BON VOYAGEUR

Paul Owen took a trip to the high life when he got an insight into the Mercedes-based Le Voyageur Heritage LVXH 8.7CF.

Le Voyageur likes to boast that the interior of the triple-axle 8.7 will give you “the sensation of moving around as if in real rooms” and it’s a brag that’s not all that far from the truth. At nearly 9m in length, and with an internal cabin length of 8.5m, this motorhome is as spacious as they come without resorting to a double-decker bus conversion. A lot of that room is due to the way the Le Voyageur side walls overhang the wheel tracks of the AL-KO chassis, and the ultra- low ride height that the latter enables. The cabin floor sits quite low despite the fact that there’s a second floor below it, and this allows the ceiling to be located at a position that creates a wealth of head room.

Where the Le Voyageur gets really special is with the way that its interior designers have made use of the extra width of the A-class cabin. The furniture and appliances are of a similar size to those fitted to semi-integrated motorhomes with narrower cabins, allowing more floor space than the motorhome norm.

Naturally, you get the fully equipped kitchen, separate shower/separate washroom toilet, pullout pantry, 153L fridge, designer tapware, etc., you expect at this price point, but it all comes with that extra special garnish – space.

Daryl Smith of Blenheim-based exclusive Le Voyageur dealership, Deluxe RV Group, says the New Zealand version of the LVXH 8.7 ticks all the boxes for features that are only available as options in other markets, and these are included in the $399,000 price of the model.

The Le Voyageur comes with desirables like 400w solar panels (with optional lithium and solar upgrades available), a 200Ah habitation battery, a 1800w inverter feeding a network of 240v New Zealand plugs, a 5m electric awning with LED awning light strip, and a ceramic toilet. There are also four external cameras that combine to create a 360-degree overhead view of the motorhome and its surroundings, and this system can be left active when parked to enhance security. There’s also a hot/cold external shower and a huge bike-friendly garage with a door on either side. It seems this Le Voyageur is ready to do anything. With style. Find out more at deluxegroup.co.nz