Shire Phoenix ML Studio campervan

Berths: 2 Travel seats: 2 Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Gross weight: 3,500kg Payload: 600kg

In a market that seems to be dominated by rear lounge layouts from other UK converters and fixed beds (either lengthways singles or transverse doubles) from continental manufacturers, here is something completely different. Shire calls it a ‘mid lounge’ (hence ML) and the new ML Studio model follows on from the established non-suffixed ML (on the six-metre panel van).

Here, though, it’s the longest Fiat Ducato and the main beneficiary of the extra 360mm of length seems to be the kitchen. Where previously (in the ML) there was just one galley unit along the offside wall, facing the sliding door, the new ML Studio has a second section of kitchen built part-way across the sliding door entrance. It loses the very open (pet-friendly) feel of its shorter sister ’van but gains massively in terms of both storage and chef-appeal.

The nearside section of galley, by the door, features a three-burner gas hob and mains electric hotplate (extractor hood above), with drawer and cupboard storage below. There’s a good section of worktop here, which expands to huge preparation space when the fold-up extension is deployed. A half-height cooker with combined oven/grill can be fitted on this side, if desired. Opposite there’s a sink with glass lid and even more worktop space. Below the counter are more drawers alongside an 88-litre three-way fridge. Adjacent is a full-height unit with even more storage, as well as a built-in microwave at work surface height.

Both cab seats swivel and these may serve as a useful resting place for the campervan’s cook, while he/she waits for the microwave to ding, but the lounge is quite separate, on the other side of the kitchen and up a small step. Here, there are settees on either side, a Heki sunroof above and a flatscreen telly in one corner. Corner shelves serve for drinks when you don’t want to bother to erect the centre pole table and scatter cushions aid relaxation.

At night the settees join to form a 6ft 1in by 4ft 8in transverse double bed, but Shire is considering offering this layout with twin lengthways single beds instead (and consequently shorter galley units). In any case, Shire is able to build one-off bespoke designs to customer order.

Another area where the company shows its versatility is in the rear washroom. Behind a sliding door, the show model features a bench cassette toilet on the nearside with a rather dated drop-down basin above. Opposite is the wardrobe with the shower tray in between. An alternative bathroom layout sees the toilet opposite a fixed porecelain washbasin. What you will be surprised not to see in the bathroom is the van back doors, because the rear of the washroom is fully panelled, with a wooden door in the middle. Viewed from outside, with the barn doors open, you’ll find cupboards, storage pockets, an outside shower and toilet servicing accessed here (see photo on previous page).

Like all Phoenix models, the new ML Studio comes with Fiat’s 150bhp Multijet engine as standard, along with metallic paint, driver and passenger airbags, reversing sensors, LED daytime running lights, height-adjustable cab seats, a leather steering wheel, air-conditioning and cruise control. Also included in the spec are insulated fresh (100-litre) and waste (60-litre) water tanks, two 110Ah leisure batteries and a 25-litre gas tank. 

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