Bürstner Playa C 500 Limited Edition campervan

Base vehicle: Renault Trafic Price from: £60,000 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 Length: 5.08m Width: 1.97m Height: 2.09m Gross weight: 3,010kg Payload: 610kg

Words & photos: Peter Vaughan

The Bürstner Playa C 500 Limited Edition

It might have been the Lyseo Gallery that was attracting the queuing hordes – and the press photographers – but, in a small way, it’s the much smaller Playa Limited Edition that’s bigger news. That’s because it marks a return to the Renault marque by Bürstner and, for UK buyers, an entry into a completely different market sector.

We’re used to seeing everything from compact low-profiles to super-sized Elegance A-classes wearing the red circle with ‘bürstner’ shot through its midriff, but a pop-top campervan? We were so convinced that this one wouldn’t be coming here that we all but ignored it… Until we sat down with Export Sales Manager, Guido Venter.

To compensate for the difficulties that all manufacturers are experiencing currently with chassis availability, Bürstner is doing even more product development than in a typical season. It is spreading the risk as far as chassis supply is concerned, too, with both campervans and coachbuilts on Ford – not that we’ll be seeing these in the UK in 2023.

However, this innovative brand from the Erwin Hymer Group stable is also working with Renault. In Düsseldorf it launched new campervans on both the smaller Trafic and the Ducato-rivalling Master, with the promise of Renault coachbuilts – on an all-new Master – in 2025. For now, though, it’s just the Trafic-based Playa C 500 that’s heading here.

The layout

Based on the SWB Renault, this new campervan comes with a side kitchen layout and will be shown at the NEC. A long-wheelbase C 530 model will follow, featuring a more unusual rear kitchen floorplan – and a shower and toilet. It’s a German-spec campervan seen here, of course; the main change for RHD being that the Playa will get twin sliding doors.

Production, at Bürstner’s Wissembourg factory in France, will start in the spring and the company has high hopes for its new baby – its equivalent Ford-based camper, called Copa, is already the company’s best-selling model!

That experience has been transferred straight into the similarly sized Renault and the Playa makes a great first impression.

The cab

Based on the Phase 2 Trafic, the camper comes with a 130PS engine and six-speed manual gearbox, although a 150PS motor and automatic transmission are options. In high-spec Limited Edition trim, the base vehicle also gets 17in alloy wheels, an 8in screen with sat-nav, DAB, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a reversing camera.

The roof

The pop-top is from renowned specialist, SCA, and has a bed benefiting from the extra comfort of Froli springs under its 1.89m by 1.35m mattress. The roof fully opens at the front for the panoramic effect and there’s just enough headroom to sleep with heads to the rear, if you prefer. Then, under the bed, along its lower edges, are LED strip lights that should give good illumination for those sitting below. USB ports that move along rails are another neat touch.

The seats

For the seat system, Bürstner has advisedly turned to another top German specialist – Schnierle. Mounted on rails, the seat can be moved fore and aft and includes two Isofix points. Then, at night, it folds to form a flat mattress measuring 1.89m by 1.06m (wall to kitchen, the distance is 1.17m).

The kitchen

The side kitchen has the benefit of a large sliding door (like in a VW California) but the cutlery/utensil drawer is the biggest we’ve ever seen in a small camper!

There’s also a typical two-burner hob and sink, and a 41-litre fridge.

Summary

Access to the tall locker alongside the rear bench can be restricted by the latter’s position, but generally the Playa is well-finished and stylishly appointed. It also comes as standard with a roll-out awning and diesel heating.