Sunliner Eurovilla

By Ros Bromwich

Sunliner Recreational Vehicles has been in business for about 25 years and under the guidance of founder Tony Hunter, son Nick and daughter Melissa, is a company that has built a very successful niche in the RV market with a range of well equipped and beautifully finished small, medium and large motorhomes, which appeal to people who are looking for contemporary styling and innovative design methods.

Many of Sunliner’s designs are based on cab chassis vehicles from Europe – Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, Fiat Ducato and Iveco – and with their distinct flair and style a range of them have been designated the EuroSeries.

With names such as EuroHaus, EuroBenz, EuroSport and EuroTrans and the new EuroVilla featured here, these motorhomes offer plenty of design choice for length (21ft to 25ft – 6.7m to 7.6m) and floorplan, combined with a range of classy and well-equipped interiors.

Standard features include remote lighting and power control, CD player with internal and external speakers, TV/video entertainment unit with surround sound, large fridge with full freezer, roll-out pantry and drawers, reverse-cycle air-conditioning and outdoor sensor lighting.

Hardware features include retractable hose reel with auto tank fill, Euro hatch with day/night blinds, fully automatic hot water service, timber finish in shower and toilet cubicles with flushing cassette toilet, along with a wind-up amplified antenna.

Mobile townhouse

The EuroVilla is a Fiat Ducato-based motorhome with an external length of 24ft 6in (7.5m) and is the first of two models being introduced into the EuroSeries in 2005. It was officially released at the Melbourne show in April/May, with the display vehicle sold on the first day.

The exterior of the base vehicle has been adapted with moulded fairings and aerodynamic shapes to increase handling, while decreasing fuel consumption.

The colour-coded bumpers and fairings are easily replaceable; other features include Dometic double-glazed windows, and generous external storage lockers. There’s a wind-up antenna, wind-out awning, and two 9kg gas cylinders. Water capacity is 120 litres fresh, 55 litres grey. Climate comfort is supplied by an AirCommand reverse-cycle air-conditioner.

EuroVilla has a welcoming ambience, with its new cherrywood cabinetry, including lightweight curved overhead cupboards, mixed with contrasting hardwood edges of Victorian ash. In addition, this is the first vehicle in which Sunliner has used cherrywood grain flooring coupled with quality Cavalier Bremworth carpet.

Most notable as you step inside the EuroVilla is the large entertaining area with a sunken lounge at the front, which at first glance makes the vehicle appear roomier, although care might be needed not to trip over the step. Airplane-style floor lights run along the step to help visibility at night.

This open plan lounge area is a very pleasant spot for relaxing and socialising, with the cabin seats swivelling around in usual Ducato style.

An intriguing feature of the lounge area is the hydraulic drop-leaf table – with a flick of a switch it can be converted to a coffee table during the day. The drop leaves mean easy access into the cab section of the vehicle and when the leaves are extended the table opens into a large round dining table or work station. It’s the same style of table used in Grant Denyer’s Channel Seven Weather Wagon, which is currently travelling around the country.

At the rear on the offside is a large bathroom with separate shower and toilet. According to Sunliner’s Melissa Hunter, the addition of wood finishings make it feel more like a regular home bathroom, rather than a fibreglass shell, and these finishings are now standard on all Sunliner bathrooms. Depending on the model, the amount of wood and detail in the finish varies.

There’s also a bathroom window – the claustrophobics among us appreciate a bit of light and fresh air. The vanity unit is well appointed with two cabinets, soap holder, glass holder, and halogen light.

The low double bed with innerspring mattress fits neatly into the nearside rear corner, next to the bathroom. A nice touch is the two drawers under the foot of the bed – much more convenient than lifting the entire bed base up to get to the storage area underneath.

A full length wardrobe is between the bed and the entry – handy to have except that the rail is perpendicular to the motorhome wall, so you’d have to rifle through all the clothes to get to something at the back.

Also immediately obvious as you step through the door is the EuroVilla’s large kitchen, especially for a unit of this size. There’s an angled stainless steel sink with drain board, four-burner gas cooktop and plenty of bench space.

Cabinetry includes two door cupboard at one end, a one door cupboard at the other end, two overhead lockers, and three drawers under the cooktop – cutlery, medium and pots and pans. Bench lighting is supplied by two halogens in the rangehood, plus one slimline fluorescent. A Sanyo microwave oven is fitted in the overhead locker above the sink – probably a reasonable height for most people. A teatowel rail is also found above the sink.

A generous mixture of 12V fluorescents and halogen downlights and reading lights are placed throughout, including in the overhead lockers on either side of the driver’s cab, where there’s not much other light. There are also courtesy lights, under the overhang above the driver and passenger doors. The battery line-up is two 100AH deep-cycle units – a panel above the doorway has all the electrical controls.

Summing Up

Sunliner interiors always show a fresh approach to styling and the EuroVilla is no exception, with curved furnishings, timber edges, leather seating and very domestic-like ‘working’ spaces such as the kitchen and bathroom.

EuroVilla is available on a range of chassis: Iveco Daily (manual), Fiat Ducato (manual) as the one featured here, or Mercedes Benz 416, 616 (auto or manual).

At around $145,770 it offers up to date styling, some unusual touches and an easy to live with vehicle.

For more details and your nearest dealer see the Sunliner website: <a href="http://www.sunliner.com.au/"><span><u><font color="#800080">www.sunliner.com.au</font></u></span></a>.