4
Live-in Test report www.outandaboutlive.co.uk FEBRUARY 2011 I 127 On Test Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB 126 I FEBRUARY 2011 www.outandaboutlive.co.uk Words & pictures by Andrew & Rona Bromley COTSWOLD FLYER Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB on 3.0-litre Peugeot Boxer One of Auto-Sleepers’ latest low profile coachbuilts has soared to award-winning success 1 View forward shows the lovely big lounge 2 Aft, and the kitchen stands ahead of the wooden door leading to the across-the-rear washroom 3 Mealtime: the table can seat four, and also be used outside PRICE FROM: £56,995 OTR BERTHS: 2 ECONOMY: 22.73mpg LAYOUT: Swivelling cab seats ahead of twin inward-facing settees, kitchen on nearside (with fridge/freezer opposite), washroom across the rear. AT A GLANCE camping car chassis pioneered by Fiat. However, here Auto-Sleepers has stuck with Peugeot’s standard chassis. This makes the ’van slightly higher, while ours had a pronounced tail-high stance - needing both the (narrow, electric) exterior and moulded inner steps to gain access through the caravan door. Sevel-built vans have ergonomically satisfying cockpits, with comfortable height-adjustable seats, plus steering wheel adjustable for reach and - marginally - rake. Instruments are clear and bright, the handbrake is a stretch down to the driver’s right, but the gearlever falls perfectly to hand. And there’s plenty of in-cab storage. Visibility is reasonable, though thick A-pillars can be obstructive at roundabouts and junctions. Happily, Auto-Sleepers hasn’t fitted window blinds, which exacerbate that problem, relying on cab curtains instead. Regrettably, the curtain rails are low set and can inhibit vision (for the tall) and full movement of sun visors. We understand revisions are promised - Peugeot having deleted the useful - but potentially head-bashing - overhead shelf to which the rails attach. Cab gizmos: this ’van has plenty - twin airbags, cruise control, cab air-conditioning, electric windows and mirrors and traction control. Central locking extends to the caravan door, though this was faulty on the test ’van. Both seats have two adjustable armrests and the fascia has fetching ‘wooden’ trim. There’s no internal rear visibility, but two big (and vulnerable) door mirrors work excellently, especially in conjunction with the reversing camera screen. A second camera would be nice, showing the view aft when travelling forwards, but maybe that’s being greedy. ROAD MANNERS The Sevel X250 family of vehicles provided a handling revelation when launched in 2006, and they’re still just about top dog today (only VW’s - much smaller - T5 drives better). Whatever size ‘house’ behind the cab, the front-wheel drive chassis holds the road and steers beautifully, inspiring great confidence. And if the most powerful engine is fitted, it positively urges you to unseemly speeds - here, a veritable ‘flying bungalow!’ Cotswold, on the heavy chassis (with sixteen-inch wheels), felt perfectly geared in forward travel (2200rpm at indicated 70mph) - whereas another converter’s 3.0-litre Peugeot (on a lighter chassis, and with fifteen- inch wheels) seemed too low geared to us. However, this slightly higher overall gearing may adversely affect reversing: this Cotswold was unhappy on our one-in-eight hill, with some vibration and a smelly clutch. On the move (once the excitable percussion section of cooker and grill pan had been muffled) the main rattle came from Auto-Sleepers’ traditional crockery set - the 1 2 3 C otswold-based Auto-Sleepers is an enduring success story in the British motorhome industry, winning shed-loads of awards during its 50-year history. One of its latest creations, the Cotswold EB, was launched to immediate acclaim - winning the 2010 Caravan Industry Motorcaravan of the Year and Thetford’s Washroom of the Year, prizes. Last May, it was also overall winner of the Caravan Club’s prestigious Design and Drive competition, and as one of the judges, I was generally most impressed. Having briefly reviewed EB’s sibling (the fixed bed, four berth Cotswold), we were itching to give the EB an in-depth test. Certainly, Cotswold makes a modern styling statement. Walls are skinned in smooth GRP, and while the distinctive overcab isn’t exactly low profile, neither is it a bulbous luton: it’s somewhere in between. Long, but not outrageously so (7.16m/23ft 6in), this ’van is much better proportioned than some recent Auto-Sleepers efforts, while grey and blue decals complete a classy, up-to-the-minute picture. You enter at nearside rear via a good, strong habitation door (with window, blind and flyscreen) - tall people minding heads on the gas-strut door retainer. There’s a wooden wall and door to your right, a mirror facing you, the kitchen on your left, with big fridge/freezer opposite. Beyond that, a huge lounge - with twin settees - stretches forward to swivelling cab seats, the whole flooded with light from big windows and multiple rooflights. Opening that wooden door reveals impressive ablutions. Woodwork in medium-dark ‘walnut’ is relieved by silver trim and handles, and on kitchen high-level lockers, by translucent plastic panels. Creamy wallboard and (Judy Cream) Belgian cloth upholstery, with russet highlights and pale velour panels, contrast with the wood. This upholstery could be vulnerable to staining, particularly the cab seats, but covers are removable and dry- cleanable. Loose-fit carpets (also in the cab) are pale, tweedy beige over walnut plank- effect vinyl flooring. Cab and lounge curtains are pale sand coloured. THE OPTION TO FLY Flying high in the award stakes - the Cotswold EB’s optional 157 horsepower engine fitted to our demonstrator also made it fly along the roads! However, standard fitting is the (2.2- litre) 130bhp motor that’s perfectly capable of pulling this heavy (4005kg GVW) beast at all sensible speeds - possibly giving slightly better fuel economy too. Either engine can only have the six-speed manual gearbox, as the ComfortMatic auto ’box is only offered by Fiat’s Ducato (and then only with the 3.0-litre engine). Peugeot, as a partner in the Sevel concern (which also produces Fiat’s Ducato and Citroen’s Relay), offers converters the lower

