Full review

Think of dealer specials and you’ll probably have in mind an entry-level ’van from British stalwarts, Elddis or Swift, with a few added toys and a fancy new name. Lowdhams, however, has taken a wholly different approach with this new Advantage Edition from German manufacturer, Dethleffs.

In fact, this is a Continental range that wasn’t originally destined to come to the UK at all – until Lowdhams spotted its potential and signed up an exclusive deal. Unlike its European counterparts, the Advantage Edition here comes on a Fiat, rather than Citroën base, but it’s the long list of standard kit that really grabs your attention. That and the fact, unlike most dealer specials, there are options of 130 or 150bhp engines and manual or semi-automatic gearboxes.

But the offering is still a simple one – choose from an island bed (T 7051) or single beds (T 7051 EB), with the latter coming in low bed form as standard, or with high beds (and a full garage) for an additional £290. The EB and non-EB versions are identical forward of the bedroom and there are no other choices.

The impressive payload is due, in part, to the 3,850kg chassis but, if that’s a problem for your licence, Lowdhams can supply an Advantage Edition downplated to 3,499kg (still with a decent 461kg payload).

The camper chassis is standard and the Edition handled in a reassuring manner, helped by the lower chassis, wide rear track and relatively squat overall height of 2.76m.

The lounge has a rather small side seat adjacent to the door but this still makes a useful fourth or fifth place around the table, which slides in both axes but doesn’t twist. The floor here continues the level of the cab (before stepping down into the kitchen/entrance) but, even though the front seats have height adjustment, they still seemed to sit perhaps 40mm proud of the settee. You can turn the lounge area into a bed, which might suit a child (or two tiny tots), but it’s the usual compromised berth with too many joins and bumps. Illumination is the modern-day mix of concealed mood lighting spotlamps – all LED, of course – but the reading lights, which can be repositioned anywhere along their mounting rails, are the most appealing feature.

In terms of natural light, the wider door comes with a wider window and the big overcab sunroof almost joins up with the Heki rooflight behind.

The TV – an 18.5in Caratec – isn’t the biggest but it is mounted at an ideal viewing height and it can be angled for comfortable watching from both the settee and the cab chairs. Mated to an easy-to-use Teleco satellite dish, it is, of course, part of the standard spec.

Like most motorhomes of its ilk, the Edition has a fairly compact galley sandwiched between the lounge and the bedroom. Here, though, the unit has more a stepped depth to the worktop than a true L-shape, which appears to open up a bit more floorspace. Countertop is in rather tight supply, unless you raise only one part of the split hob lid, but there’s a folding worktop extension attached to the full-height pull-out unit under the sink. If the rest of the motorhome maybe lacks a bit of the bling seen in some rivals, the grey and white finish, textured worktop and acrylic splashback make up for it here.

As well as the three-burner gas hob, there’s a combined oven/grill unit down below, while the big (142-litre) fridge comes with an integral bottle drawer and can select its power source by itself. Its black door also acts as a makeshift full-length mirror! All the drawers have soft closing and there are convenient 12V and 230V sockets (more mains points, and USBs, are in the lounge and bedroom).

Beyond the galley, there’s a 100mm step up into the bedroom but headroom remains over 6ft. On the left, as you walk through, is the toilet. On the right is the shower and, ahead, is a vast expanse of mattress.

Although marketed as a twin bed layout, the bedroom here could actually be seen as offering a super king-sized double. Yes, there are single mattresses on either side – each at least 2m long (or over 6ft 6in) but longer on the offside – but in between is a central cushion measuring 1.10m long, which greatly increases shoulder (or wriggling) room. Then there’s a further slot-in centre section that increases the length of the middle bit of bed to 1.72m – now it’s practically a triple bed measuring 2.13m across! Ratcheted tip-up mattress supports on each side make for luxurious lounging with the Sunday papers, while on-rail reading lights match those in the lounge.

The whole en suite bedroom area can be segregated using the toilet door, while the shower and loo can then be made private from the bedroom with a concertina screen. In any case, the shower eschews the usual clear plastic enclosure for a rotating, grey tambour door, which is left ‘open’ for a more spacious feel when not occupied. With twin drain holes, plenty of elbow-room and a roof vent, this is as good a shower as you’ll find in this class of ’van.

Used in isolation, the toilet area is restricted by the angle of the (closed) door, but you can always open up the area (as already described) for more room.

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