Globecar 566U

FRESH, INNOVATIVE AND COMPETITIVE!

Words and photos by John Page
Wow, where did these eye-catching machines spring from? From Ainring in Upper Bavaria is the answer to that. And given the expertise, professionalism and handsome look of them it is obvious that they have been around for some time. Globecar do in fact produce produce ten different Camper concepts on Ford, Fiat Citroen or Volkswagen base vehicles. Pop-tops, high-tops, short, medium, long or extra long wheelbase Campers, Globecar have got it covered. And for the UK, as you can see by our test vehicle, the layouts are UK handed. There is competition in the UK of course, from some of our big names and a thriving group of family owned Camper builders who are singularly successful in the field. So, Globecar will not have it all their own way. That said there is a new force at large in the UK – the emergence of new modest size Motorhome retailers who have developed their automotive facilities based firmly on excellent service and repair facilities. Such a Company is SMC of Newark who kindly made this thoroughly prepared Globecar available to us for this test.566U is a special example of a Camper no bigger than it need be yet with all the real essentials for two adventurous campers to venture where Monoliths might not dare to go. There are smaller campers and substantially bigger ones. Here however is a leisure vehicle at just 5.68m long that may effortlessly explore and park wherever you might find an SUV. Also powerfully in its favour there is a wonderful 820kg payload figure for masses of tackle combined with a braked towing figure of 1,000kg. What else? They don’t come in boring white but in metallic silver off the shelf or this cherry red if you are the patient sort. All of this is suggesting no end of exciting possibilities. There’s a whole lot more though so read on.

Construction

From Ford this LWB Transit has the strength and integrity of an all steel high-top body with its three-year manufacturer’s warranty. To this tough framework Globecar install everything necessary to make this a comfortable all-weather two-berth leisure vehicle bearing the GC two-year warranty. A straightforward floor plan has a sociable wrap-around lounge diner, the galley and washroom in the middle and cab, luckily for the crew, up front. The passenger seat swivels for the chef to keep an eye on what’s cooking from time to time. Plusses for this configuration include: the weight concentrated with the wheelbase dimension, a splendid stowage capacity, a most generous bed dimension and the sheer luxury of the light and airy feel to it all. Insulation between the steel outer shell and the interior wallboard is of PE-integral foam and the four KW gas fired space/water heater comes as standard. Woodwork for the bed and seat bases, the various lockers and indeed the floor, is robust and the general impression all through is that it is well put together. A double floor reduces heat loss, creates extra storage for the spare wheel and loads of tackle as well as a concealed locker for cameras, documents and valuables.

ON THE ROAD

I’m really impressed with the specification of this Camper, particularly in respect of the vehicle itself, so bear with me for a minute while I check off the list of items that have a direct bearing on the safety and enjoyment of it when in transit and at rest. Driver and passenger airbags, ABS, EPS and traction control, cruise control, aluminium wheels, Metallic paint including grill and bumpers, cab air-con, tinted windows, electric mirrors, CD/Radio, central locking and fog lamps. Technically then our Ford Globecar is a sophisticated piece of machinery with the camper part of it beautifully crafted in place. Ready to go I’m sitting comfortably, mirrors just so, air con’ switched on because it’s like the Arctic out there and the all singing all dancing turbo diesel motor rumbling away. Head north on the A1 and the acceleration is quite something and a whole lot brisker than you might think possible from just 2.4-litres capacity. 140bhp is of course impressive but it’s the torque that does the business, 375Nm at 2,000rpm. No, I’m not a boy racer but there can be occasions when a degree of acceleration will get you out of trouble. It was in fact Ford who coined the “time exposed to danger” phrase to explain why Fords are built with respectable acceleration times. Stability? Rock steady on account of the uncluttered body shape and minimal rear overhang beyond the wheelbase. Overall, a taut reassuring and comfortable ride. Noise levels? Inevitably more than a pricier car but low enough by camper standards to be able to enjoy Ford’s excellent Radio CD player. Oh, and it does sport a proper spare wheel easily reached in a compartment under the floor when the back doors are opened.

THE LIVING STYLE

In this Camper the layout is dedicated to space for the sprawl, the eating and the sleeping. Two people here can spread themselves, dine royally and even nap after dinner, all with out rearranging anything other than the table. A table that could usefully be made smaller and lighter but does stow neatly and firmly behind the driver’s cab seat. We liked the bright modern fabrics and the harmony with the woodwork, complemented by planked effect vinyl flooring. Removable carpets are also included.You could refer to this lounge as panoramic with windows on three sides and the rear doors to be flung wide open when 566U is somewhere warmer than Nottinghamshire in February. In fact our brief three days coincided with a seriously chilly spell when the temperature failed to climb above freezing point even when the sun made a brief appearance. This had to be a good time to check out whether the insulation and the heater were up to the job. A bit of a boost with the engine running for a few minutes, by which time the blown air got going and at about fifteen minutes from cold we were at a comfortable 20oC and able to turn the thermostat back to a 50% setting. That same insulation for the body would also help to keep everything cool in summer.

