Carthago liner for two 53
We’ve had U shaped and L shaped rear lounges for decades but the C shape is much newer and now it’s in a sub-8m ’van.
The first Carthago dealer we approached for this test had sold its Liner for two and expected its next example to have a customer’s name on it before it even arrived in the country. Clearly, then, there is interest in this rather unusual A class, developed especially for (wellhealed) couples. Thankfully, though, Lincoln based Camper UK was not only able to come up with a ’van for us to test, but also a pitch on its own campsite, for this was a vehicle that had me itching to get on board.
Launched a year ago in Germany, the Liner for two is not the first big A class to sport a C shaped rear lounge, but it is the only one currently to slip below 8m in length (though an 8.5m version is also offered). Despite the ‘Liner’ part of the name, this is not a huge vehicle by A-class standards width is a modest 2.27m and the standard gross weight is 4,500kg (upgraded here to 4,800kg in a costly combined option with alloy wheels and air suspension).
It is very much ‘for two though, with no rear travel seats and the only beds being the drop down singles in the cab. Those two will be travelling in style, for a fully loaded Liner fortwo could easily cost £150k (‘ours’ was nearly that without an awning at £1,635, satellite dish from £2,470 or habitation air con at £1,960).
The Super Package alone adds almost £6,000 but then it does include automatic air con in the cab, ESP, cruise control, the Bestview bus type mirrors, reversing camera, etc, and other features that should be taken for granted at this price level (the Luxus habitation door, DAB radio CD with Bluetooth but not steering wheel mounted switches, bedroom USB socket), as well as niceties such as the nautical style clock, barometer and thermometer above the entrance door, the SOG toilet fan and the heat exchanger to use engine warmth to heat the living area as you drive In total, ‘our’ Liner for two had £28,810 worth (and 277kg) of extras.
But then this is a rather special motorhome. Build quality is quite obviously of a very high order throughout. There’s a 10 year water ingress warranty and 100% wood free construction, while a separate rear bumper eases rear end repairs and the sidewalls with aluminium on the inside (as well as outside) are said to distribute heat much more effectively.
Heating comes, of course, from an Alde warm water system, which includes the double floor, cab, both entrances and beneath the lounge floor. And that double floor offers really generous load carrying potential, too. Just inside the door, virtually the whole kitchen area floor lifts to reveal a 350mm deep void that you could only fill with shoes if your name is Imelda. Then, further forward, there’s a full width, externally (and internally) accessed space with hatches on either side (min height inside 310mm, much more at the sides). The loading doors rise on gas struts and close with bank vault solidity not only that, but they (along with both entrances and the garage doors) are linked to the remote central locking’s fob (as an option).
That garage, nestling beneath the rear lounge, boasts a 450kg maximum capacity and internal height of up to 940mm. Not enough for your cycles? Carthago has thought of that too, with its Pedelec system. On the offside a small trapdoor in the floor caters for bike wheels, while the roof of the garage above tips up to allow a couple of pushbikes to be more easily loaded. And there’s still plenty of room in here for more gear, as well as an external shower to wash off anything mucky before it goes inside.
Ah yes, but what about payload? Well, even with all the options fitted here, our test ’van had nearly 800kg plenty for a couple, although that figure only allows for 20kg of water. Fill the fresh tank to the brim (a very self sufficient 225 litres, inboard in the double floor, like the 180 litre waste tank) and you’ve still got 583kg left for your partner and chattels.
AIR APPARENT
This test Liner for two came on a Fiat Ducato chassis cowl with the 2.3 litre 177bhp engine and Comfort Matic gearbox. You can, alternatively, specify a (considerably more expensive) rearwheel drive Iveco Daily with up to 205bhp (470Nm torque) and a gross weight up to 5.8 tonnes, as well as the super smooth eight speed torque converter automatic transmission.
The Fiat semi auto gearbox can’t match that slickness, but it did a good enough job here of making the driver’s job effortless. And this is a big motorhome that doesn’t feel especially large to drive. The twinlens, bus style mirrors give a great view aft, aided and abetted by a constant display from the rear view camera and its screen over to the right of the helm. But the key feature is the way the dashboard slopes away in front of you, giving you much better visibility and far greater confidence in positioning this A class.
And, if that makes the Carthago feel easier to drive than most smaller coachbuilts, the excellent soundproofing keeps you more relaxed than in a standard Fiat cab, too, while the Aguti captain’s chairs ensure you’re comfortable for the long tours that are the whole raison d’etre of a vehicle like this.