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Page 1: 126 live-in test - Out and About Live...Selection-equipped fridge/freezer. It’s such a luxury to just switch it on - leaving it to decide the correct power source. Above the freezer,

Live-in Test report

www.outandaboutlive.co.uk FEBRUARY 2011 I 127

On Test Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB

126 I FEBRUARY 2011 www.outandaboutlive.co.uk

Words & pictures by Andrew & Rona BromleyCOTSWOLD FLYER

Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB on 3.0-litre Peugeot Boxer

One of Auto-Sleepers’ latest low profi le coachbuilts has soared to award-winning success

1 View forward shows the lovely big lounge

2 Aft, and the kitchen stands ahead of the wooden

door leading to the across-the-rear washroom

3 Mealtime: the table can seat four, and also be used outside

■ PRICE FROM: £56,995 OTR■ BERTHS: 2■ ECONOMY: 22.73mpg■ LAYOUT: Swivelling cab seats ahead of twin inward-facing settees, kitchen on nearside (with fridge/freezer

opposite), washroom across the rear.

AT A GLANCE

camping car chassis pioneered by Fiat. However, here Auto-Sleepers has stuck with Peugeot’s standard chassis. This makes the ’van slightly higher, while ours had a pronounced tail-high stance - needing both the (narrow, electric) exterior and moulded inner steps to gain access through the caravan door.

Sevel-built vans have ergonomically satisfying cockpits, with comfortable height-adjustable seats, plus steering wheel adjustable for reach and - marginally - rake. Instruments are clear and bright, the handbrake is a stretch down to the driver’s right, but the gearlever falls perfectly to hand. And there’s plenty of in-cab storage. Visibility is reasonable, though thick A-pillars can be obstructive at roundabouts and junctions. Happily, Auto-Sleepers hasn’t fitted window blinds, which exacerbate that problem, relying on cab curtains instead. Regrettably, the curtain rails are low set and can inhibit vision (for the tall) and full movement of sun visors. We understand revisions are promised - Peugeot having deleted the useful - but potentially head-bashing - overhead shelf to which the rails attach.

