City Van CV57G
TOUGH AS OLD BOOTS AND PRETTY WITH IT
Words and photos by John Page
Now there may well be someone out there who disputes the pretty epithet but I would remind him or her that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that the way we feel about our pride and joys is directly engendered by the pleasure that they make possible. Our little beauty performed like a gentleman of the road, wasn’t greedy of the gas oil and fairly nipped along when conditions were favourable. And, as for the living style, hassle it didn’t do – just plain old fashioned commonsense fittings to delight a Camper person of any age, plenty of quiet Gallic style as befits the parent Pilote company and heaps of space in which to stow all sorts of outdoor gear. The soft grey paint scheme was a change from the hordes of all over white Motorhomes and the gentle slope of the deep windscreen gave superb visibility and brilliant views of the Derbyshire countryside for us to enjoy.
Construction
At 5.68M long and just 2.05m wide this is an ultra compact A-Class Motorhome, able to reach the out of the way places that its bigger A-Class brethren might not try. Its genesis is a Fiat medium wheelbase chassis cowl to achieve a minimal rear overhang and the cowl bit means that there is no bodywork to cut out or dictate the shape of the front of the vehicle. The sidewalls and roof are of aluminium and the better type of Styrofoam insulation is used throughout including the floor. Also interesting, the sandwich panels of the body shell have an aluminium frame for strength that is clamped and glued to ensure good sealing with no thermal bridge.
Particular attention to ventilation included a centrally placed Heki roof light plus an improved type of roof vent for the washroom and bedroom that could be adjusted easily without disturbing the integral fly-screens.
That compact does not imply cheeseparing is obvious when looking at a gas compartment to accommodate two 13kg cylinders, 100-litres of fresh water, the 105Ah auxiliary battery and a good 780kg payload. The wheel repair kit in place of a spare wheel I’m less enthusiastic about. After all part of the ethos for going camping in a Motorhome is to get to out of the way places where the reassurance of a spare wheel could be a comfort.
ON THE ROAD
Sat behind the wheel of our CV, given the modest depth of scuttle forward of the dash’ and the small 2.05m width, there was none of the awe one can feel from bigger A-Class Motorhomes. Reassuring in fact that this machine really is capable of threading through town traffic with a degree of panache. At first sight the dashboard appears to be standard Fiat with air con’ and a Kenwood Radio-CD plus Sat Nav. Look again to see cruise control, hands free phone and various switches we rarely used. Driving needs 100% concentration and the more gimmicks fitted the greater the distraction. Radio reception though was superb – stationary or on the move.
Under the bonnet 2.3-litres of turbo diesel feed 130bhp of punch through the six speed box to the front wheels though its is actually the 320Nm of torque that keeps the power sweet at whatever speed you have. All round visibility as long as you stay aware of the width of the corner pillars is very good and it’s worth reflecting that those pillars are an essential component for structural integrity. Cab seats marked FASP gave good firm support for the torso and smooth adjusting armrests were as good as they get. Deep side mirrors were fine and really the only items missing for the crew were airbags.
Our expedition to Derbyshire spanned part of the 2nd and 3rd weeks in August, characterised by several strong winds that didn’t prove a problem in spite of the flat sides. In general the road holding and directional stability were reassuringly steady. Some of the factors that contribute to the stability include anti-roll bars front and back, a low centre of gravity from concentrating weight as low as possible and good weight distribution from keeping the washroom and kitchen within the wheelbase dimension. Those who have driven the A515 from the A50 to Ashbourne and then on the B5035 northwards will know what twisty narrow roads they are; roads on which our steady CV behaved with impeccable style. However, the speeds at which some of the big artics coming the other way negotiate this type of road in driving rain seemed a touch less than wise.
AT EASE
One of the benefits of the Fiat Low build chassis is the low height of the entry steps to the living quarters; especially important when loading and unloading all the gear needed to keep the crew fed and watered on their travels. Right ahead now is the washroom, sleeping quarters round to the left or turn right into the lounging space and the kitchen is along the offside. The immediate A-Class benefit of the cockpit becoming part of the lounge/diner happens as soon as those super driving seats are swivelled to become armchairs. So, within just 5.68m of body length this small CV wonder machine has a decent lounge with good views, compact galley, ingenious washroom and fixed double bed sideways to occupy a minimal part of the length dimension. Five spotlights for the seating space are more than ample and the floor has removable carpets through into the cab area. Watching the optional flat screen TV from the armchairs was just right although the ongoing drama on site with school children careering round the site on their own cross country cycle track was every bit as exciting. One sympathises with today’s site wardens who have a tough job during the school holidays. The neat firm table was ample for two to dine while with a full crew of four an extension fits on easily.
Sleeping
Of all the fixed bed arrangements this double set across the width is the most comfortable, best space saving and with good access to the washroom. The small hangar under it is a bonus, accessible from outdoors or in. The duvet stays in situ and all sorts of gear can be dumped there during the day. It keeps well aired on a slatted base and the roof vent over the middle of the bed can be finely adjusted to give just your ideal amount of cool fresh air. Net catch alls are useful for specs, watches and the current potboiler you’re reading. Imaginative décor for the headboard is a typical French approach.
