LOW PROFILE originality that the Eriba brand is famous for

Words and photos by John Page

The past few weeks have been momentous for the whole world and no manufacturing companies are immune from the fall out. One consequence due to the abysmal performance of the pound against the Euro is that imports from anywhere in the EU to Britain will be more expensive that they have been hitherto. However, manufacturers in the UK and mainland Europe are not about to roll over and play dead. Arising from the turmoil, plain speaking discussion between makers and sellers is already achieving forecourt prices that are realistic. Factually, buyers are now in a better position than we have seen for a long time and so, while it is not quite British to haggle, we are all learning fast.

This classy Eriba from Germany, retailed here by the family business of Lowdham Leisure, is marketed with a Euro price to be finalised at the time of sale. Forget the mucky business of money though and read instead what we found about Emotion 613 during four cool days in January. First the floor plan – a favourite of ours with its fixed bed to the rear above a really useful garage that occupies only a small proportion of the length. It’s a great idea that gives you a decent size galley, lounge/diner and washroom in what is genuinely a compact Motorhome. The garage is plenty big enough for several bikes, outdoor tackle or a scooter under lock and key and in the dry. Remote locking with alarm applies to the cab doors and to match that the door to the living quarters is equipped with a double action dead lock. A neat clip arrangement to secure the roof vents is another welcome security device. And finally, much overdue, the locks for the garage door, gas locker and water filler point are sturdy enough to baffle the opportunist thief.

Construction

Unusual but welcome is a maker’s brochure that goes into detail about the type of insulation for the walls and the roof and the fact that they are manufactured in a single mould. Closed pore Polyurethane is the insulation: superior to just about everything else used to insulate Motorhomes and the basis for Eriba’s 6-year imperviousness warranty. Stove enamelled aluminium is the outer skin and high quality plywood is used for the inner walls. Furniture inside is also special for style, with a touch of Art Deco in shape as well as being robust and absolutely guaranteed to close positively and stay that way until unfastened. The various curves to partitions and locker doors also add strength. Fabrics in what I think of as a parchment shade contribute to a totally integrated style that is every bit as comfortable as it looks.

The weather during the night time was a few degrees on the wrong side of freezing and not a lot higher during the day, so our Truma heater switched to the combined gas/electric setting was on tick-over for most of the time.

EMOTION IN MOTION

Most powerful of the 2.4-litre Ford Turbo diesels is the 140bhp version we had tucked under the bonnet. Complete with the six-speed gearbox, it is a lively motor that demands a subtle use of the clutch to feed the power in. Yes I did stall it twice but not thrice. Basically a super piece of machinery with a cockpit to delight anyone who regards driving as an art form. I believe Ford were first to talk of ergonomics applied to the relationship of a driver to the surroundings and controls of a vehicle. The design objectives are to reduce distraction to a minimum, give the best possible visibility all round and avoid confusion of control the controls by giving each one a different shape.

Have a look at the cab shot and you will see what I mean and observe especially the radio with its large obvious controls. All told Ford pilots have no excuse for not devoting 100% attention to driving the beast. Technically, 375 Newton Metres of torque at 2000rpm is your guarantee of smooth transmission through the gears and to doodle. The 13.3m turning circle will take you out of trouble whenever you take a wrong turning and 80-litres of fuel on board should take you from the Smoke to the Highlands if the throttle pedal is trod on lightly. And all wheel disc bakes and the anti-locking system are designed to stop you quickly as well.

ENGINE OFF – KETTLE ON

Comfort, a beguiling word, is something most Motorhomes makers claim for their vehicles. So what makes it possible?  Firstly even before sitting down you’ll get an impression of whether the seating looks right – are the surroundings pleasing to the eye, is the table at a sensible height for mealtimes and can you get a good view of the countryside you’ve come to enjoy. If those points are OK, sit down for a spell to pass judgement on the cushion fillings. For us the seating was fine apart from the rather excessive rake to the forward facing bench seat. Probably fine for travelling but needing to be as upright as possible at mealtimes. The reversed cab seats and the side couch were fine for slouching, dining or writing this report even. Robust and sensibly wide, the table seats four or one more with the extension slid effortlessly into place. Note that word effortlessly because very often such extending tables defy logic. A planked effect vinyl floor looked good and removable carpets similarly in harmony are standard – not laid by us because of the frost and slush outside.

Within a bulge in the roof lockers along the nearside an ingenious mount for a flat screen TV allowed it to lower to a suitable viewing height and swivel through 180o to be enjoyed either fore or aft. Above the cab, well concealed from outside, is a wide and deep shelf ideal to stash cameras, binoculars etc.

SLEEPING

Snug is the word for this sleeping cabin, keeping heat loss to the minimum by virtue of the low headroom and the enclosed surround interrupted only by the entrance that is curtained. Going upstairs or down is easy providing your joints are not too creaky and the stairs also act as shoe cupboards. No making up of the bed each night of course – it doesn’t even have to look tidy during the day because it’s out of sight. Three roof lockers along the back wall are just right, with background lighting plus individual spots for reading that couldn’t be better planned. Just above your head a shelf on which to plonk your keys and cash etcetera are more painstaking details that count. Whoops, nearly forgot, it is possible to make an occasional single bed from the various cushions in the lounge.

