130 outandaboutlive.co.ukSeptember 2019I
f you’re looking for anA-class
with fixed singlebedsover a large
garage, the choice is immense, with
Carthago alone offering more than 2 0
permutations. If you want avehicl e
that is less than 7m long, however,
your options are reduced considerably,
especially if you’re seeking a top-
qual ity ’van from apremiumbrand.
It is into this nich e that the
C-tourer 141LE fits. Not only do es
this motorhome hav e a generous end
bedroom/garage combinationbut it
does s o in anoverall length of 6.65m,
making it one of the shortest ’vans this
Germanmarque offers – andone of
the most compact of its ilk.
But this is still a Carthago thro ugh
and thro ugh, with impressive
construction , and build quality
featuring awood-free body with
textile-covered aluminiuminterior
walls for superior heat regulation.
There’s the samedeep, heated doublefloor (up to 55.5cm) as in larger
models, too. Howev er, the C-tourer
claims to be a ‘lightweight’ model
and comes as standard on a 3.5-tonne
chassis. It also looks like a Carthago,
with it s char acteristic rounded nose
and curved roof-to-s ides joins –if not
the more aggressive t oothy grille of the
flagship models.20/20 VISION
Inside, it has the sameconfidence-
inspiringview from the dr iver’s seat.
Carthago’s slopin g dashboard makes a
world of differen ce in positioning the
vehicl e on the road and manoeuvring
safely and takes away any fears
associatedwith piloting anA-class.
Meanwhile, the Bestview bus-type
mirrors with their twin lenses,
combinedwith a reversin g ca mera
with it s own se parate screen tothe
right of the steering wheel, allow youto park up effo rtlessly. The only issue
that you need to be aware of is the
blindspot sometimes caused by those
mirrors, especial ly noticeableas you
entera roundabout a nd need to lean
forward topeer aroundthem.
Even the fact that the C-tourer
(at 2.27m)is a fr action slimmerthan
some of its competitors seems to
make drivingeasier, while the modest
overall length is a huge boon if you
do take a wrong turn. Meanwhile,
the Aguti Roadliner captain’s chairs- complete with height andtilt-
adjustable squabs – are amongst the
best you’ll ever sit in, providing great
support for long drives.
Ours was just a short hop across
North Yorkshire but, inhowling gales
and torrentialrain, it was plenty
to discover the im pressive stability
offered by the Al-Ko chassis, as well as
the class-leading refinement. Not only
did the C-tourer cab seem a quieter
The oddlyshaped jump seat just makes room for five and the sofaissuper-comfy