Hobby Toskana 600FL
WITH THAT EXTRA INGREDIENT
Words and photos by John Page
That there is nothing new under the sun does have an element of truth about it when considering the layout plans of Motorhomes during the past two decades. And there is a perfectly good reason for it being so – after all if the basic formula requires the vehicle to include seats for travel, a place to prepare food and to eat it, a bed to sleep on and a washroom facility there will be a limit to the equations possible in what is after all a relatively small space. So, if you are a buyer what you will be looking at are many variations on a number of themes and that’s no bad thing because these fundamental layout plans will have stood the test of time. For a manufacture though the clever approach is to find a genuinely innovative approach to a proven theme. It isn’t commonplace but every once in a while there it is and that is my feeling about this great looking Toskana from Hobby, one of the remaining large but independent builders of leisure vehicles. In 1984 they gob smacked the market with the first sleek Profile and they have been doing it successfully ever since. Enough of the well deserved comment; this is what it’s all about.
Construction
Ubiquitous Fiat make the 3500kg capacity, low frame chassis cab as the building block for Hobby to transform it into a 6.48m (21’0”) Profile Motorhome. The walls and the roof are bonded assemblies of 34mm thickness using GRP for the exterior surfaces, plywood interior surfaces and Styrofoam insulation. The timber floor bolted to the chassis has an impressive total thickness including insulation of 120mm and a protective coating to protect it from debris and dampness thrown up from the road. Two 11kg propane cylinders fit easily into the gas locker conveniently at waist height on the offside, while on the nearside to the rear is the access door to a positively vast stowage area also accessible from indoors with the bed base raised. The fit of all lockers and doors is positive and secure providing you follow the simple instruction to close them firmly and press them again to open. The quality of the hinges and other fittings contribute to the smooth action. At once obvious and simple to follow, the monitor and 12-volt control unit is a brilliant piece of kit with illuminated dials for easy reading of the battery and water tanks situation and plain symbols for each function. And for once the thermostat for the heating was positioned on the wall instead of above the entrance door as heater makers Truma recommends! Other small but significant details were: the practical depth of the step, a sensible size coir mat just inside the door, a recessed alcove for coats and places to dump gloves, hats and any other clobber you discard after the walk. As part of the central locking system the door is a substantial piece of mechanism with a satisfying clunk as it comes home. The second key provided is useful for access without disturbing the cab doors in their locked mode.
MOBILE WITH TOSKANA
In all respects our 600FL profile is a genuine four-berth Motorhome in which two rear seat passengers share a double bench seat with lap and diagonal safety belts. Furthermore, the unusual pair of deep vertical windows on the nearside can give them a view of the passing scenery. Up front the cab seating by Fiat has all the adjustments necessary to get the driver and the navigator in tune with their surroundings and anatomically comfortable – quite important when you are prone to back problems caused by poor seating. A pleasant surprise was just how the faux leather covering for all the seats stayed at a comfortable temperature regardless of the weather or the length of time seated. A synthetic material that might not look quite as classy as leather but is more comfortable and practical in my opinion. Ride quality is inclined to be firm but not harsh, with the benefit of Anti-roll bars front and back and Fiat suspension designed specifically for Motorhomes rather than commercial vehicles. Cruise control as standard will undoubtedly be appreciated on long Continental hauls.
The 16-valve Common Rail, 2.3-litre, 130bhp diesel is standard for the Toskana 600FL, a power unit capable of 80 + mph cruising speeds and 30 + mpg in the right hands. It will deliver such a performance with a minimum of fuss and noise in all but the hurricane force winds that we briefly experienced. For safety both cab occupants have airbags and the rear passengers are fully lap and diagonal belted. Noise levels, road or tyre, were modest apart from some slight noise from the airflow through the roof rails. Radio and CD reception in the cab and beyond was very good indeed from the Pioneer outfit that could be operated easily with minimum distraction. Later in the day we discovered another benefit when tuned to Classic FM that the signal was constant because Lowdham and Hobby had conspired to neutralise the usual 30minute cut out nonsense.
TAKING IT EASY
The Toskana 600FL differs from the majority of similar size Profiles with a fixed bed in one important respect. Whereas they scrunch the lounge/dining area into a fairly small space in which is crammed a half dinette plus the pair of cab seats rotated – this cleverly designed machine manages a six feet long angled couch and vast oval shape table. Add the cab chairs – it is then possible to seat a family of four or more in palatial comfort around the table. There are curves to the furniture everywhere. Convex and concave for the galley woodwork, rounded doors for the abundant roof lockers and, the ovoid shape to the Bar/TV unit dividing lounge from bedroom. No gimmick, this well made piece of furniture is the obvious answer to supplying the TV entertainment for the bedroom or the lounge in seconds and without the expense of an additional set. Blue LED lighting for this unit is the icing on the ginger bread of an altogether classy looking Motorhome interior guaranteed to put the crew in relaxed mood. Detailed attention to lighting has a mix of subdued indirect fittings above the roof lockers, with sliding spotlights for the serious business of eating and reading, plus two central clusters for drama! The ceiling treatment is interesting with its foam acoustic layer for noise reduction and improved insulation, laminated to a covering of washable faux leather.
