Bürstner Lyseo TD 644 G Harmony Line motorhome

A rear lounge motorhome with a drop-down bed and a garage

Rear lounge layouts are a British phenomenon, largely ignored on the Continent. They often appeal to former caravanners buying a motorhome for the first time, as the layout is more familiar and the cab quite separate. And, of course, it’s not hard to see the appeal of the views out through windows on three sides – or triple-aspect glazing in estate agent-speak!

The downside of these models is usually a lack of storage as there’s no fixed bed to provide a base for a garage. Here, Bürstner has come up with a solution – effectively, by moving the lounge forward and placing a garage between it and the rear wall. With a large shelf (storage under), the Lyseo TD 644 G even manages to retain a rear window.

It's a true garage here, too, not just some under-seat space. Headroom is 1.10m, there are full-sized loading doors on either side, movable tie-down hooks, a small light (on the offside), a mains socket and heater outlets.

Bürstner has addressed another rear lounge issue – the lack of rear travel seats – with forward-facing pews with seatbelts incorporated into the lounge. It’s a solution but bear in mind the passengers here are rather distant from those in the cab and views out are limited to the side windows.

Of course, the end lounge also has to become a bedroom but couples can forget about cushion shuffling in the Lyseo and instead marvel at the size of the bed. It’s an electric drop-down double that extends onto that shelf under the back window. At 2.03m long (sleeping lengthways) by 1.95m wide (narrowing to 1.62m between the rear corner cupboards), this huge bed does require the use of a ladder as the mattress is 1.15m off the floor. You can, alternatively, have a bed that’s lower if you make up the transverse (1.95m by 1.40m) double that doesn’t extend over the garage.

As well as the opening windows, there’s a roof vent for ventilation, while corner-mounted spot lamps cater for reading in bed.
Back in lounge mode, the seating is generous enough for a bit of feet-up sprawling and it’s a comfortable space in which to unwind. Artificial illumination is excellent and the fixed table is not too intrusive (it measures 88cm by 75cm), although no doubt some would prefer it to be removable.

Up front, the Fiat cab has swivel seats that could be useful if your partner is still snoozing but, more importantly, there’s a sliding door to close off the cab and keep the living area warmer.

The toilet door can be used to turn this forward zone into a huge washroom, right across the width of the motorhome. Both the shower (offside) and toilet areas (nearside) are a good size.

The main galley unit is on the nearside, adjacent to the tall wardrobe (with 1.03m drop). There’s not a lot of worktop here but you’ll find some preparation space opposite, above the 175-litre fridge with bottle drawer. UK spec includes a combination hob, grill and oven rather than the hob-only unit seen in our photos, which are of a German market vehicle.

Unsurprisingly, it’s a Ducato that provides motive power, with the 140hp motor and manual gearbox as standard. The 3,500kg chassis means that it can be driven on a standard car licence but, if you add a lot of options or plan to travel four-up, the 3,650kg option will be worth considering.

Running boards help to merge the Lanzarote Grey cab with Bürstner’s habitation bodywork (with GRP floor and roof). There’s the company’s Thermo-Floor double floor here, too, giving the Lyseo a big plus in terms of winterisation compared with British-built rear lounge models. In fact, the comprehensive spec also includes an awning, removable carpets, cab blinds, a 100W solar panel and Truma Combi 6 E gas/electric heating.

 

Looking for a rear lounge motorhome for two that also has on-board storage for your bikes? The Lyseo TD 644 G is an unusual take on the end lounge format that has a lot going for it.