Cab gizmos: this ’van has plenty - twin airbags, cruise control, cab air-conditioning, electric windows and mirrors and traction control. Central locking extends to the caravan door, though this was faulty on the test ’van. Both seats have two adjustable armrests

and the fascia has fetching ‘wooden’ trim. There’s no internal rear visibility, but two big (and vulnerable) door mirrors work excellently, especially in conjunction with the reversing camera screen. A second camera would be nice, showing the view aft when travelling forwards, but maybe that’s being greedy.

ROAD MANNERSThe Sevel X250 family of vehicles provided a handling revelation when launched in 2006, and they’re still just about top dog today (only VW’s - much smaller - T5 drives better). Whatever size ‘house’ behind the cab, the front-wheel drive chassis holds the road and steers beautifully, inspiring great confidence. And if the most powerful engine is fitted, it positively urges you to unseemly speeds - here, a veritable ‘flying bungalow!’

Cotswold, on the heavy chassis (with sixteen-inch wheels), felt perfectly geared in forward travel (2200rpm at indicated 70mph) - whereas another converter’s 3.0-litre Peugeot (on a lighter chassis, and with fifteen-inch wheels) seemed too low geared to us. However, this slightly higher overall gearing may adversely affect reversing: this Cotswold was unhappy on our one-in-eight hill, with some vibration and a smelly clutch.

On the move (once the excitable percussion section of cooker and grill pan had been muffled) the main rattle came from Auto-Sleepers’ traditional crockery set - the

1

2

3

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Cotswold-based Auto-Sleepers is an enduring success story in

the British motorhome industry, winning shed-loads of awards during its 50-year history. One of its latest creations, the

Cotswold EB, was launched to immediate acclaim - winning the 2010 Caravan Industry Motorcaravan of the Year and Thetford’s Washroom of the Year, prizes. Last May, it was also overall winner of the Caravan Club’s prestigious Design and Drive competition, and as one of the judges, I was generally most impressed. Having briefly reviewed EB’s sibling (the fixed bed, four berth Cotswold), we were itching to give the EB an in-depth test.

Certainly, Cotswold makes a modern styling statement. Walls are skinned in smooth GRP, and while the distinctive overcab isn’t exactly low profile, neither is it a bulbous luton: it’s somewhere in between. Long, but not outrageously so (7.16m/23ft 6in), this ’van is much better proportioned than some recent Auto-Sleepers efforts, while grey and blue decals complete a classy, up-to-the-minute picture.

You enter at nearside rear via a good, strong habitation door (with window, blind and flyscreen) - tall people minding heads on the gas-strut door retainer. There’s a wooden wall and door to your right, a mirror facing you, the kitchen on your left, with big fridge/freezer opposite. Beyond that, a huge lounge - with

twin settees - stretches forward to swivelling cab seats, the whole flooded with light from big windows and multiple rooflights. Opening that wooden door reveals impressive ablutions.

Woodwork in medium-dark ‘walnut’ is relieved by silver trim and handles, and on kitchen high-level lockers, by translucent plastic panels. Creamy wallboard and (Judy Cream) Belgian cloth upholstery, with russet highlights and pale velour panels, contrast with the wood. This upholstery could be vulnerable to staining, particularly the cab seats, but covers are removable and dry-cleanable. Loose-fit carpets (also in the cab) are pale, tweedy beige over walnut plank-effect vinyl flooring. Cab and lounge curtains are pale sand coloured.

THE OPTION TO FLYFlying high in the award stakes - the Cotswold EB’s optional 157 horsepower engine fitted to our demonstrator also made it fly along the roads! However, standard fitting is the (2.2-litre) 130bhp motor that’s perfectly capable of pulling this heavy (4005kg GVW) beast at all sensible speeds - possibly giving slightly better fuel economy too. Either engine can only have the six-speed manual gearbox, as the ComfortMatic auto ’box is only offered by Fiat’s Ducato (and then only with the 3.0-litre engine).

