Leisuredrive Crusader

GERMAN WHEELS FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY BRITISH CAMPER

Bolton Lancs is the home of Leisuredrive, from where literally hundreds of Campers have emerged to travel the length and breadth of planet Earth for some forty years now. Likely then that such experience of constructing these most versatile of independent travel vehicles we know and love will have gained them a profound understanding of what their customers regard as priorities.  For boss Derek Andrews the first priority is to use materials for durability and longevity. Design is all about simple and reliable operating of the working bits and, having got those details sorted, how does it meet the eye? And how does it meld with the Volkswagen base vehicle, a technical masterpiece that does full justice to Derek’s unique style and value for money Campers. Also appreciated by the customers is a specification list offering scope for personal choice of equipment.

Luxury was this Natural Grey two-berth Crusader delivered to our door for the test, gassed and fuelled up and with less than 1,000 miles travelled. Neighbours positively green so we loaded up, climbed aboard and headed for the country, or even better the National Trust’s beautiful Clumber Park. Time for a leisurely picnic and get to know a little about what makes Crusader tick. She’s a two berth camper with four belted comfortable forward facing seats set considerably higher than your typical family saloon. Everyone gets a great view and children particularly will be interested to enjoy the journey wherever you explore in our still green and pleasant land. It’s still true forty or even fifty years after our own children enjoyed the journeys in the primitive VW Dormobile of yester year. Oddly enough Crusader’s elevating roof has echoes of that one in the way that it opens. And this one also can be fitted with a two-berth roof bed although children often prefer the excitement of sleeping outdoors beneath an awning.

Construction

A side kitchen layout incorporates the wardrobe and part of the overall storage on the offside with dual rear seat to the right as you enter from the sliding door. A body of steel naturally and the elevating roof of tough GRP with the folding section of a very special flexible material that is light and wonderfully translucent. Novel was the sunroof panel for star or skyscape gazing. The cab passenger seat swivels, while the rear double seat designed and constructed by British BEBB Company is fully crash tested to conform to EU ruling for such dual use seats. A ginormous storage drawer slides out from under the seat ideal for bulky items and the sleeping tackle. Camper tables are notorious for their often convoluted and fiddly access but this example slides from its recess and clips to its securing rail with rapid precision. Insulation to the body panels and the habitation doors is highly effective in respect of temperature control and the reduction of noise levels on the road. Lighting throughout is from by low energy LED fittings. Unusual but highly effective is the heating from the 3.5KW electric installation at floor level. 420kg is the generous payload for all the personal gear. Oh and a special mention for the obvious practical simplicity of the monitor and control unit alongside the wardrobe to the offside.

Rolling

Volkswagen T5 circa 2011 is undeniably the most carlike Camper machine on the road today – the sound level, the engine and the gearbox performance plus a superior ride quality – in a class of its own. This ultra smart example has a 102bhp turbo diesel with 250 Newton Meters of torque across a wide 1,000rpm band to have you dawdling or hurrying always smoothly. A touch lyrical but that’s the effect it has. Actually, VW T5 is a mite difficult to categorise in that it is made in so many guises from builder’s truck to sophisticated people carrier. Wisely VW spread the benefits across the various types. Testament to the structural standards of Crusader was the comfortably low noise level regardless of the road surfaces we travelled on, not a rattle or a squeak at any time. Interesting and not common are the performance and economy figures quoted by Volkswagen in their official brochure for this specific Transporter with its 102bhp motor and five-speed gearbox. Maximum speed is a comfortable 98mph but don’t try it in the UK. Economy-wise urban mpg is 29.1mpg, extra urban at 44.8mpg and the combined 37.7mpg. All of this dependent of course on driving standards but impressive nevertheless. Ensconced in the pilot’s seat several items are worthy of note – a Radio/CD that selects your station at the press of one button – the design of the passenger airbag housing that also manages to retain a generous dashboard stowage locker – simple seat adjustments – utter simplicity of the climate and air con’ buttons and that driver mirror without a dead spot.

Lounging and Dining

Within the confines of a short wheelbase camper LD have managed to create a spacious feel for a lounge/diner full of light and comfort for pilot and crew. Raising the roof on its gas struts adds another dimension and even more light on the scene. Towards the front of the roof is a neat transparent roof light that can stay partly open for a cool breeze on the move. Add the sliding windows on each side of the vehicle and you have the essence of what Crusader is all about, the feeling of being at one with your surroundings. Unobtrusive, of compact dimension and a muted soft grey paint scheme to park almost anywhere from the heart of the countryside to the centre of metropolis without hassle. And if your interest is nature watching then the sliding door open is a wide-angle view of the flora and the fauna. Crusader is the picnicker par excellence. Out of season the 3.5kw electric heater will be highly effective and virtually noiseless.

