Niesmann + Bischoff Flair 920 A-class

Base vehicle: Iveco Daily Price from: £194,200 Berths: 2/4 Travel seats: 2/4 Length: 9.27m Width: 2.42m Height: 3.34m Gross weight: 7,200kg Payload: 1,672kg

Words & photos: Peter Vaughan

The Niesmann + Bischoff Flair 920

Niesmann seems to occupy a niche all of its own, above Hymer and Carthago, but below the giants of the liner class, such as Morelo. Here is its new flagship.

Initially, the only model is this 920, although a 40cm shorter 880 version will join the ranks later, with a more compact lounge and kitchen. Both versions have a bedroom with conjoined single beds (2.01m by 2.04m) that, its maker hopes, will cater for both twin and island bed markets.

The Flair 920 is 9.27m long, based on an Iveco Daily, with a gross weight of 7,200kg (or optionally 7,490kg). Power comes from a 3-litre engine with up to 210PS, driving the twin rear wheels and every buyer will surely opt for the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

The exterior

Externally, there’s the subtlest evolution of the typical Niesmann look, featuring windows of real glass, not plastic. There are multiple external lockers and a choice of white or Eifel Grey exterior, plus highlights in Karmin Red, Lava Orange or Carbon. In fact, the company says there are 128 permutations for the exterior.

The interior

Step inside and no two Flairs will ever be alike as N+B offers 34,560 options – set aside a few days when speccing yours! The lounge offers twin inward-facing sofas, with the nearside one rotating to form a double passenger seat. Squab cushions come in two fabrics or three shades of hide, while a dozen variants match or contrast the backrests.

You can specify the usual A-class drop-down bed in the cab (one that almost disappears into the ceiling), or cupboards in the Open Cockpit version. Next to the offside sofa, a small second fridge is an option, so you’ll barely have to move to top up your glass. Opposite, a 32in TV can rise electrically from between the sofa and the kitchen.

Furniture is a light Breeze Oak or a darker walnut, while the walls feature a natural acoustic felt for improved insulation and sound qualities.

The kitchen

There’s even more choice in the cook’s quarters. One display model had a 138-litre drawer-style compressor fridge sliding out from under the main kitchen counter, meaning the furniture opposite can be purely cupboard space.

But you can forgo some of this for a more traditional fridge/freezer, if you prefer. The worktop hosts a combination hob with two gas burners and an induction ring, while you can also specify an extractor that rises from behind the galley at the touch of a button.

A dishwasher, coffee machine and oven are also available, while all the drawers and kitchen cupboards are centrally locked when travelling. Even the storage can be bespoke to suit your needs, with everything from hanging rails for trousers to additional drawers and more.

The washroom

Just ahead of the bedroom, you can’t fail to be impressed by the washroom. The large basin on the offside will be set slightly higher in production models than in the prototype and here you can choose from this mineral material version or a glass countertop type. Note, too, the glass wall between here and the bedroom, with a Tomorrow’s World-style option to turn it opaque when needed just by flicking a switch.

Opposite, the toilet and shower are adjacent to each other with a sliding smoked glass door that can hide either the toilet or shower. The latter has a flat floor (no step in) and a rainfall showerhead.

The options

We couldn’t possibly list all the options here, but you’ll start with the packs – Driver Safety, Liner, Lithium Energy and Multimedia – before selecting from pages of individual options and picking your colour scheme. By the time you’ve loaded your new Flair with all the toys, don’t expect much change from £300,000, though.