Yes, it’s a Ford Transit van – but definitely not as you know it.
The new Ford Custom Air Campervan from Auto-Sleepers is a complete remodelling of the ubiquitous workhorse that transforms it into a reliable but incredibly comfortable and well-appointed holiday home on wheels.
So let’s take a closer look at a current pride in the fleet of motorhomes and campervans on offer at main dealers Derby Motorhomes.
Familiarity – with a difference
The Ford Custom Air immediately showcases its origins as a Transit van – but a high-specification one at that. There is something familiar in its appearance, lending the vehicle a sense that you’re bound to feel at home behind the wheel. And that’s just what it does, from the moment you fire up the ignition and get underway.
The technical specification from Auto-Sleepers quotes an engine capacity of 170PS – a metric measure used in the EU and equivalent to a more familiar 167.7 bhp – the standard Transit powertrain and certainly enough to drive the 3,200kg gross weight of the vehicle and a maximum payload of 800kg.
The difference comes the instant you glance over your shoulder and see the spacious and well-equipped interior that easily converts into a comfortable living space during the day and sleeping quarters at night.
Accommodation
Thanks to the cleverly designed pop-up roof, maximum use is made of the available space that offers a full double bed on the main platform and two further berths above.
There is seating for five passengers – your fifth person might want to put up a one-man tent alongside the campervan when you are all travelling together.
The Air has a Webasto diesel habitation heating system, refillable gas tank (as opposed to bottled gas) and variable-position rear seating (seat fitted on runners to maximise load space or to have rear seat passengers closer to the front seats).
All the comforts of home …
It’s amazing what Auto-Sleepers have managed to pack into the relatively limited dimensions of a Ford Transit.
In addition to the four comfortable berths and front seat captains’ chairs that can be spun around alongside the stowable dining table, there is a fully equipped galley comprising a twin-burner hob and grill, a built-in fridge and connection point for a gas-fired BBQ, and a portable toilet from the leading supplier Dometic.
A nice touch is the provision of an external cold water showerhead that you can use for hosing down muddy boots or even trail bikes, together with a 40-litre fresh water storage tank and a 40-litre waste water tank.
In a nod to the digital world we live in, the Ford Air comes with its own mobile phone charging point and enough USB sockets to plug in however many digital devices you can imagine.
… and more
Thanks to the innovative and imaginative interior design of the Ford Air, roomy living accommodation is offered. But if that is not enough, every model comes with a Thule Omnistor awning as standard. It increases the usable living area of your campervan and provides shelter from the storm when the elements are proving their worst.
Your on-road driving experience is enhanced and made safer thanks to still further gadgetry including parking sensors, alerts to lane changes, rearview cameras, cruise control, speed restriction recognition software, and satnav.
When you’ve come to a rest, you can be entertained in comfort with the onboard Bluetooth capability, MP3 compatibility, and DAB radio – all controlled from an 8-inch colour touchscreen.