Peugeot, as a partner in the Sevel concern (which also produces Fiat’s Ducato and Citroen’s Relay), offers converters the lower

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On Test Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB

128 I FEBRUARY 2011 www.outandaboutlive.co.uk

Live-in Test report

www.outandaboutlive.co.uk FEBRUARY 2011 I 129

retaining strap being awkwardly mounted and hard to tighten. Cupboards, doors and Seitz concertina window blinds were all quiet, but gentle creaks emanated from somewhere in the overcab.

SOFA, SO GOOD Forward lounges with inward-facing settees are a traditional British forte: this is a good example, with sofas 1.83m (6ft 0in) long on the nearside and 1.93m (6ft 4in) on the offside. Add swivelling cab seats and a whole family could be accommodated, once on site: with cab seatbelts only, this is definitely a two-person conveyance. The settee squabs have a slight knee-roll and are quite deep, so some may require the (supplied) scatter cushions for support. The foam used is superb, and squishy removable armrest cushions are provided, but give little support, so feet-up sprawling is difficult: there’s only a slim front bulkhead to lean on, and that’s where you sit to watch TV. The Avtex fifteen-inch set has a dedicated cupboard opposite the kitchen. From a swivelled cab seat, the TV is rather far away; oh, the hardships of luxury living! Adjustable LED lights at all four corners - above the settees - assist evening reading.

For dining, Cotswold has a four-place, freestanding table stored in a dedicated slide-out cupboard alongside the fridge. Catering for more, or tea-taking for two, a smaller single-leg table (stowed in the wardrobe) has a floor mounting close to the cab seats. The system works well, with room to squeeze past both tables’ legs. This is a popular lounge layout and you can see why: it’s practical, comfortable and roomy.

SINK THOUGHTS Kitchens have always been an Auto-Sleepers strong point, and this one is (largely) well specified. The main unit contains a Spinflo Caprice cooker, with three auto-ignition gas burners and one electric hotplate, under a glass cover. There’s a grill, separate oven and floor-level pan cupboard (an intruding wheel-arch restricting space). The creamy-coloured

work-surface (a lightweight extension flap slides out from underneath) also contains a stainless steel sink, with glass lid and Whale mixer tap. There’s nowhere to stand hot pans though, because Auto-Sleepers has, unaccountably, omitted the outstanding stainless steel sink/drainer, which has been such a desirable feature of its ’vans. Instead, there’s a removable board, which (because of the tap’s position) didn’t fit, and actually drained away from the sink!

Given that the cook is afforded all facilities to produce a slap-up meal, how is the ‘bottle washer’ supposed to cope? First, we stood newly washed crocks on a tea-towel; obviously, that was soaked immediately (fortunately there are two slide-out towel rails by the fridge), then Rona thought of using the grill pan as a draining rack. Talk about Heath Robinson! A little cutlery rack fits on the underside of the raised sink-lid, but was missing from the test ’van: it’s big enough to contain a few knives, forks and teaspoons, but that’s small consolation.

Moving on to less irritating features: there are two good drawers (one for cutlery) and two shelved cupboards below (one with Brabantia kitchen-roll holder). There are two high-level lockers - one split, and furnished to accommodate the crockery on one side, and some very nice glasses on t’other. There’s a domed fluorescent light over the surface and two small halogen lights in the extractor hood over the cooker. Because there’s a ceiling-mounted smoke/heat alarm nearby (and if the door is closed to avoid draughts - there’s no hob windshield) you need the extractor, otherwise that blasted alarm keeps bleeping... And it sounds when you open the oven door, even if the extractor is working! We’d reposition it.

Mains and 12V sockets are sited high under the top cupboards, and there’s a sturdy rubbish bin mounted on the caravan door.

On the offside wall, opposite the kitchen, is a large (silver-grey) Thetford Smart Energy Selection-equipped fridge/freezer. It’s such a luxury to just switch it on - leaving it to decide the correct power source. Above the freezer,

and topped by yet another cupboard, is a Daewoo 700W microwave, set at a reasonable height for most folk to use safely.

