imotorhome Royal Road because getting there is half the fun...

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1 imotorhome because getting there is half the fun... Royal Road.com.au Spending time with Suncamper s Sovereign Prestige... Review and images by Richard Robertson

2 Bridging the gap: Ford s Transit helps keep the Sovereign Prestige more affordable. The trip came together quickly and quite out of the blue: Suncamper needed its Sovereign Prestige at the Bendigo Leisurefest and I had the time to oblige. Mrs imotorhome was also available and the plan was a few days on the road to and from the show to really get to know Suncamper s most luxurious motorhome. In the end time constraints put paid to the leisurely ramble across the late spring countryside, replacing it with a mad dash in both directions that wasn t ideal but still allowed time to get to know this capable and comfortable machine. The Sovereign Prestige is a B-Class motorhome built for two, but can sleep four if required. Built on Ford s ubiquitous Transit cabchassis, it s also available on the Fiat Ducato, Iveco Daily, VW Crafter or Mercedes Benz Sprinter, at a price premium. Name Calling In case you aren t aware, all Suncamper model names start with the letter S and are named after Australian towns or cities. The Sovereign gets the Prestige moniker added because its Suncamper s range-topping model, with an interior designed in consultation with an interior designer and incorporating the highest quality cabinetry, fabrics, fixtures and fittings. Standard Prestige fittings include reverse cycle airconditioning, diesel-fired central heating, rich cherry timer finish, a reversing camera, slide-out barbecue, electric awning, outdoor shower, electric entry step and a flat screen HD TV with DVD/ AM/FM/MP3 sound system with ipod connectivity. All Suncampers are quite compact and the Sovereign Prestige is no exception, measuring just 6.89 m (22 ft 7 in) long. The body has two large electric roof hatches/

3 The door can t be held open when the kitchen window is open. There s extra storage in this bin just behind the driver s door. skylight and a fan hatch over the bathroom, plus Dometic Seitz double-glazed singlehopper windows with in-built flyscreens and privacy blinds all round.the entry door is a Herr unit with separate (nonsecurity) flyscreen and there is an illuminating grab handle alongside, plus an awning light and a blue step light by the first step, inside. It s a pity, however, that neither the awning or step light can be operated while standing outside: Their switches are with all the other light switches, in a black plastic panel (along with all the other electrical controls) above the door. Outdoor storage is limited to a decent-sized rear boot only accessible through a large hatch on the kerb side, plus a small compartment above the slide-out gas barbecue and a small storage locker on the driver s side, just behind the cab. A mixture of LED and traditional external and clearance lighting is used, but while the rear light clusters are housed in a nice looking moldings the lights themselves don t quite live up to the Prestige title, with the interior wiring connectors easily visible. Surely the rangetopping model deserves LEDs all-round? Construction-wise, the Sovereign Prestige follows Suncamper s proven construction method of a

4 Compact and maneuverable, the Sovereign Prestige benefits from the Transit s new smaller but more powerful and efficient engine. sturdy welded aluminium frame on a steel floor frame, with a single-piece roof that helps reduce the possibility of water leaks. Fully insulated, with smooth outer composite wall panels and interior plywood paneling, all fittings are screwed to the aluminium framework, while cabinetry is vinyl-faced ply of gluedand-screwed (not stapled) construction. It s a system developed over more than 30 years and Suncampers are well known within the industry for their durability and longevity. In Transit Ford s Transit has been with us since Adam was a boy and he and Eve All switches are positioned above the door, but an outdoor light switch lower down would be handy. probably used one to help move out of The Garden when they unexpectedly had to leave. Driving through dual rear wheels, the current model is tough and durable, with parts and service easy to find across Australia. It s also a pleasant drive and although nearing the end of its model life it can hold its own in most situations. For 2012 the Transit received a motor transplant, replacing the long-serving 2.4-litre engine with a smaller-yet-more-

5 Manual-only Transit is a good drive, with comfy seats and easy through-cab access. powerful 2.2-litre Duratorq common-rail turbo-diesel. Ford slid the change in at the beginning of the year with little fanfare, but the smaller engine picked up 11 kw and 10 Nm over the larger model. The little engine now puts out rpm and 385 Nm at rpm: highly respectable figures for such a small displacement engine. Fuel consumption has also been improved and for the record, I recorded an average figure of 14.4 L/100 km while pushing the Sovereign Prestige along at whatever the posted maximum legal speed was. The biggest thorn in the Transit s side is the lack of an automatic transmission. The dash-mounted six-speed manual is light and easy to use, with a handy hill-holder for hill starts that keeps the brakes on for a few seconds when you take your foot off the brake pedal and move it to the accelerator. Word is an allnew Transit is due in 2014 and an auto shifter is high on the priority list, and for motorhome manufacturers it can t arrive soon enough. On the road the new engine is silky smooth with plenty of grunt, while the stubby dashmounted gear lever shifts easily between ratios. The lack of steering wheel reach/rake adjustment is one concession to the Transit s age and the side mirrors are starting to look a little small alongside the competition, but this is still a comfortable and enjoyable vehicle to drive in any situation. And even after two, ten-hour drives neither me nor my good wife had any vehicle-induced aches or pains and you can t ask for better than that. I also have to note the Transit has excellent headlights, with a strong low beam and a penetrating high-beam, aided by internal height adjustment.

