Auto-Sleeper Nuevo ES

Detailed Review

THE Nuevo – Auto-Sleepers’ smallest coachbuilt – has long been one of their best sellers.

And with the arrival of the new Peugeot Boxer, there’s a new Nuevo – in both standard (side settee layout) and ES versions (with four travel seats). The ES is the more versatile – after all, a vehicle of this size can be used as a car as well as a motorhome.

The example shown at the NEC featured the rear belted passenger seats but berths for just two, as the roof moulding necessary for the overcab bed wasn’t yet available when Auto-Sleepers built their show models.

Never fear, however, as future ES models will have a higher front roofline with a luton double bed, although you can opt for overcab cupboards as an option instead.

The second double bed is created by adding supports between the two settees and rearranging the backrest cushions to fill in the gap. You can alternatively make up single beds by swivelling the cab seats and using their squabs for extra length.

The Nuevo ES, like the Zeta from sister brand Orian (see page 50), now comes with electric heating as standard, as well as external access lockers.

The kitchen has a slightly larger fridge than the Zeta (the 86-litre Dometic fridge to be precise), while the cooker and sink differ little. At first glance there doesn’t appear to be a cocktail cabinet, but this hasn’t been forgotten – it just has two solid doors instead of the Zeta’s Perspex ones.

All this is similar to the previous Nuevo, but the 2007-model also comes with a couple of extra features that get my vote.

The bathroom is a definite step up, with its swivel-wall and washbasin that shut off the swivel cassette toilet whilst showering, negating the necessity for a sticky plastic curtain.

The shower tray also has two large drain holes either side of the ridged shower tray – a real improvement from the tiny single drain holes we have traditionally complained to Auto-Sleepers about.

You can also get into the wardrobe from the bathroom as well as from the living quarters, which enables the washroom to be used as a small but handy changing room.

Lastly, you may notice that eight inches have been added to the Nuevo’s length - although you’ll find that with most of the latest vehicles as six of these are down to the new Peugeot/Fiat cab’s longer nose.

Summary
Existing Auto-Sleeper owners are bound to love this updated Nuevo, which has a vastly superior bathroom to the old model.

Factfile
Make: Auto-Sleepers
Model: Nuevo ES
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer SWB 2.2HDi
Price from: £38,810 on-the-road
Length: 5.63m (18ft 6in)
Width: 2.24m (7ft 4in)
Height: 2.82m (9ft 3in)
Gross vehicle weight: 3,300kg
Payload: 317kg
Berths: 4