Bentley Ochre

Bentley Artisan Ochre 2012

FATHER and son team Gordon and Richard Bentley bring with them years of motorhome manufacturing experience, as well as a reputation for top notch after-sales service – and of course the name for Britain’s newest motorhome marque.

Their pedigree is clearly evident in this prototype Ochre, one of a three-model range recently launched at the NEC and road-tested here for the very first time.

Like its stablemates, this is a compact two-berth with length of a little over the magic six metres but body width kept to virtually van conversion dimensions.

Inside there’s a classic rear lounge layout but with a level of attention to detail that you’ll struggle to find elsewhere.

But before you notice the details your eyes will be drawn to the wedge of cheese styling of the long-established but still striking Renault Trafic cab, now in its Phase 3 derivation.

Only those with the expert’s edition of the Eye Spy Book of Motorhomes will remember another Trafic-based coachbuilt but Bentley’s choice was deliberate for the car-like cab, which suits their narrow-bodied design well.

Sat behind the wheel you certainly think MPV and the high spec (with de rigeur Elite Pack of colour-coded bumper, front foglamps, air-con and electric windows and mirrors) appeals.

A Tom Tom Sat-Nav is integrated into the dash and a six-speed Quickshift automatic gearbox is a useful option – affordable too at £999.

On the road there’s a typically Renault soft ride and slick manual gearshift, and the 115bhp dCi engine provides adequate performance.

Our drive was only brief but this unladen Ochre avoids the over-bodied feel that the fairly lengthy rear overhang might imply, albeit with more body roll than most rivals.

The limited conversion noise bodes well for production vehicles too, but we’d like better door mirrors – these don’t stick out far enough to give you a decent rear view, hampering your ability to sneak down narrow lanes with that svelte width.

Inside, you don’t notice the slimline approach, as the Bentley packs in everything you’d expect of a small motorhome – and more.

Only the cab to living area access is compromised and that’s more as a result of the fixed cab roof (with large locker and separate table storage above).

While the Ochre is small, no attempt has been made to make this a ‘budget’ vehicle – it costs nearly £45k with the spec you’ll want and comes equipped accordingly.

Crucially, the way every cupboard closes and the feel of the fittings matches up to the price tag too. In fact, this first example feels better built than any of its established British competitors.

And everywhere you look there are features that reek of thoughtful design. The rear lounge is long enough (at near-as-dammit 5ft) for you to put your feet up, as well as affording an unusually wide transverse double bed.

The sturdy pull-out bed bases make the flimsy slats used in an Apache seem like something out of the dark ages, while access to the under-seat space is of the belt, braces... and another belt for good measure variety.

You can lift the squabs on strong gas struts, use the internal drop-front doors or go outside and load via the external hatches.

Storage also includes a shelved locker for your jumpers alongside the wardrobe, and a pull-out rack for tins adjacent to the (slightly small) fridge. The galley includes the ‘full monty’ cooker that we Brits love, plus a Dometic extractor hood above.

And because worktop is in short supply once you’ve lifted the glass hob and sink lids, there’s a flip-up extension by the habitation door... where you’ll also find a convenient mains socket, waste bin and high-level glasses locker.

The washroom is a well-appointed, even if storage space is a bit marginal. We applaud the use of Dometic’s ceramic bowl loo, but better still is the swing-wall arrangement which creates a generous shower, and like every other aspect of the Ochre, feels thoroughly engineered.

All-season campers will welcome the inboard fresh water tank too, although capacity is not as generous as some.

With Truma’s Combi 4 gas/electric heating you’ll be cosy when the weather is of the Jack Frost ilk and with the blown-air running full pelt and the (all-LED) lighting (of which there’s no shortage), ablaze you can – fortunately – keep a close eye on your 12V power reserves via the control panel.

At the press of a button this will tell you (in hours and minutes) how much power you’ve got left at current usage levels.

Other details include a sliding rear window so you can still open it with bikes mounted on the optional rear rack, a discreet drop-down flatscreen TV cupboard that can be locked shut, a flyscreen for the habitation door, and a nice low step into the vehicle. Rear speakers are fitted in the lounge but the overhead big vent is just big, not huge, as is today’s fashion.

This First Sight motorhome review was first published in the December 2010 issue of Which Motorhome magazine.

A classic rear lounge design in a narrow body with a car-like cab - build quality and attention-to-detail count.