Adjacent, there’s an excellent work-surface with mains and 12V sockets, above a large cupboard containing the Sergeant EC325 power distribution unit.

In sum, this kitchen has most of the features to gladden any chef, apart from the strange omission of a proper drainer, which rather spoils the culinary experience.

THE SMALLEST ROOM? The washroom is the highlight of the Cotswold EB. Entered by the centrally located door, it occupies the full width of the ’van’s rear. In an alcove on the offside, facing aft, is (in our opinion) the best motorhome toilet currently available: Thetford’s 402 bench-type loo. There’s plenty of legroom, a translucent window (the blind’s translucent too), a ceiling dome light and useful cupboard above the toilet. Opposite, in the offside rear corner, is a large wardrobe (1.05m/3ft 5.5in hanging drop), with three good-sized drawers below.

Centrally, against the rear wall (under another domed ceiling light) is the washbasin: a clear plastic bowl set upon a cream surface with cupboards either side in the vanity unit below. A large mixer tap curves elegantly over the bowl, but its control lever is some distance away, so the unit’s surface gets wet when dripping hands switch off the water. The classy effect is rather spoilt by a lack of chain or lever to open the plug - you have to fish around in the murky water to push-release it. Behind the washbasin (on a gloss black, tile-effect wall) are soap dish, toothbrush mug holder and a big mirror. Irresistibly, this contains two vertical rows of blue LED lights - switched on, they make you look like a Nav’i from the film Avatar! They are blindingly bright, but great fun - big kids’ll love them!

In the nearside rear corner is the very

capacious shower cubicle, with clear folding doors. Two walls (those seen immediately) are covered in the same shiny black tile-effect material, with shower fittings on a white corner moulding. The effect is spectacular, though the remaining walls are covered with cream wallboard; it would have been nicer if the whole cubicle was uniformly finished in black ‘tiles.’ The shower also features a chromed accessories rack and a small vent in the ceiling: switch on the light and an extractor fan powers up. The shower tray has two outlets, and there’s a heating vent too (there’s another in the main washroom area). Because of the lack of a shower rooflight, there’s nowhere from

which to hang dripping coats: a removable rail might be a useful addition in here.

All in all, this spacious washroom is a tour-de-force and well worthy of its awards.

BEDS FRAMED To us, making a big transverse double bed from parallel settees is no big deal, and we like having

the dual-purpose space. Come

there’s a heating vent too (there’s another in the main washroom area). Because of the lack of a shower rooflight, there’s nowhere from

■ OVERALL LENGTH: 7.16m (23ft 6in)■ OVERALL WIDTH: 2.32m (7ft 7.5in)

LAYOUT PLAN

4 5

6

7

I FEBRUARY

4 Kitchen is, as expected, very well equipped

5 Excellent Thetford smart fridge/freezer has useful surface alongside,

and microwave oven above

6 Palatial washroom is the highlight of this ’van

7 Washbowl, mirror and vanity unit. Blue lighting may make you feel like an extra in the movie Avatar

8 Removable drainer drained the wrong way and didn’t fit

9 TV and satellite system are standard equipment

8 9

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On Test Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB

130 I FEBRUARY 2011 www.outandaboutlive.co.uk

Live-in Test report

www.outandaboutlive.co.uk FEBRUARY 2011 I 131

bedtime, you retrieve bedding from the overcab, pull out the slatted bed bases (across the aisle) from under each settee, un-popper seatbacks from the wall and use them to form the middle of the bed. Turn seat squabs around so knee-rolls abut the walls. Roll out the sleeping bags or unfold the duvet, et voilà! It takes almost less time to do than to read the description.