SLEEPING

Single beds or a double, you have the choice depending on whether you slide the seat bases together for a luxurious 2.28m long by 1.70m wide double or a pair of generous singles. Privacy at night is complete when you slide all the various side window and roof light blinds into place, then unclip the pleated ones for the windscreen and cab door windows. The later are not totally immune to preventing condensation but a few minutes of cab heat with the air con’ in the morning does wonders. Spotlights in four corners cater for bookworms in bed and the only thing missing was a remote for the dash mounted Radio/CD player. Rescuing the duvet or duvets does not involve burrowing under the seats because the large locker over the cab is the ideal place to stash all the bed linen and a lot more besides. Almost noiseless on a low setting the gas fired Truma heater is able to give just the right amount of background warmth through the night via ducts in the seat bases and facing forward in the lower galley and washroom. Although said heater is dual space and water efficient it can also operate safely without water.

THE GALLEY

Ingeniously compact, and a second look will find glass tops for the sink and hob, a fold up extension flap and the table close by all to augment the worktop area. Neat storage includes decent size lockers with slide out wire baskets for fruit, veg’ and packeted stuff. 90-litres of fridge/freezer capacity and a roof locker for the crocks also indicate a thoughtful approach. Directly above, the roof vent will perform as an extractor and there’s decent lighting from the circular bowl fitting. Gas isolator taps for the various appliances are instantly accessible on a panel against the offside bed base. Most thoughtful of all, while the food is cooking, rather than have the cook scrambling through into the lounge there is the swivelled cab seat handy for a breather.

WASHROOM

The term little room here is inappropriate because this is spacious by Camper standards for the use of all the equipment. At the optimum height the Thetford toilet swivels easily to the best angle and the hand basin with its surround has adjacent space for soap etc. Two mirrors are luxury, the locker space is ample and after a swim you can wash the sand off outside with the shower faucet extended through the window. 100-litres of fresh water on tap is reassuring before the ablutions and an unusual feature of the 566U is a detachable waste tank to give it the occasional thorough clean through.

STORAGE

There’s bags of it – under the seats, under the floor, above the cab and with a surprisingly capacious wardrobe opposite the galley. Add roof lockers on both sides of the lounge, numerous pockets and flaps in the cab and the conclusion will be that in this Camper there really is a place for everything and everything in its place.

SUMMARY

This new kid on the block is destined to make waves. Why? For a start it comes from what is reputedly Europe’s largest maker of Campers. Because it is thorough in construction, function and the aesthetics. The drive in terms of performance and road holding was very good, coupled with a specification to keep the pilot relaxed on the job. ABS, EPS and traction control are not substitutes for sloppy driving but they are the hidden components that help a good driver to refine the job. The large lounge is an invitation for relaxation and that after all is what this Motor Caravan business is all about. On price the value should be self-evident. Why not check it out. Ask SMC for a test drive even.The exterior photograph location was the Smeeton Lakes Campsite, Newark.

TECHNICAL DATA

Vehicle specification: Globecar 566U two-berth Camper

Price of vehicle tested: £34,995 on the road

Vehicle kindly loaned for testing by: SMC Motorhomes, Northern Road, Newark, Notts, NG24 2ET, Tel: 0844 4705 286. www.smcmotorhomes.co.uk

CONVERSION

Overall length: 5.68m

Overall width: 1.97m

Overall height: 2.67m

MPTLM: 3500kg

PAYLOAD: 820kg

Construction: all steel body with PE-integral foam insulation

Fresh water capacity: 100-litres

Waste water capacity: 80-litres

Gas storage capacity: 2 X 11kg cylinders

Auxiliary battery: 110Ah

Refrigerator: Dometic 80-litre fridge/freezer

Water and space heater: Truma Combi Four, gas powered space and water heater

Lighting: Mix of spotlights and ceiling fittings

Upholstery:

Other equipment fitted: ABS, EPS, traction control, Radio/CD player, alloy wheels, metallic paint, driver and passenger air bags, cruise control, central locking, fog lamps

BASE VEHICLE

Type: Ford Transit long wheelbase high roof van

Power unit: 2.4-litre TDCi turbo diesel

Maximum power: 140bhp @ 3500rpm

Maximum Torque: 375Nm @ 2000rpm

Transmission: five-speed manual to front wheels

Steering: power assisted rack and pinion

Braking system: dual circuit servo assisted system to all wheel discs with ABS

PERFORMANCE

Fuel consumption: 28mpg estimated

Maximum speed: 85mph estimated

Comfortable cruising speed: 65-70mph