2015-present ELDDIS ENCORE

Each issue, Gentleman Jack focuses on a great secondhand motorhome. He then reveals which is the best of the bunch, what to pay and which problems to look out for

The Encore was first unveiled at the end of 2014, with production commencing for the 2015 model year. It has always been the flagship range, above the bestselling Autoquest and compact Accordo. It replaced the (relatively) short-lived Aspire.

All Encore models are the same length and all have a driving licence friendly MTPLM of 3500kg.

Another point worthy of note is the converter’s ‘Belts = Berths’ policy. In other words, they provide a dedicated travel seat for each sleeping berth.

This isn’t apparent at first glance, but clever Elddis has a trick up its sleeve. On the four-berth variants, folding, forward-facing, crash-tested Aguti travel pews hide underneath the inward-facing settees in the lounge.

At launch, there were just two layouts. First, the two-berth, forward lounge 275, with a palatial full-width rear changing area/comfort station.

Alongside the 275 was the four-berth 255, which boasted a European-style permanent rear corner double bed, with washroom adjacent.

Both were popular layouts in the Autoquest, so with Encore’s serious uplift in specification for a modest increase in windscreen price, sales success was pretty much guaranteed.

Standard specification included one-piece GRP-clad sides, rich Reno Walnut cabinetwork with dovetailed drawers, and plush Monte Carlo soft furnishing fabrics.

Space and water heating was courtesy of a domestic-style programmable Alde boiler and radiators. The Encore was also an early adopter of the Ecocamel Orbit halo showerhead across the range, and of Ozio Coolsoft mattresses on models with a permanent bed.