Full review

If you’re looking to buy a new campervan, you’ll be aware of just how much choice there is on the market. Campervans come in many sizes and with all sorts of layouts and configurations these days, in order to suit our myriad individual wants and needs.

That said, you may still struggle to find exactly what you want. Perhaps you love the giant bed in one campervan but find it doesn’t have enough travel seats, or perhaps it does, but the travel bench lacks the sliding seat system you liked in that other campervan…

That’s why Auto Campers offers a Swiss Army knife approach that allows you to have anything you might ever need or want. To keep things simple, the company offers a choice of four models of campervan, all of which are fully customisable, using its menu selection system.

All four models in the Auto Campers range are offered on the Ford Transit Custom and the Volkswagen T6.1. As you’d expect, you get the usual manufacturer options, such as short-wheelbase or long-wheelbase, automatic gearbox, a selection of engine power outputs, etc.

The model we’re looking at here is the Leisure Van, which, as the name suggests, is described as the best campervan in the range for leisure, as four can relax in comfort, with sufficient legroom.

Priced from £42,315 on the Ford base, you’ll get a Custom in ‘Limited’ spec, meaning it comes as standard with things like front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, heated and electric mirrors, automatic wipers and lights, cruise control, cab air-con and 128bhp engine, among other things.

Opt for a VW T6.1 with a pop-top and that will push the price up to £54,815, but you will be getting a Highline model with a 148bhp (150PS) engine for that.

The Ford has proven to be the most popular choice of base vehicle for Auto Campers. Apart from its very attractive price tag, you also get the choice of three roofs, which makes for a very versatile conversion.

Out of the factory, the Custom is available with a Lo-Line roof (regular van height) or Hi-Line (high-top), while Auto Campers also offers a pop-top.

The Lo-Line is favoured by people who use their campervan as a daily driver and perhaps live in towns and cities where height is an issue (note that not all pop-tops will go under all car park barriers).

The High-Line is especially popular with couples (being a two-berth) who camp all year around, due to the extra storage and insulation offered by the fixed roof while the pop-top version is, of course, well-suited to families, being a four-berth.

Whichever roof option you choose, the conversion consists of twin sliding doors offering kitchen facilities accessible from inside and outside, combined with swivel passenger and driver cab seats opposite a two-belted travel bench and around a removable multi-position table.

There’s a two-ring gas hob and associated gas box, stainless-steel sink, under-floor fresh and grey water tanks, 50-litre compressor drawer fridge with freezer compartment, 115Ah leisure battery, 230V hook-up, 100W solar panel, two 12V and two 230V sockets.

At night, there’s LED lighting throughout, black-out curtains and cab silver screens. The M1 certified mid mounted fixed or Vari-Mount sliding double rear travel seat/bed also reclines into multiple positions (ideal for enjoying that all-important morning cuppa in comfort), incorporating Isofix child safety seat anchors, with stowage under for a Porta Potti.

The Auto Campers lowdown

Auto Campers began in 2011 and the campervans were built by independent Ford Transit specialist, Roy Wood Transits, in Reading.

It has a heritage going back over 50 years representing various motorhome and campervan manufacturers, and has a wealth of engineering knowledge including Motability accreditation and type approval work with Manchester University.

In 2014, a partnership was formed between multi-award-winning Firth Campers and Roy Wood Transits, with production increasing and moving to Sheffield. As a result, you can check out Auto Campers in both the north and the south, as well as find them at many shows.

Contacts

Auto Campers South Roy Wood Transits, 429 Reading Road, Winnersh, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 5HU
Tel: 01189 790202

Auto Campers North Firth Campers, Unit 7B Hoyle Mill Lane, Sheffield S36 9PZ
Tel: 01226 872112

Highland Auto Campers Rivulet Cottage, Milton Redcastle, Inverness IV6 7SQ
Tel: 01463 264050

Web: auto-campers.co.uk

Facebook: AutoCampers

Twitter: Auto_Campers