Yucon 6.0 BD 4x4 high-top campervan

Frankia's campervan brand is a 4x4 specialist

Words & photos: Peter Vaughan

The Yucon 6.0 BD 4x4

Whilst there are mainstream, front-wheel drive Fiat-based models in the Yucon range, it’s the Mercs that stand out from the crowd. Partly that’s because these are the ones designed and built at Frankia’s plant at Marktschorgast in Germany and partly because many of them are 4x4s that literally tower over their stablemates. 

Despite prices that start north of £100k, it’s also the all-wheel drive models that dominate sales, accounting for around 70% of Yucon production.

There are six and seven-metre models, with single or double beds at the rear and all three designs can now be specified in K-peak special edition form, of which more later. 

Shown here is the standard 6.0 BD, which is a direct rival for Hymer’s Grand Canyon S. As photographed, it wore a £115,518 price tag, including extras such as the Driver’s Pack, metallic paint (Tenorite Grey), an awning with LED lighting, and electric (as well as gas) heating.

The exterior

Apart from the usual lofty stance of a 4x4 Sprinter, the Yucon wears typical premium features such as flush habitation glazing, a soft-closing sliding door and alloy wheels. 

The bed

At the rear are bulges on either side in order to accommodate transverse sleeping. The mattress here measures 1.96m by 1.37m and it sits on Froli springs for comfort, but you won’t be sitting up as there are overhead cupboards at both ends of the bed. 

Reading lights are fitted on the offside and there’s a roof vent above.

The garage

The under-bed boot area is 76cm wide and 86cm high, but it’s super-easy to make this into a full-height garage for bikes. 

The centre section of the bed hinges vertically towards the nearside. 

The washroom

Amidships, the washroom is an all-in-one design, with a bench toilet and a large fold-down basin that’s hidden in the wall behind the loo.

Unlike some of its ilk, this washbasin has a plug, so you’re not wasting water as it constantly flows away. Fresh and waste water capacities are 110 and 55 litres, respectively. 

Then, for showering, there’s a curtain to protect the furniture (including a mirrored cupboard with upstands to keep its contents in place). 

Floor space here is quite limited but the corner shelf for your shampoo and twin drains in the tray add practicality.

The kitchen

The kitchen has a Dometic two-burner hob and sink combination unit with glass lids and there’s a Teutonically sturdy folding worktop to create more preparation space for the chef (although it blocks the sliding door in use). 

Three drawers provide plenty of practical storage and there’s a tall cupboard over the fridge, which is an 84-litre compressor model. 

The lounge

Where the fact that the 6.0 BD is the baby of the range is most apparent is up front. Swivel cab seats face a half-dinette to make a four-seater lounge, but the gap between the bench and the table won’t suit larger folk.

The table is slim, too, at just 40cm across, although it does have a swing-out extension leaf to reach the driver’s seat. 

A plus is that there’s no step in the floor here, while you also benefit from a full-height walk-through into the cab.

The spec

The standard 6.0 BD is a two-berth with a surprisingly generous payload for a 3.5-tonne 4x4 campervan. 

It becomes even more appealing in the new-for-2024 K-peak version, which comes with exterior LED light bars above the cab, a 300Ah lithium battery, 90W solar panel and diesel heating, as well as the 190hp all-wheel drive base vehicle with all-terrain tyres and automatic gearbox. 

With special graphics and a pop-top (including a 2m by 1.10m double bed), the K-peak is a four-berth with a look that says it’s ready for family adventures.

Where to buy

Yucon is the latest addition to the portfolio of Newark-based dealer, SMC Motorhomes. 

That’s no surprise, as SMC is also the sole importer for Frankia, as well as being a Pilote dealer (amongst other brands).