Essential Guide to 2020 motorhomes - Benimar motorhomes

Benimar Tessoro 482 motorhome

New for 2020 in the Tessoro line-up, the 482 combines the very best of Benimar’s Mileo 282; a family-friendly layout with double beds and double lounges – and teams this up with the hugely popular Ford Transit base vehicle. A winning combination indeed, and the result is Benimar’s only completely new model launching in the UK for the 2020 season.

Indeed, the 482 comes with the powerful Euro 6.2 Ford chassis with a 170bhp engine and six-speed gearbox.

There are some impressive enhancements here: the grille has been restyled and the fuel tank increased from 65 to 70 litres. The cab benefits with top-class spec, including DAB radio, 9in touchscreen, MP3 player, USB port, integrated rear view camera and sat-nav. Outside, fitted bike rack mountings have been added.

Inside, the four-berth layout consists of two spacious living areas, with a lounge at the front and a second lounge at the rear. There’s a multi-positional electric double drop-down bed over the front lounge, and a second double in the rear lounge.

The rear lounge layout holds special appeal: it’s a U-shape design – so loved by UK buyers – with a removable central table. This makes for a perfect spot for relaxing in during the evening.

There’s a central washroom, which has a separate shower and bi-fold opening doors, while the kitchen is L-shaped in design and incorporates a half-height cooker, fridge-freezer and microwave.

Kitchen worktops are White Stone and there’s new furniture and upholstery, with Luxor replaced by Cambridge.

With alloy wheels, automatic lights, ESP, cab air-conditioning, overcab sunroof, Truma 6kW gas/electric heating and a whole host of other features, this is, without question, a high-spec motorhome.

With a popular layout, the 482 is perfect for families or those couples who need extra occasional space when touring.

SPECIFICATION
Price from: £61,995
Base vehicle: Ford Transit
Layout: Rear lounge
Berths: 4
Travel seats: 4
Length: 6.98m
Gross weight: 3,500kg
Payload: 300kg

Benimar Mileo 286 motorhome

There’s a lot to love about the Mileo 286, which continues to be one of Benimar’s most successful and popular models - and it’s easy to see why.

Based on the Fiat Ducato, it has the 160bhp manual engine as standard, with an appealing option to upgrade to the new fully automatic gearbox if you prefer.

Without a fixed bed, the layout is a welcome and open one, providing bags of space, plenty of comfort, and a pleasant atmosphere. The front lounge is especially large. This is a sociable area, offering seating for up to seven people, with an L-shaped settee wrapping around a central dining table and then a second, side-facing settee located on the other side.

The 286 can sleep four people, in the form of two multi-positional electric drop-down beds, measuring 1.90m by 1.40m and 2.10m by 1.30m respectively. Other big plus points include an extra-large kitchen surface, and a generously sized wardrobe with an inner light located at the rear of the motorhome. It’s the perfect layout for couples and families.

SPECIFICATION
Price from: £58,995
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Layout: Front lounge/rear garage
Berths: 4
Travel seats: 4
Length: 6.95m
Gross weight: 3,500kg
Payload: 370kg

Benimar Primero 331 motorhome

At under 6m in length the Primero is Benimar’s compact range. The 331 is one of four layouts – 202, 283 and 301 the others – and, despite its relatively small dimensions, provides lots of space, an abundance of spec and a series of excellent features.

The 331 is a four-berth overcab model offering a spacious living area to the front. There’s a multi-positional drop-down bed over the front lounge, with a fixed bed to the rear, measuring 1.9m by 1.36m.

With four travelling seats, this makes for a family-friendly model. If you’re travelling with lots of luggage, there’s a great solution – elevate the fixed double bed to reveal a huge storage area.

The kitchen is equipped with oven, gas hob, and sink – the latter two both have glass lids – and an 80-litre fridge-freezer.

The washroom has a cassette toilet and separate shower.

Based on the Fiat Ducato Euro 6, this has a 140bhp engine and six-speed gearbox as standard, with the option of upgrading to an automatic gearbox. Driver and passenger airbags, cruise control, ABS and ESP are all included.

SPECIFICATION
Price from: £48,995
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Layout: Fixed transverse French bed
Berths: 4
Travel seats: 4
Length: 5.99m
Gross weight: 3,500kg
Payload: 640kg

Highlights of Benimar’s 2020 motorhomes

• Euro 6.2 diesel engines with AdBlue technology
• Cab air-conditioning and cruise control
• Multi-positional electric drop down beds
• Solar panel
• Alloy wheels
• Grade III fully insulated
• 99% wood-free construction
• NCC Approved and full UK specification
• High-level DAB radio with touchscreen sat-nav and integrated rear view observation camera

This content featured in The Essential Guide to 2020 Motorhomes, brought to you by the publishers of MMM, What Motorhome and Campervan magazines. To buy a digital edition of the guide with the November issue of MMM or Campervan, click here.