The pullout bases stand on metal legs, but unlike Auto-Sleepers of yore, where tubular metal was used throughout, the bed frames are made of less sturdy plywood. It doesn’t help that the rear offside bed frame leg isn’t at the corner but set inboard to allow access

to the under-bed drawer. I’d rather see the drawer position moved. As the settees are both six feet - or over - in length, you’d expect a monster transverse double; sadly, you don’t get one. The bases emerge to make a bed just 1.30m (4ft 3in) wide, though at 2.12m (6ft 11.5in), it’s long enough for anyone. The remaining two feet of settee stays fixed. Why Auto-Sleepers has restricted the bed width in this luxury two berth ‘van to less than a standard domestic double is beyond me. Officially, the extra seating is left alongside for clothes, books etc. However, if the fixed sections of the settee bases also pulled out, then you’d have the choice: larger bed and no bedside seat, or narrower bed plus seats. We found the bed width too narrow for comfort, as we both sprawl at night. Frustrating.

You can have alternative (longitudinal) single beds, each a generous 725mm (2ft 4.5in) wide, by simply removing the seat backrests and storing them in the cab. On the offside, the bed measures 1.91m (6ft 3.5in), on the nearside, 1.81m (5ft 11.5in). However, using the swivelled cab seat, this extends to 2.30m (7ft 6.5in), which is just grand. Excellent sleep was enjoyed on the best motorcaravan mattresses we’ve yet experienced.

LOADING LOADS With its high capacity chassis, Cotswold EB provides a generous 522kg of payload with the standard engine (50kg less with the heavier 3.0-litre), and there’s reasonable storage space to accommodate this.

The overcab base is cut away, allowing front seat occupants to enjoy light streaming through the big, fixed sunroof (there’s a blind, should sunlight become too intense). A lipped ledge around the edge enables storage of maps and similar lightweight stuff, with a slot

right at the front for small oddments. Taller than most low profile overcabs, this allows high side cupboards, each taking a sleeping bag, pyjamas and pillow. We’d prefer a larger platform/cupboard for storage and smaller sunroof, but it does look superb.

The lounge has three, high-level lockers per side - one shelved, the other two not. The doors shut nicely with positive catches, but could usefully open higher. There’s storage under each settee: both (heavy) seat bases can be lifted for access, held up by metal rods at one end, but the unsupported ends drooped alarmingly. Gas struts would be more fitting in this upmarket motorhome. The offside settee base has a drawer, which, as previously suggested, could usefully be re-positioned forward. The rear section contains the leisure battery. The nearside base, also accessible via an exterior door, has a drop-down flap.

With ample kitchen drawers and cupboards and excellent wardrobe, cupboards and drawers in the washroom, Cotswold has sufficient space for most couples’ needs. If further capacity were needed, roof bars are fitted and might accept a roof box, though a ladder is an optional extra.

COTSWOLD’S KIT For over £50,000, you’d expect a well-specified motorhome, and Cotswold doesn’t disappoint. For starters, there’s a spare wheel - perhaps difficult to access (mounted underneath amidships), but that’s a problem for roadside assistance! There’s a gas tank, with 20kg capacity (filled to 80 per cent maximum) offering much cheaper refills than cylinders. An exterior-mounted Webasto DualTop unit provides space and water heating, using either diesel from the vehicle’s tank (smelling like an old tug-boat on start-up), or mains electricity at either one, or two kilowatts. You can choose both heating and water temperatures, and it’s very quiet in operation.

Underslung water tanks carry 102 litres fresh and 92 litres waste. Water is loaded via a Whale inlet system, so if you’re lucky enough to have a fully serviced pitch you can leave the hose connected and tap switched on. However, it takes forever to fill, and if using communal

site facilities one foresees impatient queues. We’d prefer a good, old-fashioned filler neck.

Lighting inside is good, with a total of three circular ceiling domes through lounge and kitchen, plus the three oval domes in the washroom, another over the kitchen work surface, and yet another on the back wall of the overcab. There are halogen lights each side of the overcab, four LED reading lights and white ‘mood’ lighting strips shine from above the lockers. The overcab sunroof is supplemented by a large wind-up Heki rooflight over the lounge and a smaller version over the kitchen. Another (basic) rooflight in the washroom seems a little downmarket.

