Karmann Colorado 645TI (2010)

Karmann Colorado 645 TI 2010

WITH its legendary durability and refined drive, the VW Transporter still dominates the pop-top camper market, but its penetration of the coachbuilt sector remains low, with Karmann one of only two manufacturers with an offering in the UK.

The all-new Karmann Colorado 645 TI is the first coachbuilt based on the revised T5 to make it to the UK.

The photos of the new Transporter, don’t really do it justice: the 2010 facelift really does make it look an awful lot more contemporary and when paired with the sweeping lines of Karmann’s beautifully finished coachbuilt bodywork, it adds up to a striking combination.

The 645 TI is an all-new model with a new low-profile overcab treatment and a rear garage with the option of a hydraulic height-adjustable rear bed. The new overcab incorporates a large (non-opening) sunroof which creates an altogether lighter feel to the cab and lounge, but the Karmann’s beauty is much more than skin deep.

The new common-rail diesel engines employ Volkswagen’s latest electronic and turbocharging wizardry to deliver more power and better performance while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Maximum torque of 340 Nm comes in usefully low down at 1750rpm while maximum power is available at 3500rpm. On the road, this extra power is a revelation.

Twinned with the wonderfully refined 7-speed DSG auto gearbox, the Colorado simply couldn’t be easier to drive: engage drive, press the pedal and it simply goes, with the seamless upshifts barely perceptible.

The revised T5 sets a new benchmark in refinement and the whole driving experience is more car-like than any of the Colorado’s competitors, but it isn’t just down to that wonderful engine.

The seating position is significantly better than the old T5 and while the dashboard doesn’t look quite as expensively finished as its predecessor’s, the new model’s is more user-friendly.

Driver and passenger airbags are standard, but air-conditioning and cab blinds are extra. Then there’s the habitation noise – or the absence of it.

The Colorado’s bombproof construction helps here, and so does the superbly damped suspension, neutralising bumps, without any of the pitching or rolling of more softly sprung rivals.

In a nutshell, the Colorado manages to combine the solidity of the Mercedes Sprinter with the performance of the Ford Transit and the drivability of the Fiat Ducato.

A short spell at the wheel left me yearning for an excuse to pack up, head for a Channel port and blast down to the Côte D’Azur.

Outstanding driving characteristics aside, what’s the new 645 layout like to live with?

For a start there’s that huge garage, with ample room for mountain bikes or a scooter, but we’d be tempted to go for the optional hydraulic height-adjustable rear bed as the fixed version is just a little too high.

There’s a huge amount of space in the garage, but it’s a steep climb up into the rear bed and there’s not enough headroom to sit up and read once you’ve clambered up there.

There’s better news in the washroom, which is pretty spacious for a sub-seven-metre ’van with a fixed bed. A rotating circular shower cubicle keeps the water where it should be and there’s plenty of room for pampering and a good amount of storage in the medicine cabinet and adjoining locker.

The kitchen is a modest affair, with just a three-burner hob and 97-litre fridge as standard, but there’s just about enough worktop space to cater for two.

In the lounge, the corner seating neatly incorporates the rear travel seats and has room enough for three to sit around the substantial adjustable table in comfort, with another two on the offside bench settee.

The cab seats rotate, but the narrowness of the Transporter cab means it’s a bit of a fight and you need to release the handbrake to rotate the driver’s seat.

In the storage department, as well as that huge garage, the Colorado has five deep overhead lockers in the lounge and kitchen, three drawers plus pan storage, a wardrobe and seven shallower lockers over the rear bed, which should be ample for two.

Natural light comes courtesy of side windows and a couple of small rooflights.

The lounge is airy, with the overcab sunroof boosting light levels, but the absence of an offside window might make things a little gloomy when the sun is low.

Come night-time, spotlights and ambient LEDs offer plenty of scope for setting the mood.

Overall fit and finish are top drawer and the double floor, with services enclosed and insulation, means the Colorado will be as comfortable in the Alps as it is in Antibes.

A longer version of this review was published in the August 2010 issue of Which Motorhome magazine.

Superb build quality and a great drive distinguish the Colorado and it makes good use of its space. Only the price limits sales - it’s a cracking motorhome.