Bailey Approach Autograph 625

Prices from: £44,460 Price as tested: £44,460 Type approval: European Whole Vehicle Berths: 2 Travel seats: 2

Coming fresh to the motorhome game only two years ago, Bailey has seen more than 1,000 motorhomes built and sold.

This success is down to more than just luck though, as a methodical approach to design, testing and manufacture saw the firm crash testing prototypes and offering a then ground-breaking-for-Britain bodyshell integrity warranty of up to 10 years.

Now, Bailey has decided it’s time to refresh the range, a process that’s been helped by experience as Bailey employees and even the bosses use the product. Indeed, rumour has it that one of the top bosses is now a confirmed and enthusiastic motorhomer.

Seems the firm has listened to customers too, and even some of the press.

Base vehicle and styling

Thanks to that ultra-low chassis there’s a substantial step up (nine inches) into the driving department, so it feels entirely separate from the living area. In spite of this, Bailey has decided to fit swivels to both cab seats.

There’s plenty of light in here too, as the overcab pod’s sunroof and a pair of reading lights illuminate. Taller drivers will be pleased to discover that their seat can travel all the way aft without crashing into the washroom wall directly behind.

The cab is equipped with most motorhomers’ desires as standard, so you get a pair of airbags, cruise control and air conditioning. The radio/CD player boasts steering wheel-mounted controls, but – iPod owners note – lacks
the USB input socket fitted to others.

Lounge

U-shaped and good-looking, this is the place where prospective customers will sit and decide to buy an Autograph. Plenty of light comes from three windows, a Midi Heki rooflight, ceiling lamp and four reading lamps.

That chassis makes its presence felt again. With seating for eight, the Autograph’s wide body comes to the fore: this lounge really does feel wonderfully spacious and upholstery, carpet and curtains
are all high-quality items.

Kitchen

Tthe cook’s department is another area that’s been completely redesigned for 2014.

Gone is last year’s rather impractical square sink, replaced by a conventional, but far more user-friendly round bowl – complete with washing-up bowl, drop-on chopping board and removable drainer.

Instead of a separate hob and oven there’s now a slot-in stove from Thetford. In the locker above lurks a nice digital microwave, courtesy of Sharp.

The fridge is the same as those installed in some other Baileys and it’s rather unimpressive. A reasonable size and with Dometic’s seemingly omni-present removable freezer compartment, it’s the controls that are the let-down.

Washroom

Space and simplicity are the keys to this washroom’s success and the amount of room both inside and out – in the kitchen/door area – are possible thanks to the ’van’s enhanced overall width.

The washroom door opens through almost 180 degrees, allowing very easy access to the ablutions within. There’s plenty of room in here to use toilet and basin.

The separate shower compartment, too, provides enough volume to make it great to use. A bi-fold door, twin-drain tray and water-saving showerhead conspire to provide greatness. This really is the type of motorhome shower that you should be happy to use everyday.

Sleeping

The lounge provides a massive double bed or two singles – both easily made. Singles construction is simple, just remove all the backrests and you’re there. Now you merely need to find an overnight home for said cushions – all five of them. The cab would seem to be the best place. The resultant beds are decent, but just 5ft 11in long.

The sleeping space of choice is the transverse double. This generates no spare cushions to stash and should provide excellent length and width even for the tallest amongst us.

Kit and storage

Peering out from various grilles, lockers and concealed spaces throughout the interior, glints of silver betray the presence of the Approach’s biggest upgrade for the new season.

All those silver glints are the presence of finned alloy radiators, fitted as part the Alde wet heating system. The boiler feeds the rads in an arrangement that works in the same way as domestic central heating – the result is near-silent warmth distributed throughout the interior.

The 12V power supply has been revamped too, as a new underfloor battery compartment houses a high-quality 105Ah leisure battery and has room for a second.

One of the many of advantages of the Ultra-Low Al-Ko chassis is very deep storage lockers beneath the lounge seats, which can be accessed through tops or via drop-down flaps in the sofa bases. The nearside is home to the electrical distribution unit, the rear offside corner the Alde boiler, but there’s still plenty of ‘basement’ storage available.

Read the full version of this review in the November 2013 digital issue of MMM magazine.

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The Approach Autograph marks a leap for Bailey as its styling becomes mainstream while it keeps all the attributes that have made Approach SE successful during the first two years of production. Of course, the changes are more than skin deep.