Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i What Motorhome

THERE’S a huge choice in the market when it comes to fixed bed campervans. Dreamer, the van conversion specialist brand based at Rapido’s factory in Mayenne, offers eight models in the coming season, only one of which (the popular Living Van) doesn’t have a permanent bed or beds. But, if you want to keep things compact and still have full washroom facilities, then the choices are fewer. And the models on your list reduce further still if you want four berths. It’s into this niche that Dreamer has slotted the D43 Up, not a new model but one that sees significant revision for 2024. It’s one of the three-model Fun range (the company’s more affordable line), with the ‘Up’ suffix indicating that, like the longer D55 Up, it has a…

WHILST plenty of brochures list A-class models with a maximum gross weight of 3.5 tonnes, few have a genuinely usable payload – especially once you’ve added a few options and accessories (an automatic gearbox and awning even). Go for a chassis upgrade and younger drivers are precluded, as well as those seeking to avoid the rigmarole of medicals after age 70. So, we’re intrigued by this new model from Le Voyageur – not only is this an A-class, but one from a premium maker more usually associated with larger, heavy motorhomes. It’s part of the Eterna range, which also includes vehicles up to 8.55m long on tag-axle chassis, replacing the Classic for 2024. And, like its bigger brothers, the 7m-long LV7.0GJF is built on a Fiat chassis-cowl with Al-Ko’s new…

SOMETIMES a new motorhome comes along that immediately just looks ‘right’. That’s all the more of a surprise, perhaps, when the ’van in question comes from a European maker but has the hallmarks of success in the UK market written all over it. But we had exactly that feeling on first sight of Rapido’s new 606F. If you want a vehicle that’s reasonably compact but undeniably spacious inside and seems ideal for a couple wanting a comfortable home on tour, this newcomer has to be on your must-see list. As part of the 6F range, it gets a cosmetic update that modernises its looks without losing Rapido’s fairly conservative design cues. There’s a new overcab pod with a glass Skyview sunroof that now includes an electric defrosting function. At the…

THERE’S little doubt that Chausson got a lot absolutely spot on when it launched its first ‘X’ model, the X550. Here was the (almost) perfect mix of campervan dimensions with motorhome comforts (coachbuilt insulation, flat sides for interior space, a large drop-down bed, a generous washroom, etc). It was, in fact, too successful for its own good – launched in 2021, it dipped out of the French company’s range in 2023 as this Trigano brand struggled to catch up with orders (and to get enough Fiat cabs to meet the customer demand). Our own YouTube channel (Motorhome Campervan) backs up the sense that Chausson had hit the bull’s-eye. Few other models have come close to the 767,000 views recorded by this ’van in just two years, but throughout the 669…

FOR those that don’t recognise the brand, Florium is part of the Rapido Group. Its vehicles are made alongside their notquite-identical twins from sister marque, Fleurette, in a factory in the Marais Poitevin area of the Loire, rather than at the group’s larger Mayenne plant further east. The Baxter’s sister models in the Fleurette range are called Migrateur and this 65 LJG layout is available in both versions. Simply pick whether you want a more modern interior (light wood tones with contrasting matt black fittings for the Baxter), or something a little more traditional with the Migrateur’s warmer wood with chrome fittings. Though classed as compact by its maker (thanks to a 2.23m width), this is the biggest model in the Baxter range – but, at 6.59m long, it’s still…

IF you’re looking for a top-notch German ’van, Carthago is a name that’s sure to be on your list. But what about its other brand, Malibu? Malibu’s range isn’t as bewildering as its rivals, with just four layouts, each offered as a low-profile or A-class. This is the longest of three single bed models, priced from under £85k. But add the near-£9k Touring Pack, then tick a few more essential options, and you’ll soon reach £110,000. All Malibus are Fiat-based and, while it’s possible to order any of the range with a 3,500kg gross weight, most will want the Heavy chassis, rated at 4,250kg, giving over a tonne of payload. Storage is plentiful, with a large rear garage (1.19m high) and chassis rails extending under its floor. There’s no spare…

