HYMER VENTURE S

The price puts this distinctive new four-berth at the super-luxurious end of the market, but it will certainly turn heads, says Peter Baber

So the ’van that wowed everyone as a concept only four years ago is now a production model. We caught up with Hymer’s exciting new Venture S at Travelworld in Stafford.

You immediately see why it is such a crowd puller. It looks rugged on the outside, with studded wheels, a front light bar and off-road detailing. The inflatable raising-roof and rear sun deck are enticing. Not to mention 320Ah of lithium batteries, making this a true off-road vehicle.

But what about inside? Well, there is a standard Mercedes cab, which you step down slightly into from the interior. You can control grey-waste disposal from this cab, so no need to faff around with pipes under the body.

The real innovation starts when you swivel the offside seat. Open a few cupboard doors, take out a support leg that resides in one of those cupboards, and you have a little home office, with sockets close to hand.

The lighting is clever – a spotlight for focus, and up above, space to insert a portable light that fits here or in the rear lounge and gives you more USBs.

There are some teething troubles: the desktop sits partly on an opened cupboard door, which someone coming in might be tempted to use as support. But Hymer has worked out that even motorcaravanners occasionally need to work (to pay for the vehicle in the first place, perhaps?), and this space allows you to do that.