Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2023 i What Motorhome

Canterbury-based motorhome and campervan dealer, Choose Leisure, has welcomed Dave Williams as its new Managing Director. Former Sales and Marketing Director at Auto-Sleepers, Dave’s relationship with Choose Leisure has spanned a decade, since the dealership took on sales of Auto-Sleepers’ models in 2013. With Dave now at the helm, founder, Paul Santos, who co-owns Choose Leisure with his wife, Jenny, will step into the role of Chairman, while current General Manager and Co-Director, Dominic Price, will become Sales Director. Paul says, “As Jenny and I continue to step back from the business we started 15 years ago this July, it’s great to have a new driving force join the company to take my place as Managing Director. Having known Dave personally for over 20 years, I have no doubt that,…

THERE are so many conversion companies all over the country turning VW Transporter vans into campers, so how do you stand out in this overcrowded sector? CamperVersions, from Blackburn in Lancashire, thinks it has some answers based on a decade of experience in the sector. Its conversions are all built on Volkswagens (new but pre-registered, or used) and all called Pioneer, although there are various spec levels; shown here is the top-of-the-range Prestige. For the roof, CamperVersions turns to British firm, Skyline, but inside the pop-top the company adds its own flourish with the Starry Night Ceiling, an idea that MD, Graham Radnedge, came up with when staring up through the open scenic canvas of a pop-top at night. It adds dozens of tiny LEDs into the base of the…

THERE’S nothing new about dismountable camper bodies for pick-up trucks. They have long been hugely popular in the States, where everyone seems to own a truck, and we’ve seen various brands on the UK scene, both British built and imported from the Continent. But Turkish firm, Hotomobil, seems to have brought some fresh thinking – and styling – to the concept and now you can buy one over here via importer, River Motorhomes of Stratford-upon-Avon. One of the beauties of any dismountable is that you can quickly turn your pick-up into a leisure vehicle. Here, the truck might be a Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hilux, Jeep Gladiator or Volkswagen Amarok – or any double cab model. You could go for the SsangYong Musso shown here, with a…

DAN Douglass’ story is a familiar one, having built campers for his own use before setting out to create a business doing the same. Ultimately, though, it was the Covid pandemic that kick-started this story as his previous sky-diving enterprise was suddenly forced to close. Based in Sussex, the company name here might sound familiar but it is obviously purely coincidental that it sounds so like our own website! It only started converting customers’ vehicles in October 2020 but it is already building between four and eight ’vans a month. There’s a sense, too, that this is not just another firm jumping on an already overcrowded bandwagon. Although the conversions are not yet type approved, Dan describes that as his “next big project” and National Caravan Council (NCC) approval is…

AS I was admiring a VW Transporter on a campsite recently, a fellow camper sidled up beside me. He nudged me with his elbow, leaned in conspiratorially, and said, “If you’ve seen one VW conversion, you’ve seen them all.” I chortled and sort of agreed. And then, as he wandered off looking pleased with himself, I took a moment to actually think about it, and realised that this was arrant nonsense. Yes, there are some lazy, identikit conversions out there. But that’s only a small part of the story. Take this striking T6.1 Highline-based Calipso from West Midlands-based Starlight Campers, for example. With its metallic Copper Bronze paintwork, 19in Rotiform alloys, and the addition of a contrasting black grille and splitter, rear spoiler and black VW badges front and back,…

FRENCH motorhome giant, Chausson, slimmed its range considerably for this season to focus on building as many as possible of its best-selling models at a time of component and, especially, chassis supply shortages. Previous options on spec level and choice of base vehicle have gone by the wayside in order to improve vehicle availability. So, there’s a pair of compact Sport Line models and six larger low-profiles to choose from, all based on the Ford Transit. The ‘full-width’ models come only in Titanium Ultimate finish (except for a limited run of 650 First Line ’vans), which aims to provide everything you’d want in a high standard spec. Here, we have the 788, which is the island bed model. In the same 7.19m overall length (around 30cm shorter than many rivals),…