6 Cab airconditioning and dual front airbags are included, as is a leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise control, plus radio controls on a columnmounted stalk just below. For 2013, Transits will pick-up front fog lights and Bluetooth as standard, which are both welcome and worthwhile equipment additions. Inside Story Step inside and you ll find the working heart of the kitchen to your left, with the dinette (which makes up into a double bed) opposite it, immediately behind the cab. To your right you ll find a halfheight wardrobe with extra bench space and a mirror on top, plus the main bed in the rear kerb-side corner. Directly opposite the entry door and aft of the dinette is the pantry, fridge/freezer and microwave, while in the driver s-side rear corner is the bathroom, alongside the bed. The interior looks and feels quite upmarket, with its highgloss deep cherry cabinetry finish, dark marble-effect bench-tops, plush upholstery and wood-effect flooring. There is also a plethora of interior lighting, including concealed LED strips, LED saloon lights and touchoperated white/blue mood lighting. Turn them all on an the Sovereign Prestige lights up inside like a Christmas tree! Some dimmers would provide the finishing touch, I feel, to Kitchen storage is good, as is internal storage generally. Dark Cherry cabinetry is stylish and very nicely finished.

7 Top kitchen drawer has an inbuilt, sliding cutlery tray. The main kitchen bench unit sits between the entry door and the front cab. The cooker is next to the entry door, while the single-bowl sink is at the other end, by the cab. Both have glass lids that provide valuable extra bench space when not in use. The main kitchen drawers, a set of four, sits between the cooker and sink, while there is a small drawer beneath the cooker and a cupboard beneath the sink. Cleverly, the top kitchen drawer is quite deep and has a smaller, sliding cutlery drawer inside it. There are four cupboards above the kitchen bench and extra space on either side in the cut-out area above the cab, plus cupboards On-road cooking doesn t get any more serious than this...

8 really help set the right mood every time. Slide-out pantry is good, as is the big 3-way fridge with mirrorfinish doors. Chow Time! Going against the current minimalist equipment trend, the Sovereign Prestige s kitchen gets a full complement of appliances. Pride of place goes to a stainless steel Thetford Caprice Mk 111 cooktop with 3 gas burners and an electric hotplate on top, plus a gas grill and a full gas oven that would keep any road chef happy (including the good Mrs imotorhome). Above it sits a stainless steel rangehood that s externally vented, while a floor-mounted 2-door 184-litre Dometic AES 3-way fridge/freezer with mirror-finish doors sits across the aisle (between the dinette and bathroom), with an unbranded microwave above it. Fridge-top bench is useful when using the microwave.

9 above the dinette and beside and above the microwave. Between the fridge and dinette is a slim, slide-out pantry unit with four baskets, which is a welcome inclusion. All have Suncamper s self-locking catch system that means as soon as they re closed they re locked, and while this is simple it s very effective. The TV is well concealed when not in use. Natural light and ventilation are no problem, thanks to a window above the kitchen bench, an electric roof skylight and the entry door right beside the cooker. However, care must be exercised as you can t have the entry door secured open if the kitchen window is open. A careless person could fling the door open and crack the window, while a strong gust of wind could wrench from your hand with the same result. Dining and Other Things The cafe-style dinette is directly opposite the kitchen and comfortably seats four. It s large window also adds to the abundance of natural light and fresh air, while beneath the seats is extra storage accessed though hinged seat bases. Because of the Sovereign Prestige s design, neither cab

10 Dark laminates and quality fabrics add a genuine quality touch. seat swivels, so the dinette is the only place to relax, apart from the bed. The cab roof has been cut out slightly to allow easy through-cab access and because there is no over-cab bed, the overcab area has a series of wood paneled doors around its perimeter. The central two open to reveal the flat-screen TV, which is fixed against a backing wall but can be viewed from the dinette or bed and operated by remote control. Ditto the automotivestyle DVD/audio player, which is mounted separately, above the forward dinette seat. Bright white or cool blue: the choice is yours. Cleaning Up Nestled in the driver sside rear corner of the Sovereign Prestige is the bathroom, which features

11 The shower s pull-out screen door is opaque, while the loo roll holder is neatly concealed inside a vanity cupboard door. a separate vanity, loo and shower cubicle. Entering the long-butnarrowish bathroom through the slightly angled door, to your left you ll find a compact vanity with sink along the outside wall; a large window above it and a mirror at headheight above that. Turning to face the sink, which has a chrome flick-mixer tap, there is a generous medicine cabinet recessed into the wall between the door you just came through and the outside wall.