The final icing on the cake is the Al Ko air suspension, which provides a less harsh and crashy ride than is often the case with Fiat based motorhomes even when our videographer took us down a track that was more pothole than road.
Much of what we’ve seen so far could, however, be found in a number of prestige A classes. What you won’t find in most rivals is a layout like this. So, what is a C shaped lounge?
Well, an ‘L’ has two sides, a ‘U’ has three and the C shaped lounge has four sides, with the sofa wrapping around to face rearwards, too. It’s made all the more special with sumptuous leather upholstery (available in four colours) and the fact that the seats are just for sitting on they have no night time role. The table is a good size for dining but, thanks to a foot pedal that allows it to slide every which way, it doesn’t dominate.
In fact, I can’t think of another motorhome in which I’d rather relax when the weather keeps you inside. There’s a second Pioneer radio CD with four speakers at the rear, windows all around (elevated, so no one can peer in) and a large Heki sunroof above, as well as plenty of lighting (some of it dimmable but none of it directionally adjustable).
When you tire of looking at the views and listening to Steve Wright, the TV appears at the flick of a switch from behind the offside settee. Not your average motorhome TV, of course this is a 40in flatscreen. And before you start squabbling over the full length settee along the back wall, you spot another switch this time to turn the rear facing portion of sofa into a full feet up lounger. Perfect!
If the rear lounge is impressive, the way the cab turns into a bedroom is just as well thought out. Of course, you start by closing the blinds and tipping the cab seat backrests forward, as usual in an A class, but then the beds whirr down (and unfold) from the ceiling at the press of another button fortunately there are two leisure batteries to power all these gizmos, with a third (and solar panels) on the options list.
Once lowered, conjoined twin beds (1.89m and 1.99m long) are revealed (with a 1.42m long centre cushion and the bed width at shoulder level is a massive 2.01m. There’s no humble ladder to reach them, either, but a pair of substantial slide out steps. And, when two doors meet behind the steps, the cab is lost from view completely and the transformation to a bedroom is complete.
Of course, those doors keep out the cold, too, while a second TV (24in) and seven zone cold foam mattresses mounted on Carawinx springs, ensure that this is no ordinary motorhome bedroom. However, if you want to sit up in bed you’ll need to turn yourselves around, so feet go towards the windscreen in which case the TV is in the wrong place and access is slightly more awkward.
RAIN ’VAN
Your bedroom need not be revealed to your visitors, though, as the toilet door shuts off the whole front end of the vehicle and more sliding doors separate bedroom from en suite.
The toilet area (nearside) is more spacious than many, with none of the oft found restrictions in leg or shoulder room when sat on the (ceramic) cassette toilet, plenty of storage in mirror fronted cupboards with fiddle rails and even a laundry basket under the basin. Pity there’s no heated towel rail here, though, as often seen in Alde heated ’vans.
The shower, opposite, has an unusual brick like wall lining and orangey glow to the lighting (but its light switch is the wrong side of the toilet door). Its headroom is 1.98m and there are two drains, but the star feature is the choice of typical riser bar mounted shower or large overhead ‘rain’ shower.
The en suite makes a great changing room, too, with double wardrobe (one above the other) alongside the shower and a selection of extra large clothes drawers in cabinets under the foot of each bed.
KAFFEE UN KUCHEN
A built in coffee machine is becoming de rigeur in upmarket motorhomes, so the high level slide out Dolce Gusto capsule based unit is no surprise though it was one of the myriad options fitted to our test ’van (one of the cheaper ones, at £235). What this example didn’t have was an oven or grill, though one is offered as part of a Tec Tower (£765). That means it’ll be rather high up for shorter chefs it’s a shame Carthago hasn’t followed Hymer with better UK style cookers.
That apart, there’s much to be impressed by here, including another surprise and delight feature. The worktop is Corian, with a spillagecatching lip. The six XL sized, softclosing drawers offer plenty of storage and all are locked at the flick of a switch. The tap has a pull out hose, there’s an extractor fan in the roof vent, and the split sink lid reverses to become a chopping board.
The fridge is, naturally, a whopper with 160 litre capacity and automatic energy selection.
Even more kitchen storage is found in the eye level slide out pantry unit at the forward end of the galley, but the star feature of the culinary department is hidden below the useful serving shelf between the lounge and kitchen. Here, there’s a slide out unit with shelves and twin bins, but the clever bit is the way it is revealed as you slide the unit one way, the front of the locker slides in the opposite direction. It’s so neat that Carthago has patented the idea.