RAPIDO’S 80dF-Series is the company’s A-class line-up with a double floor and Al-Ko chassis, so it sits between the 8F (on standard Fiat chassis) and the premium Distinction models. For 2023, there are three models, with two of them in Ultimate Line spec. This 8086dF version is more compact (7.20m instead of 7.49m) and comes only in standard trim. Externally, it has the latest Rapido look with a new matt black honeycomb grille and chrome ‘three men’ logo. The curvy wraparound-style windscreen with triple wipers and multiple LED daytime running lights are typical features of the marque. There are twin-lens bus-style mirrors, too. A key feature of the 80dF range is, of course, the storage double floor with headroom of almost 200mm and access on either side via hatches fitted…

STYLELINE Conversions, based in the West Midlands, started building campervans as a sideline to caravan sales but, when its VW T5 and T6-based designs took off, tourers were shelved. It specialises mainly in Transporter conversions, but also builds on the Nissan Elgrand (prices around £20k with a choice of side or rear kitchen) and is currently developing a VW Crafter-based race van. The company describes itself as “big enough to build quite a few campers but small enough to offer bespoke and one-off conversions.” It currently converts one van a week, with most standard conversions taking about a fortnight. Its standard range of VW campers encompasses the Serenity and the more upmarket Tranquility, which is the version reviewed here. However, this example had also been further enhanced with a £5,000…

TICKET TO THE MOON ECO BAGS Camping hammock manufacturer, Ticket to the Moon, prides itself on being an ethical company – it’s a manufacturer that promotes sustainability and fair trade production, using only locally sourced, high-quality fabrics and investing in innovative recycling methods. And, as part of that commitment, it’s now launched a range of lightweight Eco Bags, handcrafted from hammock offcuts. There are three sizes of tote bag available – 10, 20 and 40-litre – as well as a 15-litre Mini Backpack, and the larger Backpack Plus. Each bag folds down into a carry pouch and is available in a kaleidoscope of different colours. Whether you’re looking for a reusable shopping bag or a handy backpack to wear around the campsite, these are a great option. ticketothemoon.com OUTWELL AKIRA…

MY trusty Concise Oxford Dictionary suggests that a monster is a ‘misshapen animal’, an ‘imaginary creature compounded of incongruous elements’ or even a ‘thing of huge size’. Fortunately, this VW Transporter arrived at the East of England Showground for our review without becoming misshapen, just a bit grubby on salty winter roads. It didn’t have incongruous elements, simply familiar fittings and the classic side kitchen layout. And nor was it huge, being based on the current short-wheelbase Transporter, a van that serves many a family as a daily driver. OK, the brand logo has horns but there’s nothing aggressive about the appearance – no bodykit, big wheels, nor even a flashy paint job. In dark metallic blue, with standard 16in Clayton alloy wheels and colour-coded bumpers, this Monster couldn’t look…

DIRTY Weekender doesn’t build off-the-peg conversions; virtually every one is different. Nor are its vehicles described as campervans, these are Adventure Vans. Looking ready for many adventures, this MAN was converted to a customer’s specific requirements and shown at the NEC’s Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show as an example of the company’s wares. Like other VW Transporter specialists, Dirty Weekender has branched out into larger conversions on the MAN TGE (sister van to the Crafter). But, unlike other converters, it doesn’t have a standard layout; you can have side sofas, RIB seats (single or double), floorplans with or without a washroom. You decide. With its Black Rhino wheels and chunky BF Goodrich Trail-Terrain tyres, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a 4x4 camper but actually this is a front-wheel…

OVERCAB coachbuilts may not look as stylish as their low-profile cousins but, for some buyers, they still make a lot of sense. After all, that bed in the luton is always available, without disturbing the lounge – unlike a drop-down bed. Rimor’s new-thisseason Kilig range offers both types and does so at remarkably reasonable prices, too. Here, we’re looking at one of the most family-orientated layouts in the line-up, the 9. At under 7m in length, and on a 3,500kg chassis, this isn’t a huge motorhome – and you can drive it on a standard car licence. Basis, like all Kiligs, is the Ford Transit. It comes with the 130bhp turbo-diesel engine and six-speed manual gearbox – the automatic option is available for £2,600. Alloy wheels also cost extra (£1,350),…