Ace 1500 SL Motorhome

The new name in entry-level British motorhomes. Introducing a spacious two-berth with single beds

By far the biggest news at the NEC show in February was the return of the Ace brand. Built by Swift Group, this long dormant name made its comeback with a display that you couldn’t miss and a range of campervans and motorhomes priced to compete head on with the imported budget brands of the Trigano Group.

The motorhomes – all Ford-based low-profiles – offer four layouts in two body lengths, with the bigger 1500 SL (single beds) and 1500 DB (island bed) offering a spacious body that’s both a tad wider (2.37m) and a bit longer (7.81m) than most rivals and yet still coming on a licence-friendly 3,500kg chassis with a payload of close to half a tonne.

 

Comfort Pack adds to the spec

None will surely ever leave the Cottingham factory without the £1,095 Comfort Pack that encompasses the Moondust Silver cab, 16in alloy wheels, 12in media screen in the cab, reversing camera, cab blinds, habitation area carpets, a duckboard and hanging rail in the shower, coat hooks, scatter cushions, bike rack fixing rails and a 120W solar panel.

So equipped, these newcomers avoid any appearance of ‘budget’ on the outside, with pale grey side walls, modern graphics and a swooping overcab moulding incorporating an opening large sunroof.

Construction, exterior, garage

The timber-free bodyshell, protected by a six-year water ingress warranty, is framed with polyurethane with polystyrene insulation (Styrofoam in the 44mm floor with GRP skin). There’s Grade III classification for the heating and thermal insulation, while the habitation is linked to the central locking (as well as featuring a flyscreen, bin and umbrella holder).

At the rear, the garage is a little high off the floor but still boasts 1.10m headroom and a width of 1.11m. It has twin loading doors and fixed lashing points on the floor, as well as heating, lighting and power points. And this isn’t the only externally accessed storage, as a flap allows you to load the under-seat space from outside.

Ford cab

The cab spec is pretty comprehensive, too, with stop/start, ESC, Load Adaptive Control, Roll Stability Control, lane keeping system, front fog lamps, automatic lights and wipers and an electronic parking brake.

The standard motor has 130hp linked to a six-speed manual gearbox, but upgrade to 165hp and automatic transmission and the 1500 SL still stays a whisker under £70k (including the Comfort Pack).

Designed for two

As standard, the 1500 SL is a two-berth motorhome and that makes a surprisingly big difference. Not only does it save you £1,995 but the space below the settees is now for storage, rather than accommodating Aguti foldaway travel seats. It also means that, as no fixed centre table is required, the lounge feels much more open.

Instead, there are two small, square, swivel tables adjacent to the cab and (rather less conveniently) a free-standing dining table kept in the garage. With no drop-down bed (the four-berth makes its extra sleeping capacity by converting the sofas into a double bed), there’s huge headroom, too.

Rear single beds

Of course, this Ace has a proper bedroom to the rear with single beds that are, for once, the same size – 1.94m by 79cm. They come with comfy Duvalay mattresses and, most welcome, there are no overhead cupboards, so it’s easy to sit up with your first cuppa of the day.

Don’t worry about a lack of clothes storage as there’s a wardrobe under the nearside bed and drawers under both. The en suite facilities place the loo and basin (with on-trend black tap) on the nearside and the separate shower (with Ecocamel Jetstorm water-saving showerhead) opposite. The shower cubicle comes with a useful shelf but suffers some wheelarch intrusion.

Finally, the kitchen has a Thetford Triplex cooker featuring a combined oven/grill and a large worktop flap next to the sink. Opposite is the tall 133-litre automatic energy selection fridge, while a flatbed microwave can be added above the hob as a dealer-fit option.

With a great specification for the price and a simple, modern design, this Ace becomes a must-see option for anyone looking for spacious new motorhome on a budget. The two-berth version is especially appealing.