Auto-Sleeper Corinium FB motorhome

Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer Al-Ko Price from: £65,705 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 Length: 7.76m Width: 2.32m Height: 2.93m Gross weight: 3,500kg (option 4,000kg) Payload: 293kg (option 743kg)

Introduced in 2016, the Corinium marked a significant development for Auto-Sleepers, which had previously offered its biggest motorhomes only on Mercedes-Benz chassis. Here, then, was a coachbuilt almost as long as the Burford and Burford Duo, offering a similar pair of layouts, but with a lower price point thanks to the Peugeot Boxer base.

Today, the two original floorplans are joined by an island bed (RB) model, which has no Benz-based equivalent. And the saving is considerable, the gap having widened with the arrival of the new Sprinter cab. This Corinium FB has a list price over £12k lower than its Burford cousin, and that difference becomes greater still if you consider that the Merc’s Premium Pack is £4,000 to the Peugeot’s £2,500.

Of course, the Burford’s pack includes an automatic gearbox for the Sprinter, whereas the Corinium has to switch from Peugeot to Fiat if you don’t want to change gears manually and that means a £2k or £4k supplement (depending on whether you opt for the 130bhp motor or the more suitable 150bhp unit).

Another factor is weight. The big Mercs sit on a 4,100kg chassis, making them the exclusive preserve of those with a C1 driving licence. However, the Corinium can be specified as an any-driver 3.5-tonne vehicle, albeit with a fairly skimpy payload (for the FB) of 293kg. If you need more, a 4,000kg chassis is £1,200 extra, but even then the saving is almost £9k for an automatic.

And your choices don’t end here. Your new Corinium can be ordered with rear travel seats (a half-dinette replacing one of the side settees in the standard lounge) for an additional £1,000. And, if you’re looking for something more family- orientated, the low-line roof (fitted with either an opening Skyview rooflight or extra cupboards) can be replaced (at no extra cost this time) with a traditional overcab with ‘upstairs’ bed.

Whichever version suits you best, you’ll need to factor in the cost of the Premium Pack, as well as (probably) the Media Pack and Winter Pack. With all three fitted, a Corinium FB starts at £69,495. And then you’ll get a very fully appointed ’van with alloy wheels, cab air-con, cruise control, awning, colour reversing camera, DAB radio with integrated sat-nav and 80W solar panel (Premium Pack), Mecatronic 65cm automatic satellite TV system (Media Pack) and cab blinds, heated water tanks and a heater upgrade (Winter Pack).

What you’ll also have is a layout that is not replicated in every rival brochure. Auto-Trail’s Tracker EB and Swift’s Bessacarr 584 are possible competitors, but island beds are far more frequently seen these days than a French bed/end washroom layout like this. Of course, that across-the-rear washroom (complete with corner separate shower) is a big part of the appeal here.

Equally attractive, for some, will be the fact that the motorhome is divided into two rooms with a wall (and central, domestic-style door) cutting off the bedroom from the lounge/kitchen. Opposite the bed – with its padded headboard – is a double wardrobe and vanity unit with mirror, but remember that this bed layout will require one person to climb over the other to get out and, with a wall at the foot of the bed, toes can’t stretch out if you’re tall. Auto-Sleepers claims a bed length of 1.86m but do try it for yourselves.

Finally, if you’re sold on the concept, you can ponder the décor – Valencia or new Santani furniture, and soft furnishings in Catalan (three colours) or Casa Mila (shown in Mocha, one of five tones) or Sagrada (five shades).

If you enjoyed this review, you can read loads more like it in What Motorhome magazine. You can get a digital version of this latest issue of What Motorhome magazine here.