Carthago e line chic s plus motorhome review and test drive
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A review and test drive of the
Carthago e line s plus motorhome at
Stuttgart during the
CMT trade fair in
January 2016.
Exclusiveness and comfort in the motorhome trade have never been as elegantly clothed like the new generation from Carthago chic e-line and chic s-plus, that is the opinion of Carthago anyway.
The difference between the two model series is defined in the basic vehicle.
The vehicles have a distinctive chrome-plated radiator mask in V-face design with the distinctive basic trapezium shape and fog lights under the bumper which are new whilst keeping the transverse bar in the radiator grille and rounded headlights.
There is a large windscreen which can be heated as an option. The drivers door is however standard. There is also an electrically operated step.
On entering through the habitation door, one is confronted by the cabinet in the entrance. Its curved shape, the ceiling-high mirror as well as the decent atmospheric lighting welcomes all persons travelling.
Internal colouring includes summer chestnut with a chrome trim or high gloss cream.
Overhead storage cabinets and the bar cabinet for glasses in the area of the kitchen have been redesigned in just the same manner as the ceiling canopies. The interior height of 2.11 m has stayed the same.
The top of the range models are designated 55 XL and 58 XL. Their length is 8.27 m (55 XL) and 8.51 m (58 XL).
The new pull-out side seat bench can be extended to a bed sofa.
Whereas there are different bedroom plans, the living area in front of them each has the same design.
Large seating groups with L-seat bench and longer side bench, large corner kitchen with curved worktop, bathroom with shower opposite and a ceiling-high wardrobe.
The vehicles have well insulated walls made from a full aluminium sandwich and the roof made from hail-resistant
GRP outer skin. The single level climate storage double floor with GRP underfloor has good insulation and allows an underfloor heating effect. It can be used to store luggage and the floor is rot-resistant. The newly designed rear wall is based on a fully-insulated sandwich. The main cabins of the motorhomes are completely free of wood. Carthago bonds the walls, roof and floor fully using support struts, without using any screws and without any thermal bridge. The Durafix double joint technology of the furniture is also a typical Carthago feature. They are screwed together as well as mortised, a guarantee for the highest stability and long-life quality.
The equipment of the Carthago chic e-line and chic s-plus has quality padding for the seating groups and beds, cushioned hatch lock closing mechanism, electrical central locking for the kitchen drawers, coffee machine lift, fridge with 160 litre volume and separate freezer compartment, slide out storage cabinet, fittings and hinges in household quality, point-elastic sub-suspension system of all beds, large tank volumes, stable on-board electrics with
LED interior lighting and warm water heating system .
Storage is available in the wardrobes, storage cabinets and seat chests in the living area, there is also lspace for utensils in the double floor.
Access to the double floor is provided by the large hatch with innovative parallelogram technology.
Bicycles, scooter or sport equipment can be stored in the srear garage. The floor there can be loaded with up to 350 kg.
Fiat Ducato and
Iveco Daily
A Fiat Ducato with AL-KO with front-wheel drive and AL-KO low frame is under the chic e-line. With the model generation 2016, it ventures into new weight dimensions. With single rear axle, the total permissible weight increases to 4.8 tonnes and with the double axle, even to a total permissible weight of 5.4 tonnes.
The models chic e-line 44, 47 and 49 drive on a chassis with single axle. With models chic e-line 50 and 51, customers can choose between single and twin axles. For the new models e-line 55 XL and e-line 58 XL, the particular load-bearing tandem axle is mandatory.
The Carthago chic s-plus is based on the Iveco Daily. That is a rear-wheel drive and dual wheels and means a plus in towed load, traction and loading capacity. As standard, the chic s-plus runs with a total permissible weight of
5.6 tonnes. A particularly load-bearing chassis with up to 6.7 tonnes total permissible weight is a new option. Now the chic s-plus advances up to the Liner class with this at the latest. There is a eight-speed automatic gearbox offered as an optional extra.