merc-based luxury motorhome, there’s an increasing choice, but Rapido’s M Series is one of the more affordable options and one that is (just about) possible as a 3,500kg vehicle. Two models are offered, the island bed M96 and this M66, each measuring 7.54m. Both are front-wheel drive with an Al-Ko chassis and 150bhp as standard (170bhp optional), but the M66 has the advantage of Alde heating. This is a motorhome with a storage double floor and a large rear garage (limited to 300kg), so, with all that…

ID Buzz campervan set to steal the show Lovers of campervans, the great outdoors and live music are set to flock to the South of England Showground in West Sussex from 5 to 7 May as Warners Shows’ Campervan Campout takes place for the first time. As well as multiple dealers and converters showcasing a selection of new and pre-owned campervans for sale, local company, Love Campers, will exclusively unveil what it says will be the first UK conversion of Volkswagen’s funky ID Buzz, the fully electric van that was reviewed in our February issue − watch the video at motorhome.ma/review269 In addition to campervans, the shopping village will also be made of up of outdoor leisure retailers, artisan food and drink stands, local breweries and some of the finest…

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Mercedes Sprinter PRICE FROM Around £115,000 (price to be finalised) BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 2 LENGTH 7.15m WIDTH 2.02m HEIGHT 2.90m GROSS WEIGHT 3,880kg PAYLOAD 480kg ALSO CONSIDER IH 690 RD RP Explorer 2 WE make no excuses for including the M-Star in this A-class special issue. Firstly, at an anticipated cost of £115,000, it’s in the same territory as some A-class motorhomes. Secondly, as the most upmarket van conversion ever to come from a major UK maker, it’s competing for similar buyers. And, perhaps most importantly, we couldn’t wait another month to bring you our review of this exciting newcomer. At over 7m long, the M-Star is a big step up in size, as well as price, from Auto-Sleepers’ familiar Peugeot-based campervans. It’s also the…

FACT FILE BASE VEHICLE Mercedes Atego 1230 L PRICE FROM £389,680 BERTHS 4 TRAVEL SEATS 5 LENGTH 9.65m WIDTH 2.55m HEIGHT 3.76m GROSS WEIGHT 11,990kg PAYLOAD 3,205kg ALSO CONSIDER Concorde Liner 940 LS EVEN amongst the German premium makers, it doesn’t seem to be certain when an A-class rises to the exalted heights of being called a ‘liner’. But one thing is for sure, this Empire Liner is worthy of that name. Based on a near-12-tonne chassis from Mercedes-Benz, this isn’t the top-of-the-tree for a company that, over the last decade, has risen from small beginnings to become the number one maker in its field. In 2023, the range is quite mind-blowing, both in its size and the size of some of its motorhomes (see the November issue for the…

A RGUABLY, this type of A-class – taking full advantage of the wide cab to make the drop-down bed the main sleeping quarters – is when the type makes the most sense. You can have a compact vehicle with a supersized lounge – what’s not to like? Well, the lack of choice might be the big downside because, whilst you might find layouts like this on the used market, the options are few and far between for buyers of new motorhomes. Fortunately, though, Roller Team introduced its baby Pegaso in 2019 and, perhaps because of the relationship between the Italian factory and its importer, Auto-Trail, the 590 still exists in the British 2023 line-up. It even has a UK-handed layout with a driver’s door that’s actually by the driver and…

CARTHAGO certainly offers plenty of choice. In its C-line range alone there are 10 models each on Fiat and Mercedes chassis. From 7.39m up to 8.78m, they all require a C1 driving licence – and a careful perusal of the options list, which can quickly add £40k-plus to the cost. That might start with the Silverline exterior but standard is the typical brand DNA, such as the way the roof and side walls join in a smooth curve. The toothy chromed grille is another marque identifier – and a feature of this latest New Generation model. Driver comfort is assured by the high-backed Aguti captain’s chairs and visibility is a forte of all Carthago A-classes, thanks to the steeply sloping dashboard design. Only the aftermarket screen for the reversing camera…

A-CLASS motorhomes don’t have to be huge. Dethleffs has long offered its Globebus in integrated form and Hymer’s Exsis is another long-standing contender. Then Rapido Group entered the fray last season with a trio of Itineos, which could count on keen pricing as well as diminutive dimensions. Clearly, they were a success, because now the parent company has added a pair of A-classes to its slimline C Series range. You can choose from this C55i with single beds or the C86i with an island double, each with an overall width of just 2.17m. Unlike the Itineo models, which are built on Peugeot’s Boxer, the Rapidos sit on a Fiat Ducato wide-track chassis. This C55i is a good looker, with premium features such as framed habitation windows, a modern matt black…

2007 BÜRSTNER ELEGANCE I 685 You won’t see many premium brand A-class motorhomes at under £40,000 on the major dealers’ forecourts these days, but we found one. This 2007 Bürstner Elegance has only covered 60,980 miles (less than 4,000 miles a year) and is powered by the bombproof 157bhp 3-litre Fiat/Iveco engine. Its cream-over-grey bodywork still looks fresh, too. The layout features a half-dinette lounge with a side settee and swivel cab seats beneath the usual A-class drop-down double bed. To the rear is a fixed double bed mounted longitudinally alongside the washroom, which features a separate shower cubicle behind the cassette loo. An L-shaped kitchen, complete with a separate stainless-steel draining board and a three-burner gas hob, should please the chef, while the large fridge and separate freezer compartment…