GM Coachwork Panorama

PRICE FROM £65,200 (new), £35,000 (on a pre-owned van) Berths/Travel seats 2/4 VW T5 Transporter base ENGINE 2-litre, 138bhp, Euro V, front-wheel-drive, seven-speed DSG auto

There is no shortage of mobility-adapted vehicles on the market and almost a similar number of companies offering them for sale. But campervans are a different matter.

On a base vehicle like the VW T5 the conversion is already tight enough, trying to shoehorn everything into such a small space. Add to that the need to accommodate a person in a wheelchair, with room for them to move around, and the whole prospect looks like a quart-into-a-pint-pot scenario.

However, the Panorama from GM Coachwork not only manages to be a fully functional campervan that can comfortably accommodate two or four people but, thanks to its lowered floor modification, it can be accessed – and even driven – by a person in a wheelchair.

The front seats are fully interchangeable, so drivers can swap over just by releasing the seat base and moving it to the alternate position. GM Coachwork can also provide fixing points to secure a wheelchair in the rear if the user does not want to travel up front.

The fold-down bed is similar to what you’ll see in other high-grade conversions. The release mechanism on this example is a simple pull handle under the seat base that flattens the bed. GM Coachwork will also be offering a fully automatic, electrically operated version.

Underneath there is one full-width drawer which is accessed from the rear tailgate (and is where the fold-up table is located) and one half-width drawer on the inside. But the really innovative part is the solution for carrying a portable toilet, often a major failing in T5 conversions.

A lot of T5 conversions make use of every available bit of space, but this often means you have to get out and open the rear tailgate or move furniture to get into cupboards. With the Panorama it is quite clear that the designers have gone to great lengths to make everything within reach, regardless of whether you are in a wheelchair or not.

This is an abridged version of the full review which appeared in the January edition of Which Motorhome.

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A very well thought-out and superbly built campervan for wheelchair users. Every consideration has been made to both access into and living aboard the ’van for a person with mobility issues.