12 A generous medicine cabinet is recessed into the wall. Beneath the sink is a cupboard with two doors, the left-hand one of which opens to reveal a stylish chrome toilet roll holder attached to its inside. Very neat. The toilet is a swivel-headed Thetford cassette unit that sits snugly between the vanity and shower cubicle. The shower cubicle is quite generously proportioned and has an opaque door that rolls out like a horizontal roller blind, providing privacy and ensuring the remainder of the bathroom stays dry. It has a heightadjustable, chrome-finished shower unit that can also be used as a hand shower, a small flick-mixer tap and a moulded-in shelf, plus a fanhatch for light and ventilation. Sweet Dreams Beside the bathroom, in the kerb-side rear corner of the Sovereign Prestige, is the main bed. Measuring 1.88 m x 1.32 m (6 ft 2 in x 4 ft 4 in) and with a chamfered corner to provide extra floor space by the bathroom door, it s longer than a double (on the outside wall side) but not quite as wide. And with walls on both sides there s no room for bedside knickknacks. On the plus side there are large windows above the bed head and on the outside wall, plus another large electrically operated skylight. A sexy blue LED strip light runs around the

13 bed head for mood effect, while a pair of reading lights are included for catching up on that good book. Even the bedroom gets the mood lighting treatment. Moving on, the dinette converts to a second double bed measuring 1.72 m x 1.25 m (5 ft 8 in x 4 ft 1 in), if required, by sliding out metal supports from the seat ends, dropping the table and installing bed boards stored beneath the seats. In Conclusion There s a lot to like about the Suncamper Sovereign Prestige. It looks good outside, in a conservative sort of way, while impressing inside with a high standard of finish and an equipment list to match. Our 9 hour after-show Bendigo/Home dash proved the Transit s comfort and economy, with no aches or pains and an average 14.4 L/100 km. A few refining touches, like dimmable interior lights, revised light switch positioning and external LEDs all round would make it even better, while the bed is a matter of personal preference. Ford s Transit does stirling service and is a comfortable and economical drive while Suncamper s proven construction method and durability mean it should provide years of faithful service, with nothing more than routine servicing and maintenance. If you re in the market for a modern, compact motorhome for two with as much substance as style, be sure to check it out.

14 Tested: imotorhome.com.au Trakka Trakkaway 700 Rear-corner bed is comfy, but a tad narrow...

15 Suncamper s range-topping Sovereign Prestige is a quality motorhome that s well equipped, economical and competitively priced.

16 Specifications Manufacturer Suncamper Model Sovereign Prestige Base Vehicle Ford Transit Engine 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel Power rpm Torque rpm Gearbox 6-speed manual Brakes ABS ventilated 4-wheel discs Tare Weight 3420 kg Gross Vehicle Mass 4490 kg Towing Capacity 1510 kg (braked) Licence Car Passengers 2 External Length 6.89 m (22 ft 7 in) External Width 2.32 m (7 ft 8 in) External Height 3.13 m (10 ft 3 in) Internal Height 2 m ( 6 ft 7 in) Front Bed Size 1.88 m x 1.32 m (6 ft 2 in x 4 ft 4 in) Rear Bed Size 1.72 m x 1.25 m (5 ft 8 in x 4 ft 1 in) Cooktop Thetford Caprice Mk III Fridge 184 L LPG/12/240 V Microwave yes Lighting 12 V LED/Halogen Batteries 2 x 120 AH Gas 2 x 4.5 kg Solar Panels Optional Air Conditioner Roof Mounted reverse cycle Heater/Hot Water Heater 22 L Suburban gas/electric Toilet Thetford cassette Shower Separate cubicle Fresh Water Tank 146-litres Grey Water Tank 128-litres Price A$ 159,990 drive-away NSW Pros Compact dimensions Upmarket interior High standard equipment list Economical Comfortable Sound construction Cons Rear bed a bit narrow Some light switch positions need revising Door/kitchen window conflict Contact Suncamper 3/9 Sefton Rd Thornleigh. NSW Click for Google Maps Ph: (02) W: E: freedom@suncamper.com.au Copyright 2012 imotorhome.com.au All rights reserved.