Full review

Words & photos: Peter Vaughan

The Wingamm Brownie 5.8 GL

Wingamm motorhomes, from Italy, aren’t built like other coachbuilts – and nor do they look like other motorhomes. Instead of flat sandwich-construction panels, the bodywork is a glass-fibre one-piece monocoque, so there are no joints to leak in the future. Insulated with polyurethane foam, the body is then glued and bolted to the Fiat chassis. The company has been building motorhomes this way for over 40 years and that experience enables it to offer an industry-leading 15-year water ingress warranty. Not only that, but there’s a seven-year warranty on both the Ducato cab and the conversion.

So, clearly this is a top-quality product and one with a history behind it. But it’s also, perhaps, the most attractive-looking coachbuilt motorhome that money can buy.

The exterior

Eschewing flat panels allows Wingamm to create a much more shapely vehicle and one that blends harmoniously with the Fiat cab. And the nature of its build should ensure a structure that is stronger, more easily repairable and far less likely to creak and rattle (the furniture is anchored to the walls with Würth structural sealant). With no joins, there will be no thermal bridges and Wingamm claims savings in energy used for heating (Truma Combi gas/electric or optionally diesel-fired).

As well looking pretty, the Brownie is compact, at well under 6m in length and only 2.19m wide (slimmer than a typical coachbuilt). Built on an Al-Ko chassis, it has a generous payload on a 3.5-tonne chassis and has practical touches such as central locking that extends not just to the habitation door but the garage, too. Even the gas locker and toilet servicing hatches are beautifully integrated into the design, while the hidden aluminium hinges are practically a work of art.

The beds

The offside garage door opens onto a space that can house a scooter – it’s 1.18m high and 790mm wide. But this area is also a bedroom, as you can fold down a bunk bed into this space, with a second bunk (2.05m by 0.84m) above. These aren’t the only beds in this family motorhome, though, as Wingamm was offering drop-down beds long before they became commonplace.

In the Brownie, the main bed runs lengthways and is ever-so-easy to operate, even though it isn’t electrically powered. Measuring 1.93m by 1.32m, it offers up to 690mm of headroom and has two rooflights above. With a memory foam mattress on a wooden slatted base, it shouldn’t want for comfort and it can accommodate up to 350kg – a lot more than in some rival lowering bed systems.

The layout

The superb quality is evident, with Rubelli fabrics from Venice, Kaindl anti-fingerprint laminates and Italian poplar ply for the furniture. The layout features an L-settee facing the galley, swivel cab seats and a central washroom. A new feature is the overcab sunroof, while a raised floor in the seating area ensures a comfortable posture.

The kitchen

If one aspect of the Brownie reveals its diminutive dimensions, it’s the galley. Here, there’s a 95-litre three-way fridge (a compressor type is optional) but the only cooking equipment is a simple two-burner hob. There’s just one drawer in the galley, too, but you’ll be more impressed with the size of the wardrobe (aft of the habitation door) and the inclusion of two more drawers here.

The washroom

Then there’s the surprisingly generous washroom, with a huge washbasin and lots of worktop. There’s plenty of storage in here, too, and loads of room to use the Dometic cassette toilet, but you’ll have to deploy a curtain when showering.

Summary

At almost £100k, the Brownie is never going to have mass-market appeal and some will miss the point, due to its size/price ratio, but if you get it, you’ll want it. This little Italian is packed with style and the quality would be hard to beat at any cost.