GALLEY

Slaves not welcome here although creative chefs are – to take full advantage of the way this meal making area is set out. It’s sort of ‘L’ shaped but rounded, with ample workspace and a several ingenious stowage compartments for the tackle and the food. Lockers are above, below and to one side of the preparation area with its integral hob and deep sink. Slide open the super cutlery drawer and the gas isolator taps are immediately accessible although the oven beneath it at floor level can be somewhat awkward. Slide out wire trays are best for stowing fruit and veg – with 150-litres of fridge-freezer close by for the most important cool wine and beer cellar.

A sink wide and deep enough for a dinner plate has the faucet at a sensible height to fill the kettle and a new integral two-position sink plug. The idea prevents bits of food disappearing down the plug hole to cause problems. Well placed spotlights for the lockers and the worktop add up to a gem of a galley.

WASHROOM

Too often the washroom is last on the designer’s priority list – not here though, not only does it look great – it all works without hassle as any Motorhome washroom should where space and placement is the key. Both hand basin and the new Thetford flush toilet have ample floor space surrounding. Ventilation and lighting are excellent, ditto lockers for the wash bags and all the assorted paraphernalia we think we need.

Rare and decidedly welcome was a main socket protected just inside one of the lockers for a shaver or hair dryer. If Eriba can sort it why not most of the competition?  A column light alongside the main mirror was handy as were four hooks high enough to hang a bath towel or the inevitable wet clothes, adjacent to one of the heating ducts. Moving the shower partitions into place was a bit of a fiddle just the once but thereafter great for a total sploosh.

STOWAGE

In this regard E613 excels, not only for the sheer amount of it but also by the way it has been planned to be so effective. I’ve detailed the generous capacity in each part of the vehicle and you can see most of it in the photos although I didn’t show the inside of the garage that is high and wide at 3,500 cubic litres capacity! The simplicity of access to the fresh water tank under the bench seat is fine and I applaud the securely locked cap to the filler intake. Emptying the waste tank is simple as is the toilet cassette with its wheels and handle. The Ford cab is also generous of spaces and places to stash maps and personal gear.

Summary

The silver and red metallic paint scheme is special and the interior style matches that but what sets this machine apart is the overall detailed attention to the way in which everything works. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: attention to construction, function and aesthetics are the key to making things that work well and delight their owner. You would have to be a peculiar type of camper not to appreciate the quality of this machine. On the road the stability and handling owes much to the long wheelbase chassis with its front anti-roll bar, the dynamics of the Low profile shape and sensible weight distribution. Testing a constant variety of Motorhomes one becomes sensitive to what I would refer to as the “feel good factor” and in that regard Emotion 613 is likely to linger pleasantly in our memory for some time. At this stage the price is determined by the Pound/Euro exchange rate current when you place the order, so have a word with Lowdham about that and don’t forget to ask for a test drive.

TECHNICAL DATA

Vehicle specification: Eriba Emotion 613 Two-berth Profile coachbuilt Motorhome

Price of vehicle tested: Euros 57,290

Vehicle kindly loaned for testing by: Lowdham Leisureworld, Lowdham Road, Gunthorpe, Nottingham, NG14 7ES. Tel: 0115 966 3838

CONVERSION

Overall length: 7.02m

Overall width: 2.35m

Overall height: 279m

MPTLM: 3500kg

PAYLOAD: 600kg

Construction: Stove enamelled aluminium exterior, polyurethane insulation with plywood inner walls

Fresh water capacity: 70-litres

Waste water capacity: 110-litres

Gas storage capacity:  2 x 11kg cylinders

Auxiliary battery: 90Ah

Refrigerator: Dometic 150- litre manual or automatic operation fridge/freezer

Water and space heater: Truma Combi 6kw gas/electric powered heater with ducted blow air system

Lighting: mix of fixed and adjustable spotlights plus column strip light in the washroom

Upholstery: Nairobi abstract pattern fabric

Other equipment fitted: CD/Radio, double action deadlock to the habitation door, high tech locks for service access doors, removable carpets over a planked effect vinyl floor, cab air conditioning, cruise control

BASE VEHICLE

Type: Ford Transit long wheelbase chassis cab

Power unit: 2.4-litre, Duratorq TDCi Diesel

Maximum power: 140bhp @ 3500rpm

Maximum Torque: 375Nm @ 2000rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Steering: power assisted rack and pinion

Turning circle: 13.3m kerb to kerb

Braking system:  dual circuit with servo assistance to front and rear discs

Fuel tank capacity: 80-litres

Fuel consumption: 26mpg estimated

Maximum speed: 85mph estimated

Comfortable cruising speed: 65-70mph