By William Coleman
Bailey have topped themselves once again as they introduce an all new 8ft caravan that goes by the name of “Alicanto”. We got to spend the day looking at the vans and even have a specification video that we can share with you to give you more of an insight into what you will find aboard the new 8ft’er
Last year Simon Howard, Bailey’s marketing director, made it very clear that his aim for the company was to create a diverse portfolio that would feature caravans and motorhomes that would be able to tick the boxes for all consumers.
By introducing a premium entry level caravan in the Phoenix, the new and improved Unicorn and an all new 8ft range in the Pegasus Grande they certainly showed how dynamic the brand can be. But how are they going to top last year’s showing?
Bailey of Bristol have developed a brand new 8ft van, based off of the huge success of their Pegasus Grande range. What separates this van from the herd is its high level of luxury and finish. According to Simon Howard this caravan is “the most luxurious caravan we have ever built”.
The Alicanto range comes with 3 different layouts; the Porto, Estoril and Sintra. Each caravan comes with an additional 10% extra floor space as a result of having an 8ft shell. There are both single twin axle options available throughout the range.
Each van is lightweight for its size and has a high performance GRP skinned Alu-Tech body shell which matches up well to a lot of different tow vehicles. The MTPLM for the Estoril is 1596kg, 1624kg on the Sintra and 1779kg on the Porto.
After asking customers directly for feedback on what Bailey do well, badly or what could be improved it was clear the consumer wanted more kitchen space to work with. So following this all important feedback Bailey have added an L-shaped kitchen to allow for a lot more counter top work space. The kitchen also features the large Dometic 10 Series 153 litre fridge that opens from both sides. Something that still impresses me every time I see it.
The Sintra layout comes with a transverse island bed and features an end washroom. The Estoril has a twin fixed double bed with rear washroom and the Porto features a longitudinal island bed and centre washroom.
A new curved italian design has been added to the door lockers and they do look really smart. The overall finish of each van is very impressive and the new grey fabric gives it a very modern feel.
One thing to be aware of is that the Alicanto is a maximum 4 berth van, so no 6 berth option this time round.
For a larger high end van they are very competitively priced when compared to what else is similar on the market. The Sintra will start at £28,499, Estoril £28,499 and the twin axle Porto will start at £29,999.
There are optional extras for each van such as the Portobello alternative upholstery, extended warranty and bedding sets all of which come with their own price tag.
Overall these caravans are at the higher end of the quality that Bailey provide throughout their entire portfolio. It did seem like a gamble to reintroduce the 8ft van back into the market but it is one that seems to have paid off, despite a lot of naysayers.
To find out more on the new Alicanto Grande range you can Click Here
