Knights Custom Prestige XL high-top campervan

Premium bespoke campervan with an emphasis on living space

Words & photos: Peter Vaughan

The Knights Custom Prestige XL

Knights Custom Conversions has impressed us many times with its myriad permutations of a VW Transporter T6.1 conversion – side kitchen, rear kitchen, slide-out kitchen, etc – all carried out with fastidious attention to detail. 

Now, like many of the other VW specialists, it has turned its attention to Volkswagen’s bigger van, the Crafter.

That makes sense on a number of levels, not least because there are more options in terms of design and layout with the larger LCV, and also reflecting the fact that some customers move on from a T6 to something more spacious while still wanting that famous badge on the grille.

The bespoke build

Often, those same Transporter owners want a vehicle with proper on-board toilet facilities, and probably a  shower, too. 

But the buyer of this bespoke Crafter was quite happy to continue to rely on campsite facilities; instead, the priorities here were space and a fixed bed. 

That said, Knights Custom is always prepared to build to suit your needs, so a campervan with full washroom facilities (with or without rear travel seats) is possible, as is a larger vehicle using the long-wheelbase (6.84m) or extra-long (7.39m) panel van. 

Prices start at just under £45k for the conversion, to which you’ll need to add the cost of a base vehicle (new or used, supplied either by you or by Knights). 

The spec

The latest Crafter, in Commerce Plus spec, starts at £52,704 (list price) with 140hp motor and manual gearbox…

Here, it’s the medium-wheelbase van, which is just under 6m in length. Its Indium Grey metallic paint looks nice and restrained, as do the multi-spoke 20in Projex alloy wheels. 

Knights had also added a Mule roof rack and ladder with rear spare wheel carrier to the example we spotted at the National Motorhome and Campervan Show, Newark. 

Then there was an electric Thule awning, and a kayak carrier on the roof, along with 410W of Victron solar panels. 

As usual with Knights, there’s an emphasis on off-grid potential and top-notch kit, so this Prestige XL also featured 560Ah of lithium batteries, a Victron 3kW MultiPlus inverter, 120A AC charger and 60A DC charger. There’s a diesel/mains Truma Combi D 6 E space and water heating system, too – this is a completely gas-free camper. 

The interior

It’s also a campervan that has the same inimitable style and sense of occasion as Knights’ smaller campervans.

The interior is also very blue! Now, that’s clearly a customer choice and it looks classy, while breaking away from more mainstream manufacturers’ safe selection of 50 shades of beige. 

Here, it’s mated with real oak worktops and an eye-catching ceiling with ribs of wood inset with LED strip lights. 

Open the sliding door and you’re faced by a side sofa (nicely raked backrest, a bit short in the squab), with the swivel double passenger seat (a bit too high for comfort when facing rearwards) adjacent. 

Apart from the colour – and the quality – first impressions are of space, something that’s not always the case with a MWB Crafter (which seems to offer a lot less living space than a same-length Ducato).

That makes sense once you’ve clocked the lack of a washroom. 

The bed

More important here is the fixed rear bed over a garage. It has a Next CoolMax mattress sitting on a vented base and extends right into the side pods on either flank to allow dimensions of 1.93m by 1.29m.

The kitchen

Forward of the bedroom, the kitchen has a two-ring induction hob, deep sink and an impressive tally of seven soft-close drawers. 

Opposite is the 77.9-litre compressor fridge with a further trio of drawers beneath.

Where to buy

You can only purchase a Knights Custom Conversions camper from the factory near Spalding in Lincolnshire. Most models are built to order and tailored to customers’ individual requirements.

Knights offers a range of VW T6.1 campers – the Prestige Tourer with the classic side kitchen layout, the Mountain Tourer with a rear galley and toilet, and the Grand Tourer with its slide-out rear galley unit. Then, there’s the Custom Tourer on the Ford Transit Custom. 

The company also offers bespoke builds on larger vans, such as the Mercedes Sprinter and VW Crafter.