Full review

We reckon that the newly launched Titanium models (there are five) will make up a large proportion of Chausson’s UK sales in 2019. This new line-up introduces no new layouts but it adds spec, looks good with its grey bodywork (habitation area sides and rear), and offers the Ford Transit with 170bhp engine and automatic gearbox as standard.

If you like to let your ’van sort out the laborious process of changing gear by itself then this is Châteauneuf-du-Pape to the Fiat Comfort-Matic’s petrol station plonk. And, if you’re buying your first coachbuilt motorhome after years of driving automatic cars, then the Transit, or a much more costly Mercedes Sprinter, are the only places to put your investment.

Of course, that powerful diesel engine is another incentive – its 405Nm torque output betters even the most potent Fiat option. Then there’s extra base vehicle spec for Titanium models, too – automatic lights and wipers, a heated windscreen, reversing camera and alloy wheels. On the habitation side, you get a ‘luxury’ entrance door with flyscreen and new Gladstone décor. Optional extras are limited to an electric drop-down bed over the lounge, priced at £700. Add that and you have a practical four-berth.

The 758 is the longer of two island bed layouts offered in the Titanium range – there’s also the 6.99m-long 628. The bedroom is, of course, a big part of the appeal, especially as the bed itself measures a generous 1.90m by 1.60m. The extra width is made possible by the curvy shape of the bedside wardrobes (with shelves on the offside, hanging rail on the nearside). There’s a large storage locker under the bed, too, with loading doors on both sides (smaller on the nearside). Inside, there are 12V and 230V sockets, lighting and width is 0.90m.

Internal height is 0.82m but can be increased to 1.13m, although you have to do that manually, winding a small handle that’s reminiscent of trying to start a recalcitrant Model T Ford. No such effort is required to deploy the drop-down bed over the seating area – all you have to do is press a button until the bed comes to rest on the backrest of the rear travel seat. You’ll need to use the ladder to go to sleep here and you’ll have to stoop if you want to exit the ’van with the bed lowered, but this berth is a decent size – 1.90m by 1.40m (narrowing to 1.22m) with adequate headroom even for adults, at 0.63m.

With the front bed put away, the front lounge offers an L-shaped settee and a small side seat. The fixed table has one-handle operation to move it fore/aft or side-to-side. Dining works well for up to four folk, while the lounge averts gloominess thanks to an overcab sunroof, a window in the door and four spotlamps and a curvy striplight set into the base of the bed above.

The kitchen, sadly, does not benefit from the excellent Triplex cooker seen in most UK-bound Chaussons – there just isn’t room here – but British spec does include a grill that’s not shown in our photos. You also get a three-burner hob, sink with loose glass cover, hooks for kitchen implements and, best of all, a 167-litre fridge/freezer that selects its own power source.

The new washroom design has facilities split across the vehicle, with a good-sized shower on the nearside and a toilet room opposite with new double sliding mirror-doored cabinet.

If you enjoyed this review, you can read loads more like it in What Motorhome magazine. You can get a digital version of this latest issue of What Motorhome magazine here.