Full review

Words: Peter Vaughan

Photos courtesy of Weinsberg

The Weinsberg CaraCompact Suite MB 640 MEG Pepper Edition

The Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star has long been a feature on a select band of upmarket motorhomes. Since the arrival of the latest generation of Sprinter, with the availability of front-wheel drive, its popularity has blossomed – but, even with more choice, you still needed a very healthy bank balance. Buyers now have to find over £80,000 for an Auto-Sleeper Mercedes and probably more still for a Hymer wearing the star, by the time you’ve added all the essential options. It was a breath of fresh air, then, when Weinsberg debuted its Pepper Edition on a Merc chassis for the first time.

These MB-prefixed models should have been launched at the Stuttgart CMT show in January but that was a Covid casualty, so they actually appeared in public for the first time at Birmingham’s NEC a month later. It was no surprise to see another manufacturer adding a Sprinter-based model to its range; the shock was the price.

The standard 2/3-berth CaraCompact model starts at just £68,470, but we’ve gone for the more versatile Suite model, which adds a drop-down bed, taking the total to £70,240, so the Weinsberg certainly plays the value card.

Let’s not forget, though, why the Mercedes chassis is so appealing. It’s not just the badge on the front but, generally, the feeling of a higher-quality build. Then, there’s the cab interior with the MBUX display for crystal-clear sat-nav mapping and more, while the Mercedes engines have always promised good refinement. These latest front-drive versions also feel very surefooted, with none of the wobble of earlier generations, whilst still offering superior ride comfort to most Fiat-based models. Not only that but Mercedes is promising better chassis availability for motorhomes than its Italian rival. Fingers crossed…

The specification

German manufacturer, Weinsberg, has always been known for its great-value motorhomes, primarily acting as the entry-level brand for the Knaus Tabbert Group. This is the first time since the 1970s that the company has built on a Mercedes, though. And the new models are only available in Pepper Edition trim, which means lots of extra specification as standard. Under 7m long, both models offer 2m-long single beds at the rear with a central washroom and kitchen, plus a lounge up front that incorporates the usual two swivel cab seats. With the Suite model, there’s also a 1.84m by 1.27m drop-down double bed over the lounge. Of course, four travel seats are included, thanks to the half-dinette seating area.

The interior

That bench (along with its adjacent table) is angled at 95 degrees, rather than being at right-angles to the side wall – a small difference but it helps with the feeling of space. A large skylight and decent-sized side window let in plenty of light, while, even under the drop-down bed, headroom is a very respectable 1.90m. The TV is located on the washroom wall, so viewing is best from cab seats. Isofix is optional.

Further back, the kitchen has a small amount of work space between sink and three-burner hob, but there’s also a folding worktop that lifts across the door to enhance this. Large drawers provide plenty of storage. The 142-litre fridge should be more than sufficient and, if you need an oven, then thankfully it’s a factory option, but you’ll have to sacrifice some drawer space.

The washroom has a loo with basin above and, importantly, a proper separate shower on the left. When you need to use the toilet, the basin simply slides out of the way into the shower area – a neat space-saving feature.

Single beds at the back have good steps up and there’s a slide-out ladder, which means this can make into a huge double bed, too.

The storage

There’s storage, accessed via sliding tambour doors, under the foot of each bed. This area comes with a standard small rooflight, with a panoramic version as an option – great for stargazing.

There are three cubbyholes on each side (two of which have retaining straps for stuff stored in them), as well as three fixed lockers on the rear wall. Storage is plentiful in this motorhome. A dropped floor in the garage, under those single beds, maximises what you can store in here, with a full-sized door on either side. There are also shelves here to help organise the smaller stuff. If you plan to travel with this garage fully loaded (up to 150kg limit), then you can also upgrade the chassis to 4,200kg to make sure you’re not overweight. But you’ll need the C1 category on your driving licence for this. All that is great; however, it’s likely to be the Mercedes badge that gets you through the door.

The exterior

That three-pointed star on the bonnet sits in front of the 150bhp Sprinter engine as standard, with the six-speed manual gearbox. This can be specified with the 9G-Tronic automatic or you can further upgrade to the 170bhp motor, which is only available as an auto’.

The long wheelbase underneath (3.92m) offers better driving comfort, while a wide-track axle has threefold benefits: reducing body roll, better protection against crosswinds and enhanced driving stability.  

The options

You also get keyless start, a 65-litre fuel tank, all-season tyres, double armrests on the cab seats, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob. If you feel you need a few more on-road bells and whistles, specify the Hot Pepper Package which gives you an electric parking brake, distance assist, traffic sign assist and a Mercedes multimedia system (MBUX) that provides the big 10.25in display, DAB+ radio, three years of map updates and an instrument cluster with a colour display that includes the reversing camera. Other options include an electric step, an extra window in the rear bedroom, flush-framed windows, an upgraded habitation door and roof-mounted air-conditioning.

Summary

There’s nothing new about the layout here, but the detail design seems generally well thought out. What makes the latest Pepper Edition so appealing is the Mercedes chassis, without the usual hefty price premium to go with it.