Sleeping

No mean achievement and all British is the superbly engineered double bed that meets the EU standards for safety and crash testing. It is the only British bed to meet the criteria – Manchester Metropolitan University have a hand in the undertaking. Comfortable as seat or sleeper it is fully supportive combined with the degree of resilience needed for sleeping and daytime comfort. Preparing the bed is a simple procedure: first remove the front cushion from its base, then pull the release lever and exert a pull of the cord that flattens two rear cushions. Restore front cushion and the bed is made – quickly. Well-tailored curtains all round run smoothly on their guide rails for complete night-time privacy. A prowling owl landing on the roof was not planned but quite exciting for a minute or two. What would we add? A remote for the radio to listen to the Smooth frequency.

Kitchen

In compact form there is everything here to stow the food, prepare the meals, dine and take a glass of something from the vineyard. 60 litres of fridge space is grand by compact Camper standards and its power source from gas, mains electric or 12v unusually sophisticated. There’s a large cutlery drawer for the implements, a locker for the crockery and a full oven for those who refuse to go without an English breakfast and Sunday roast. The table comes in handy for prepping and slides easily on its track if needed. Thoughtful indeed was the twin mains socket mounted out of harms way above the crockery locker to the right of the actual worktop area.

Washroom

There are two choices – visit the washroom/toilet block if on site somewhere or add an awning to double as extra room with washroom annexe. Surfers don’t need one and mountaineers roll in the snow. Joking apart it is still possible to buy a portable pump pressure shower apparatus and be quietly independent. Similarly, genuinely compact flushing loos are effective and there’s a locker for such under the oven compartment of the Crusader.

Stowage

At first sight limited but look again; raise the tailgate to find lockers on the right and space under the bed framework for folding chairs and assorted clobber. Forward and the sliding drawer under the bed is vast and the wardrobe genuinely generous for a compact Camper. Volkswagen are ingenious with stowage places in the cab and Leisuredrive stow the tough-looking safe beneath the cab passenger seat and mount the fire extinguisher with easy access to the base of the driver’s seat. Volkswagen state a towing weight of 2,200kg for a braked trailer and 750kg for an unbraked trailer.

Summary

This is a fine Camper from Leisuredrive, a company with considerable experience of building Campers and using them. They have a very real concern for the safety of their vehicles and the occupants. Volkswagen also continuously stress the safety angle and consequently cab instrumentation and controls are devoted to minimal distraction. Superb ride quality is also a safety factor and you need to try it to really appreciate it.

The Leisuredrive approach shows – by the quality of materials used and their practical operation. A small criticism would be that the energy I needed to convert the bed to daytime use and a feeling that the gas struts for the elevating roof could be boosted for an easier lift or perhaps it’s anno Domini and I need more cornflakes for breakfast.

Value for money at £38,000 for this very well equipped Camper it’s a snip. Sorry we were to return it.

TECHNICAL DATA

Vehicle specification: Volkswagen Crusader two-berth elevating roof Camper

Price of vehicle tested:  £38,000

Vehicle kindly loaned for testing by:  Leisuredrive Motor Caravans, Unit 4, Fishbrook Industrial Estate, Stoneclough Road, Kearsley, Bolton, BL4 8EL. Tel: 01204 574478

 

CONVERSION

Overall length: 4.89m

Overall width: 2.28m including mirrors

Overall height: 2.00m

MPTLM: 2800kg

Payload: 420kg

Fresh water capacity: 25-litres

Construction: steel body with GRP elevating roof.

Gas storage capacity: two x 2.7kg camping Gaz cylinders

Auxiliary battery: 60 Ah

Refrigerator: Dometic 60-litre fridge/freezer

Water heater: N/A

Space heater: Mains electric heating

Lighting: all LED lighting

Upholstery: automotive quality in blue and black

Other equipment fitted: alloy wheels, parking sensors, chrome sidebars, sunroof, Fiamma awning, cab air con

 

BASE VEHICLE

Type: Volkswagen T5 Transporter

Power unit: 2.0TDI

Maximum power: 102bhp @ 3500rpm

Maximum torque: 250 Nm @ 1,500 – 2,500

Transmission: five-speed manual to front wheels

Steering: power assisted rack and pinion

Braking: servo assisted system to all wheel discs with ABS

 

PERFORMANCE

Fuel consumption:  38.7mpg VW figures

Maximum speed: 98mph VW figures

Comfortable cruising speed: 65-70mph