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KEELA SOLO JACKET This new jacket from Scottish outdoor gear firm, Keela, manages to be both lightweight (680g) and warm, as well as water resistant. Plus, it can be squished into the smallest of packages, so you won’t need to sacrifice half your wardrobe. That’s all thanks to the Primaloft insulation – unlike traditional down found in insulated jackets, this material keeps working even when wet, as well as being more compressible and lighter. The hood is fixed, while there’s an inner pocket (apparently, it’s map compatible) and one on each side for your hands. Hem and hood have corded adjustment while sleeves are half-elasticated, but still adjustable. If you wanted similar features but with slightly less insulation for more all-year use, take a look at Keela’s Talus coat, as…

It is no surprise that the first campervan to be based on the new generation of Transit Custom is Ford’s own conversion, the Nugget. The new camper, which (like all previous generations of Nugget) has been developed in partnership with Westfalia, was unveiled at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf. Interestingly, the new model marks the first time that Ford has offered a hybrid powertrain in a campervan. The new model will be launched in phases, starting with the Nugget Titanium with pop-top roof and 170PS diesel engine with eight-speed automatic transmission. First deliveries are scheduled for next spring, with other versions, including the PHEV (plug-in hybrid) option, being introduced in the following 12 months. Ford has drawn heavily from the premium cab design of the latest Tourneo Custom (people-carrier), so…

IN the August issue we featured the Dormobile Ohana – a six-metre campervan with a side kitchen layout supersized to fit in a MAN van. Many buyers of this size of camper, however, will want an on-board shower and toilet, something the Ohana lacks. So, here’s Dormobile’s new flagship, the Ballintrae, complete with ablutions facilities and a higher spec – including an awning, leather upholstery, a reversing camera, metallic paint and a pop-top. Externally, Dormobile has gone for an automotive appearance with single-glazed glass windows. The mains hook-up and filler for the 25-litre LPG tank are hidden below the bodywork at the rear, while the water tanks (65 litres fresh, 40 litres waste) are underslung. Putting the tanks underneath increases space in the rear garage, which must be one of…

ITINEO is a brand that’s best known for its A-class motorhomes, as that was originally all it offered. More recently, though, it has moved into the mainstream low-profile motorhome market through being part of the Rapido Group; its Cozi range is actually manufactured at the Giottiline factory in Italy, rather than alongside Rapidos in Mayenne, France, like the A-classes. Another speciality of this marque is family-friendly layouts, with the Famili Compact CS660 and the larger SB700 and SB740 all featuring bunk beds across the back. With that in mind, it’s surprising that only now is such a layout joining the company’s most affordable range. But, while all of Itineo’s other motorhomes use sister Fiat and Peugeot cabs, the new PS700 is the brand’s first-ever model to be based on a…

IN a year when manufacturers have been more concerned with building existing models in sufficient quantities (despite chassis supply shortfalls), than launching anything really new, it is refreshing to see Pilote unveiling its Atlas low-profiles. These not only mark a return to the Ford chassis (not seen from the La Limouzinière maker in decades), but a completely new look that is more revolution than evolution. It’s a two-model range, but rather than using the Transit cab for an entry-level ’van as others have done, Pilote places its blue oval vehicles at the top of the tree (bar A-classes). And, like the popular Fiat-based Évidences, the Atlas models come with an all-inclusive spec that virtually does away with an options list (although exact UK spec was still being finalised as we…

ELECTRIC campervans are still very much in their infancy, despite all the hype surrounding Volkswagen’s ID Buzz. Beating the retro VW to the market was Wheelhome’s Vikenze III-e, a car-like camper from Wheelhome, a small Essex-based converter that has long specialised in equally small campervans – and, more recently, electric ones. A full test of the company’s Vikenze III-e appeared in our February 2023 issue – you can watch the video at motorhome.ma/review262 (38,000 people already have despite this one-person camper’s niche appeal!). However, proprietor, Stephen Wheeler, was frustrated that this original EV campervan could only offer two travel seats (in the cab), reducing the model’s versatility as a daily driver. That has now been solved with the long-awaited arrival of the XL (long wheelbase) derivative of the Vauxhall Combo…