Remembering that CV57G is configured as a four-berth Motorhome, two more children or adults need a place to sleep. City Van provides an unusual pull down double capable of sleeping two children after merely pulling it into place from the roof above the seating area. Clip the ladder into place and most children will enjoy climbing upstairs to sleep. For older children or adults even this bed can be extended lengthwise to accommodate them. The procedure is simple and hassle free but do remember to flatten the backrests of the cab seats first.
MEAL MACHINERY
You could level a criticism that the galley suffers from a certain lack of worktop space and there’s no doubt that a top for the sink could provide some of that to use alongside the hob top in its closed position. The galley is however a clever piece of furniture that contains a fair size fridge/freezer, three amazingly deep drawers, the four-burner hob, a grill and a sensibly deep stainless steel sink. On the plus side everything is within an arm’s reach and, the table as a supplementary workspace is close. A pair of roof lockers close by gave sufficient capacity to stash all of our non-perishable food and no problem with a strip light directly above the hob. The proof of the pudding if you’ll ignore the pun, is that this compact galley unit was coaxed by a Master Chef into producing a series of culinary delights for lunch and dinner over a five day stay at The Caravan Club’s scenic Blackwall Campsite close by Carsington Reservoir.
WASHROOM
In this regard CV punches above its weight with a washroom lacking for nothing. Ingenuity has achieved space in which to wash, shower or use the toilet facility with ample floor space in each case. At first sight there seems to be a certain lack of space but look a little closer and when a simple clip to one side of the mirror is released one section of wall is allowed to swing through 45o to form the shower cubicle complete with its own faucet. The wash basin is of a practical size with a neat locker below for most used items like the soap dish and toothbrushes but the piece de resistance is a seriously capacious wall cabinet to take wash proper size wash bags and a couple of rows of unguents. The large bowl flushing toilet is on a slightly raised but practical floor level with one of the latest wheeled cassettes beneath. Lighting and ventilation are also well done. That’s it CV scores again.
STORAGE
Start beneath the bed where the full vehicle width locker is accessed widely from outside and via a door in the bed base. This is spacious enough for a whole load of outdoor and sports gear as well as access to the electrics and Truma heater. The bedroom has two wide roof lockers for folded clothes, the wardrobe is brilliant and the kitchen also has roof lockers for plenty of packaged foodstuffs. Fiats are renowned for the plethora of places to stash stuff in their Ducato cabs and, on the mattress of the bed above the cab there’s space to leave the bed linen in situ. On the outside a neat lockable cupboard below the driver’s window is the ideal spot for the mains cable, your toolkit and a pair of levelling chocks.
SUMMARY
Drivers following our trail might consider our rear end somewhat blunt but the front aspect has all the makings of a purposeful shape to give the working crew a great view of the road ahead and any surrounding panorama. Small windows at the sides give character and keep heat loss or transmission to a minimum. In other words with CV57G there is much more than meets the eye on closer acquaintance. A fellow camper on site whose chosen vehicle was an immaculate 1963 split screen Vee Dub summed it up after I had said nice things about his outfit when he said, “ I was wondering who was driving the only Motorhome on site with genuine character”.
Our experience over five days proved most enjoyable and the lesson we learned from it was: don’t prejudge a vehicle on first appearances, it may well surprise you as it did us. On price our example minus the extensive electronic gadgetry is £38,995 on the road.
TECHNICAL DATA
Vehicle specification: City Van CV57G four berth A-Class Motorhome
Price of vehicle tested: £38,995 minus the electronic add ons.
Vehicle kindly loaned for testing by: Hayes Leisure Ltd, Walsall Road, Darlaston, West Midlands, WS10 9SS, Tel: 0121 526 3433
CONVERSION
Overall length: 5.68m
Overall width: 2.05m excl mirrors
Overall height: 2.75m
MPTLM: 3500kg
PAYLOAD: 780kg
Construction: aluminium body shell with Styrofoam insulation mounted on a low build chassis cowl
Fresh water capacity: 100-litres
Waste water capacity: 90-litres
Gas storage capacity: 2 x 13kg cylinders
Auxiliary battery: 105Ah
Refrigerator: 97-litre Dometic fridge/freezer
Water and space heater: Truma Combi heater/boiler unit 4000w for LPG or electric power
Lighting: halogen spotlights and fluorescent strip light for the kitchen
Upholstery: Island fabric choice from a three material choice
Other equipment fitted: TV fixture to accept flat screen set, pre-mounted radio aerial and twin speakers, optional Kenwood Radio/CD with sat nav
BASE VEHICLE
Type: Fiat Low build medium wheelbase chassis cowl
Power unit: 2.3-litre Common rail turbo diesel
Maximum power: 130bhp @ 3600rpm
Maximum Torque: 320 Nm @ 2000-3000 rpm
Transmission: six-speed manual to front wheels
Steering: power assisted rack and pinion
Braking system: dual circuit servo assisted system to disc brakes and ABS
PERFORMANCE
Fuel consumption: estimated 32mpg
Maximum speed: estimated 80mph
Comfortable cruising speed: 60-70mph
