Rapido V62 campervan

Berths: 3 Travel seats: 4 Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Gross weight: 3,500kg Payload: 419kg

The star of the 2020 range from Rapido? Arguably, it’s not one of the 20 A-class models, nor any of the five low-profiles, but this V62 from the Rapido Van line-up. It was certainly the recipient of the most journalistic attention at the new season’s press launch.

Based on the extra-long (6.36m) Fiat Ducato panel van, the V62 is also, perhaps, the best yet at blurring the divide between van conversions and low-profile coachbuilts. Its layout – with French bed and L-shaped galley – could have come straight out of a bigger motorhome, while features such as the large overcab sunroof are not only new to this class of vehicle but also give a much greater feeling of space inside.

With a second large rooflight over the half-dinette lounge, the V62 does indeed feel surprisingly roomy. And the automotive shaping of the back seat and its extendable base cushion is a further plus. There’s a (backless) side seat by the sliding door, too, which is unusual in a van conversion.

The layout still feels spacious as you move back through the vehicle to the central galley area and the foot of the bed. The kitchen has six soft-close drawers (reduced by one if you have the oven) and a slot-in worktop extension, but the biggest surprise – in a campervan – is the size of the fridge (a whopping 135 litres).

The bed – claimed dimensions 1.98m by 1.25m – is mounted quite high to maximise the stowage space beneath, but a pull-out step is incorporated to ease access. The head of the bed can be tipped up, too, so you can sit up for breakfast in bed. The boot area underneath measures 1.06m deep by between 0.82m and 1.20m wide and 0.78m high.

The layout is completed by the bathroom, which is quite impressive, despite being squeezed in alongside the fixed bed.

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