Carado T447 motorhome

Extra spec for this Ford-based low-profile motorhome

The motorhome industry loves a special edition and often they’re great news for buyers, too, with extra kit added for little or no extra loot. And, if there’s no anniversary to celebrate, why not just rejoice in the new year – you’ll always remember when you purchased your Edition26! 

So, from Carado comes this Ford Transit-based low-profile motorhome with the German favourite of a single beds over garage floorplan. It’s a typical size, at 7.39m, but less typical now is a price starting below £70k.

Edition26 special edition

That’s especially true considering what’s included here.

The Edition26 (annoyingly, no gap in the name!) comes with an overcab sunroof, awning, insulated waste water tank, second garage door, framed habitation windows, cab blinds, a 156-litre fridge with separate 29-litre freezer compartment and black alloy wheels.

Also added to the standard spec are the Chassis Pack and Basic Pack. The former includes cab air-con, front fog lights, a painted bumper and headlights incorporating a cornering function.

The Basic Pack then adds habitation features; a panoramic rooflight (70cm by 50cm), clear rooflight (40cm by 40cm), Comfort entrance door with flyscreen and a bridge light between the two tail lamps.
 

Ford base vehicle

The Transit base vehicle is a 130hp manual as standard, with the automatic gearbox and 165hp engine both extra-cost options (note a reduction in payload of 55kg with the automatic gearbox). It’s a 3,500kg motorhome to suit every driving licence but a 4,100kg upgrade is available.

As we’ve come to expect, the Ford cab also has all the toys.

Start/stop, traction control, hill start assist, crosswind assist, tyre pressure indicator, lane departure warning, leather steering wheel, rear view camera, tilt/height-adjustable seats with twin armrests, automatic high beam, and a 12in display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are all included. The metallic blue cab shown is an optional extra, Frozen White being the standard colour.
 

Carado bodywork and interior

The Carado body has aluminium sides and a GRP roof and rear wall and there’s a seven-year water ingress warranty. The large rear garage sits on a lowered frame and can carry up to 150kg.

Lashing rings and internal lights are fitted in the load area, but the gas compartment restricts space on the nearside.

Inside, while many motorhomes of this genre have gone over to a face-to-face lounge, the T447 sticks with the classic European format of a half-dinette incorporating two seatbelts (and Isofix), swivel cab seats, a wall-mounted table and a single inward-facing pew by the door.

This layout works better for those who regularly require rear travel seats, so the pull-down over-lounge double (1.95m by 1.40m with Clima-Plux springs) could be popular, too. There’s even the option to add a fifth berth (converted from the dinette) and a fifth seatbelt. The grey upholstery can easily be enlivened with your choice of scatter cushions.
 

Kitchen and bathroom

The L-shaped galley backs onto the half-dinette and is quite compact. It features a two-burner hob, three soft-close drawers and a waste bin, as well as a flexible rail system with two hooks. The two-door fridge/freezer is opposite, with an extra bit of high-level worktop above. An oven is optional, fitted in place of two kitchen drawers.

In a motorhome of this length you expect a split washroom area, with a totally separate shower sited opposite the toilet and that’s exactly what you’ll find in this Carado.

In the usual fashion, the toilet door can also close off the back of the motorhome as an en suite. The twin beds in the stern are 2.05m and 2.12m long (Carado’s figures) and have the typical overhead lockers that restrict sitting up with a cuppa.

Heating is a 6kW gas-only Truma Combi (gas/mains optional) and the motorhome comes with a 95Ah AGM battery (second battery optional). Water capacities are 122 litres fresh and 92 litres waste.

With the extra spec of the Edition26 Pack, the Carado T447 looks excellent value for money, mated to Carado’s usual no-nonsense practicality. For families, it can also be equipped as a five-berth, five-seatbelt model.