Sound and vision: there’s a pair of extra speakers over the kitchen, and a Maxview

satellite dish control; wind up the dish and establish the location of your favoured satellite, using the sat-finding equipment, which occupies a goodly share of the cupboard above the television. Don’t forget to wind the dish flat before driving, as there’s no alarm to remind you!

PLAUDITS DESERVED You’ll have gathered we found one or two design features irritating (double bed width and missing drainer, for instance), but overall, this is a superb motorhome, oozing class and appeal. It has all the features you might reasonably expect for the price, and more. The Cotswold EB fully deserves the plaudits it’s received, and it deserves to be a great success for Auto-Sleepers. ■

WE LIKED■ Pleasing exterior design■ Cab and driving experience -

going forwards!■ High specification, including

spare wheel■ Superb washroom■ Comfortable, bright and very

roomy lounge■ SES fridge/freezer

WE WOULD HAVE LIKED ■ Firmer and more supportive lounge

armrest cushions■ Deeper external entrance step■ Repositioned smoke/heat alarm■ More storage in overcab■ Sturdier bed frame■ Externally operated plug for washbasin

WE DISLIKED ■ Lack of pukkah draining board■ Limited transverse double bed width■ Difficult access to offside under-settee

space and inadequate support struts■ Water filling system

VEHICLE SUPPLIED BYMarquis Northants, The Causeway, Great Billing, Northampton NN3 9EX(tel: 01604 402888; web site: www.marquismotorhomes.co.uk)

WE STAYED ATGreengill House (Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated Site) Morland, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 3AX (tel: 01931 714488; web site: www.greengillcampsite.co.uk)

THANKS TOEdensoaring gliding club, Selling Farm, Skirwith, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 1RL (web site: www.edensoaring.co.uk)

11 12

13 14

Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB

to the under-bed drawer. I’d rather see the drawer position moved. As the settees are both six feet - or over - in length, you’d expect a monster transverse double; sadly, you don’t get one. The bases emerge to

On Test Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB On TestOn Test

10 Overcab looks lovely, but we’d prefer more usable storage and smaller sunroof

11 Double bed. What a pity the whole settee bases don’t pull out to make a monster bed

12 Singles are very comfy. Incorporating the swivelled cab seat, the nearside

bed can be over 7ft long

13 Toilet alcove with lots of foot-room, big wardrobe and useful drawers

14 Bed base sags when held up by its single strut

10

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On Test Auto-Sleeper Cotswold EB

132 I FEBRUARY 2011 www.outandaboutlive.co.uk

PRICE (prices quoted with VAT @ 17.5 per cent)■ From: £56,995 OTR■ As tested: £59,803 OTR-BASICS■ Vehicle: Peugeot Boxer LWB standard

chassis cab■ Berths: 2■ Three-point belted seats: 2■ Warranty: Base vehicle 3 years,

conversion 2 years

CONSTRUCTIONGRP-clad sandwich construction, alloy skirts, GRP mouldings

DIMENSIONS (*manufacturer’s figures)■ Length: 7.16m (23ft 6in)*■ Width: 2.32m (7ft 7.5in)*■ Height: 3.01m (9ft 10.5in)*■ Wheelbase: 4.03m (13ft 2.5in)*■ Rear overhang: 2.20m (7ft 2.5in)■ Gross vehicle weight: 4005kg■ Payload: 472kg (with 3.0-litre engine)

INSIDE STORYSwivelling cab seats ahead of twin inward-facing settees, kitchen on nearside (with fridge/freezer opposite), washroom across the rear. Caravan door on UK nearside■ Insulation: Floor 40mm, walls & roof 30mm■ Interior Height: 1.96m (6ft 5in) max

