Globecar Globescout Sportive

PRICE FROM £40,500 PRICE AS TESTED £41,899 OPTIONS FITTED D-Line Package (£1,399) – 120-litre fuel tank, cab aircon, passenger airbag, electric mirrors, height-adjustable passenger seat, retrimmed cab seats, 80-litre fridge BERTHS 2 (optional 3) TRAVEL SEATS (INC DRIVER) 4

The new blinged-up Sportive model, features a foldaway double bed at the rear, with a central washroom and kitchen, plus a small dinette area up-front.

Since the introduction of the Adria Twin, this layout has become increasingly popular. Where this layout really scores is for the flexibility it offers at the rear of the conversion.

DINETTE
Starting with the front dinette, the first thing that strikes you upon entering is the automotive-style ‘bucket’ seats that are used for the pair of forward-facing seats behind the dinette table.

This is very unusual (though the Bürstner Brevio has similar) and both seats can be slid forward on runners, plus both have three-point seatbelts for safe travelling.

The dinette table is also a clever piece of design, with a circular section that spins out from underneath the fixed tabletop, to increase the table’s size once on-site.

With the cab seats swivelled to face this table, four people can sit and dine or relax in this area.

KITCHEN
As with most similar conversions, in the kitchen there’s not a huge amount of space to work in.

The chef gets a two-burner gas hob and a stainless-steel sink as standard, but there’s a £1,399 upgrade pack, which adds a larger (80-litre) three-way fridge – as well as other extras such as cab air-con and a passenger airbag.

It’s certainly worth opting for this if you buy a Sportive, especially as the pack would cost £2,540 if all the items in it were bought individually.

WASHROOM
Across the central aisle from the kitchen, the washroom cubicle is of a fair size, with a swivel cassette toilet, small oval washbasin and some storage shelves.

However, I was disappointed by the design of the shower.

Instead of fitting a plastic shower tray that covers the whole floor, Globecar has fitted a smaller plastic tray inset into the wooden floor, which therefore requires use of a shower curtain that exactly fits into the outer shape of the tray.

It means that showering space is quite limited and you’re always going to be worrying about splashing water all over the floor.

If you are someone who likes to shower regularly in your motorhome, this could be the deal-breaker.

The advantage is that the basin and toilet don’t get splashed, but the price you pay is a clingy shower curtain.

BED
Moving to the rear, the double bed is a good size and fitted with a mattress that is very comfortable.

It’s quite high up, but there’s a step to help you get into it, and once there, you can relax and read a book, thanks to a couple of under-locker spotlamps on the offside, plus the TV also mounts here on a swivel bracket.

As an additional bonus, all of the windows surrounding the bedroom are double-glazed, opening units and all have blinds and flyscreens, including the windows in the rear doors.

If there are more than two of you, a £275 upgrade gives you all the cushions to create an additional single bed using the front dinette seating.

During the day you can lift up the main section of the bed, so that it rests against the offside wall.

Read the full review in the January 2013 issue of Which Motorhome

A keenly priced and stylish fixed bed conversion with a good bedroom, but let down slightly by aspects such as the poor shower area.