Sleeping
An attractive bed cover for the daytime conceals the interior sprung mattress and its slatted beech base, a proven combination to keep the bed fresh and aired all the time. Heating ducts in the storage compartment underneath are designed to keep the bedroom warm in the worst of weather. And so in early March when you might remember the wind strength sounded as if it was off the scale, we had the pleasure of putting the heating to the test. No problems although the sound of it was more of a shriek and we had to struggle to open the door against the wind pressure. Individual, easy to reach in the dark spotlights and somewhere to park specs etc are all part of a thorough Hobby approach. Lift part of the base section for access to the stowage chamber when it’s too cold to go outside. Making the second bed in the lounge involves lowering the table to match the height of the couch base and a general re-arrangement of the cushions. At 1.84m long and 1.40m wide this is a king among second beds in compact Motorhomes, a reward for the modest hassle of making it up.
Did I mention the fixed bed? Not bad at 1.96m length by a snuggle of 1.31m width.
FOOD PREP
Few Motorhome kitchens look as stylish as this one or are so well provided with locker space and worktop area. Four deep drawers and the fridge below the worktop are backed by well lit deep and wide roof lockers above it. Although glass tops for the hob and sink have their limitations the spread of laminate surface surrounding them together with the table close at hand all adds up to ample space for preparation of the family nosh. Thetford’s new 112-litre fridge is ingeniously planned to utilise space by a tower of plastic storage boxes fitted into the door and a deep drawer for fruit and vegetables. Good functional design has also resulted in a door handle that is not only easy to grip but which also guides the fingers to the release catch. The lack of visual confirmation that the mains power is operating was only a minor niggle. Lighting above the worktop and higher above the lockers leaves no dark corners. As with several other German vehicles the lack of spark ignition for the hobs suggests a safety concern so matches or a lighter need to be handy. A screened and netted window at back of the work surface gives a view of the outdoors for the hard worked chef and plenty of ventilation for the warmer times.
WASHROOM
Only here is space inclined to be rather narrow – not restricted but not spacious. The generous sized wash basin and its surround are fine, the toilet swivels to make the best use of space and the shower cubicle has ample elbow room in which to scrub down. Mirrors on two walls will suit children and grown ups and the selection of lockers and wire trays ought to be sufficient for everyone to tuck their wash tackle away. Just the one small circular dish for soap in the shower means leaving your unguents on the floor and the lack of a towel rail wasn’t dire. The spotlighting could be ideal to wet shave by but electrical razors will need to need to be plugged into one of the mains sockets in the kitchen area. Reducing the size of the over large wash room window could allow a towel rail right by the shower.
STORAGE
Unless we are talking about a crew of squirrels, four normal mortals might be hard put to fill all the available space created from a philosophy of exploiting each spare centimetre of cubic space with a suitable locker or cupboard. Start in the cab where, in addition to all the niches by Fiat there are five handy roof lockers above the windscreen for maps, cameras, documents or whatever. More roof lockers on either side of the lounge diner area plus the Galley array. Yet more roof lockers on two sides of the bedroom and the cavern under the bed. There are 100-litres of fresh and 92-litres of waste water capacity tucked away and a fuel tank that will hold 85-litres of diesel.
SUMMARY
Profile Motorhomes of medium size like the Toskana are probably now the most popular of all Motorhomes sold in Europe. The reason is not hard to fathom because a body size of between six or seven metres will be manoeuvrable, reasonably economical and most likely priced anywhere from £30,000 to £60,000 although there are exceptions of course. So Hobby has plenty of competition. Value for money however is still the best criteria, so this Toskana with its design appeal and practical layout is likely to perform well. We enjoyed our few days with it in spite of the dire weather and were comfortable throughout.
TECHNICAL DATA
Vehicle specification: Hobby Toskana, four-berth Profile Motorhome
Price of vehicle tested: £46,595 otr
Vehicle kindly loaned for testing by: Lowdham Leisureworld, Lowdham Road, Gunthorpe, Nottingham, NG14 7ES
CONVERSION
Overall length: 6.47m
Overall width: 2.33m
Overall height: 2.87m
MPTLM: 3,500kg
PAYLOAD: 502kg
Construction: GRP exterior, bonded construction with Styrofoam insulation and plywood inner walls
Fresh water capacity: 100-litres
Waste water capacity: 92-litres
Gas storage capacity: 2 x 11kg cylinders
Auxiliary battery: 85ah gel battery
Refrigerator: Thetford 112-litre with 14litre icebox
Water heating: Truma Combi 4 space and water heater with blown air
Lighting: A mix of cluster, background and adjustable spotlighting.
Upholstery: Faux leather in ivory
Other equipment fitted: skylight over cab
BASE VEHICLE
Type: medium wheelbase low frame Fiat chassis cab
Power unit: 2.3-litre 16 valve Common Rail turbo diesel
Maximum power: 130bhp @ 3600rpm
Maximum torque: 320Nm @ 2000rpm
Transmission: six-speed manual to front wheels
Steering: power assisted rack and pinion
Fuel tank: 85-litres
Braking system: servo assisted system with ABS and ASR to all wheel discs
PERFORMANCE
Fuel consumption: 28mpg estimated
Maximum speed: 85mph + estimated
Comfortable cruising speed: 65-70mph
