Full review

If you desire a ‘motorhome of distinction’ from the summit of leisure vehicle production then you’ll surely gravitate towards a high-specification European A-class from a top converter

And you’ll expect to pay around, or even above, £100,000 – once the vehicle has been customised to your individual requirements with a goodly selection of options.

It’s a fiercely contested sector. Often, only a handful of any particular model will be sold in the UK annually, so the discerning buyer can be assured of exclusivity, especially considering the vast array of extras available. Such is the case with this Rapido Distinction i90 (supplied by Brownhills) – future deliveries will be for the 2018 season.

Though the three-model Distinction range stands at the top of the tree, they aren’t the biggest motorhomes in the family, with the i90 only a modest 7.39 metres. The Distinction’s novelty lies in its wood-free construction and in the overall refinement of the design.

Externally, the Distinction is clearly a Rapido, but its chief characteristic is the sculpted smoothness of the body, curving seamlessly into the roof.

Built on the Fiat Ducato with a lowered Al-Ko chassis, the latest 2.3-litre engine delivers 177bhp and combines superbly with the Comfort-Matic robotised gearbox. The test motorhome’s 3.7-tonne gross weight provides a more realistic payload than the standard 3,500kg version (as well as the option of Alde heating).

Cockpit visibility is good, with large coach-type mirrors, few blindspots, and three wipers sweeping the screen, whilst a reversing camera provides parking assistance. The leather, multi-adjustable captain’s seats are very comfortable, and all the usual bells and whistles are present, like cruise control and climate control.

Inside, the i90 delivers a classic A-class layout. To the front, it has a manually operated drop-down bed over swivelling cab seats and L-shaped seating around a fixed table. Behind the dinette, the kitchen has a large fridge/freezer opposite, then a door leads through the en suite facilities, then to the rear bedroom. Top-notch décor displays warm and sophisticated Elegance maple woodwork, yacht-varnish gloss on upper cupboards, semi-matt elsewhere, blending with superb, cream leather upholstery. Surfaces for the kitchen, lounge table and bedsides have a glossy, limestone-effect finish, while lower-level kitchen units have white fronts.

The carpet sections overlie warm, plank-effect vinyl – and it is warm, because there’s underfloor heating as part of the Alde system.

There’s copious LED lighting throughout, including some very striking, and efficient, art deco-style reading lights.

The lounge accommodates five in comfort, or two rear travelling passengers, with the nearside settee extension (which folds away for travelling) being large enough to be a proper seat, which isn’t always the case. The seating also conceals ample storage, complementing that in the overhead lockers and side cubbies. Centrally placed, the table is large enough to cater for all and its movable top folds over to ease access to the cab seats.

The kitchen provides practical facilities within its curved L-shape. Sensibly, the linear, three-burner hob (with extractor above), stretches across the rear of the unit, leaving work surface space in front. This and the large, circular stainless-steel sink have darkened glass lids, but a split lid to the hob would provide extra worktop. A full oven and grill lives below the worktop and, across the aisle is a three-way 160-litre fridge (AES, naturally).

Above the freezer, a large cupboard has TV points and a pull-out bracket, so one could view from either kitchen or lounge, and there’s also a drawer below the fridge. Lighting is good and, overall, this is a well-specified and practical kitchen.

Behind the kitchen, the mirrored washroom door shuts across the aisle to form the en suite bedroom. To enclose the washing/dressing area completely there’s also a divided sliding screen on the bedroom side. The commodious washroom has a Thetford swivel loo, a large, moulded corner washbasin with integral shelf alongside, a swivelling mixer tap and cupboard below.

Plus, there’s loads more storage in three mirror-doored wall cupboards. There’s also a heated towel rail and all the usual bathroom fittings, plentifully supplied. Opposite, behind translucent bi-fold doors, the large shower (with central plughole) has smooth lined walls, a handy corner seat and pretty blue LED lighting trimming the panel behind the shower’s riser bar.

In the rear bedroom, the longitudinal island bed is unusually long at 1.93m maximum. The thick, luxurious Bultex mattress overlies a sprung slatted base with individually lifting head sections which can be raised, electrically, by up to 30cm, enabling the external locker beneath to become a proper garage that can easily accommodate full-sized bikes. There’s wardrobes either side of the bed, more fancy reading lights under two large overhead lockers and a big drawer under the bed’s foot. You have USB ports, radio and television controls, a medium-sized Heki rooflight and lights in the ceiling, large side windows, plus, of course, Alde radiators. Bliss.

There is also additional or alternative sleeping accommodation – lower the cab seat backs, pull the pleated blinds and simply pull down the drop-down bed. There’s an alloy ladder to reach another comfy Bultex mattress of standard domestic bed size – 1.91m by 1.38m – with plenty of headroom, plus a Heki and reading lights on either side.

The pièce de résistance is the garage, with doors on each side (the offside being larger). There’s a non-slip floor, tying points and an outside shower but, best of all, it can carry 300kg of luggage (in 3,700kg and 4,400kg versions) with ample capacity for a spare wheel (none is provided). Given that there’s so much storage space, we’d be tempted by the 4,400kg chassis, thus providing all the payload you’d ever need – with lighter chassis options there’s always the temptation to overload.

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