THE VEHICLE■ Engine: 3.0-litre turbo-diesel producing

115.5kW (157bhp) @ 3500rpm■ Transmission: Six-speed manual gearbox,

front-wheel drive■ Fuel consumption: 22.73mpg■ Brakes: Servo-assisted discs all round

with ABS ■ Suspension: Front: independent on coil

springs, Rear: rigid axle on leaf springs■ Features: Wood-effect trim on fascia,

driver and passenger airbags, cruise control, radio/CD player with steering-wheel mounted controls, electric windows and mirrors, cruise control, traction control, trip computer, reversing camera and monitor, remote central locking (including caravan door), air-conditioning, spare wheel

LOUNGING AND DININGSwivelling cab seats and twin sofas provide seating for eight, dining for four from sofas at free-standing table. Single leg coffee/snack table provides for two people from swivelled cab seats

KITCHENMain unit contains cooker at rearwards end, work-surface in middle and sink to forward end, with slide-out work-surface below. Underneath, two drawers and two cupboards; above, extractor hood under two high-level cupboards.Opposite is fridge/freezer with microwave oven and cupboard above, large work-surface with cupboard below■ Sink: Stainless steel bowl with mixer tap,

glass lid, drying-rack attachment, removable draining board

■ Cooker: Spinflo Caprice MkIII with 3 gas burners, 1 electric hotplate, grill and oven, all with electronic ignition. Daewoo microwave oven

■ Fridge: Thetford N150 fridge/freezer with Smart Energy Selection. Capacity 149 litres

WASHROOMThetford 402C bench-type electric-flush toilet with built-in flush tank and wheeled cassette. Clear plastic surface-mounted washbasin with mixer tap, mirror above with blue LED lighting. Separate shower cubicle, with twin-drain tray, rigid plastic doors, riser-rail and shower head. Walls part tile-effect black plastic, part wall-board

BEDSLounge double■ Length: 2.12m (6ft 11.5in)■ Width: 1.30m (4ft 3in) Offside alternative single■ Length: 1.91m (6ft 3in)■ Width: 755mm (2ft 5.5in)Nearside alternative single■ Length: 1.81m (5ft 11in)■ Width: 755mm (2ft 5.5in)

STORAGELounge: side overcab cupboards, central ledge and cubby, three high-level cupboards each side (one on each side being shelved), under-settee storage on each side accessible from top and front (with nearside storage also accessible from exterior), floor safe. Washroom: large wardrobe with three drawers below, two cupboards in vanity unit below washbasin and cupboard above toilet.

LIFE SUPPORT■ Fresh water: Underslung, 102 litres

(22.4 gallons)■ Waste water: Underslung, 91 litres

(20 gallons)■ Water and space heater: Webasto DualTop

boiler with blown-air, diesel-mains operation■ Leisure battery: 110 amp hr■ Gas: Underslung tank, capacity 20 litres

@ 80 per cent fill (approx 10kg)■ Lighting: 2 high-level wall lights in overcab,

bulkhead light facing into overcab, 3 ceiling fluorescents and over-locker mood lighting in lounge and kitchen, 4 LED reading lights in lounge, 2 halogen lights and 1 fluorescent over kitchen work-surface, 3 ceiling fluorescent lights and mirror-mounted blue LED mood lighting in washroom, awning light

■ Sockets: 230V: 3 (2 in lounge, 1 in kitchen), 12V: 3 (in lounge, kitchen, TV locker)

■ Control panel: Mounted above caravan door, controls/displays all functions/levels. Heating programmer mounted next to microwave oven

■ Blinds/ curtains: Blinds/flyscreens to all caravan windows, curtains to cab & lounge

■ Badged as NCC EN1646 compliant: Yes

OPTIONAL EXTRASFitted to test vehicle■ Base: 3.0-litre 157bhp engine upgrade

(£1586), Option Pack 1 - cab air-conditioning and alloy wheels (alloys missing from test vehicle) (£1222)

■ Conversion: NoneOther options available■ Base: Towbar (£595)■ Conversion: Rear ladder (£385),

bike rack (£468)

E&OE

LIVE-IN TEST DATA AUTO-SLEEPERS COTSWOLD EB