Auto-Trail reveals new entry-level coachbuilts for 2022
British manufacturer, Auto-Trail, has launched a new range of four entry-level coachbuilt motorhomes, with prices starting at £46,995 – almost £10,000 less than its cheapest Imala coachbuilt.
One of the biggest news stories of last year’s launch season was the arrival of Auto-Trail’s Expedition campervan range – a Fiat Ducato van conversion equipped with everything you need, but featuring a price tag that seemed to belong in the past. At £36,995, it certainly had everyone talking last year.
Like every manufacturer, Auto-Trail has since been faced with increased component costs and, especially, a pricier base vehicle now that Fiat has facelifted the Ducato, but the entry model, Expedition 66, still stays under £40,000 for the 2022 season (now £39,743).
But the big news this year is the arrival of the Expedition coachbuilt range, which is based on the latest Series 8 Fiat Ducato with the cab finished in on-trend, pale, non-metallic Expedition grey and a 140bhp engine.
All four models are overcab coachbuilts, or Hi-Lines as Auto-Trail calls them; the upstairs bed measures 1.89m by 1.18m. Styling is classic Auto-Trail with an appearance similar to many previous models.
The line-up kicks off with the 6.34m-long C63, featuring a large front lounge with L-shaped and straight settees, a rear corner washroom with separate shower and a galley across the rear wall – it’s the return of a classic layout.
The other three layouts – each priced at £50,745 – are all 7.25m long. They are the C71 (island bed), C72 (front and rear lounges) and C73 (transverse rear double bed). All models come with four belted travel seats as standard but the C72 and C73 can be upgraded to six seatbelts. Every model in the new range is available on a 3,500kg chassis and they can also be uprated to 3,650kg.
In addition to the alternative lounge layouts with extra travel seats, the new Expedition motorhomes can be enhanced with alloy wheels, cab blinds, a double DIN radio with Apple CarPlay and an additional leisure battery, all of which are offered as factory-fitted options.
In other news from Auto-Trail, the Imala range has been reduced for 2022, but the Ford-based F-Line gets an additional layout, thus taking this popular model up to half-a-dozen layouts.
The new layout - the F68, which has an overall length of 6.80m, fits between the existing 5.99m and 7.32m models. It also introduces a classic two-berth, rear lounge layout to the F-Line.
Just like the other models in the range, this £50,229 motorhome can be upspec’d with Driver’s and Lux packs priced at £1,499 each. It also comes in a choice of five cab colours and features an overcab sunroof and external storage below the rear U-shaped sofas.
Inside, the settees are long enough (2.01m and 1.87m) to be used as single beds, while a transverse double can alternatively be created using pull-out slats. The L-shaped kitchen includes a Duplex oven/grill and a tall 142-litre fridge, while the washroom features a proper separate shower, as is usual Auto-Trail practice.
The F-Line 68 is based on the 128bhp (130PS) version of the Ford Transit but can be uprated to 168bhp (170PS) and an automatic gearbox is also available. It is a 3.5-tonne motorhome offering a 550kg payload.