The most excitingmotorhome...ever!

Number one for motorhome testing www.whichmotorcaravan.co.uk

OCTOBER 2003 £2.95

First look inside the radical new Hymer Exsis

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Exclusive!Exclusive!

It isn't an A-class, it isn't a conventionalcoachbuilt or low-profile, and it isn't avan conversion." That's what we weretold back in February, when Which

Motorcaravan was exclusively informed thatHymer would be unveiling a revolutionarynew motorhome at this year's DüsseldorfCaravan Salon. We had to wait with baitedbreath until July before we knew more. Nowwe can reveal the full story of 2004's mostexciting new motorcaravan.

The Exsis' development has beenshrouded in secrecy. Built in a separatefactory, you needed to be signed in by a high-ranking member of Hymer staff before youcould get through the gates. Very few peopleoutside Hymer, even at dealers andimporters, were allowed to know anything atall about the project. And at the summer pressand dealer conference, the Exsis was revealedbriefly, late in the evening, and cameras werebanned! The vehicle had been shown to us aweek earlier in a private preview - the firsttime that non-German press were allowed toclap eyes on Hymer's new baby.

It is rare that a new motorhome is billed as a totally new concept, rarer stillthat it lives up to that hype. But the Hymer Exsis really is a groundbreakingdesign and one that won't break the bank. Exclusive report by Peter Vaughan

As standard the Exsis has side-facing settees and swivel cab seats

The innovator

“

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For Hymer this is a baby, the smallestmotorhome that they have produced sincethey abandoned the van conversion market. Ithas the look of a small A-class, but taller, an

impression that is borne out by the figures.Less than 5.50m long, the Exsis is designed toserve as an only vehicle and be compactenough for use around town. The basis is the

ubiquitous Fiat Ducato, in medium wheelbaseplatform-cab form.

The use of Ducato foundations is perhapsthe only area where Hymer have allowedconventional thinking to rule. You canimmediately see Fiat elements in the Exsis, butthey are fewer than you might at first think -the front bumper, headlights and cab doors areall you will recognise. The bonnet now risesmore steeply and flows straight into a newHymer windscreen. But the use of Fiat cabdoors is particularly useful as it means thataccess is good and electric windows, doorpockets etc are retained. And inside, the cabfeels much like a standard Ducato, except thatthe windscreen is further away.

Construction of the Exsis cleverly retainsthe strength of the base vehicle under its newskin. The cab roof is intact, as are the A and Bposts that support it, so the structural integrityof the Ducato is intact for proven front endcrash protection. Behind the cab doors, all isnew. The side and rear panels are aluminium-skinned sandwich construction, just like anyother Hymer, while the roof is a huge curvyGRP moulding, not unlike a high-top on a vanconversion. The result is a body that is as wellAlso available in white! Shown here with optional alloy wheels

Moulded kitchen worktop and hinged storage trays abovelook really modern

Drop-down bed is a doddle to operate, offers a hugedouble

Bathroom include swivel cassette toilet and washbasinabove, which swings out of the way

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26 WHICH motorcaravan October 2003

insulated as a conventional Hymer A-classand vastly superior in this regard to any high-top camper.

So, it is small on the outside and looks likenothing that you have ever seen before, butwhat about the inside? Well, you'll see familiarHymer design features, as well as Hymerquality, but what will amaze you is the Tardis-like feeling of space. Surely a motorhome ofsimilar dimensions to a LWB Fiat Ducato van,cannot possibly feel so spacious? Of course,

the interior height helps and the flat sides aremuch more user-friendly than a panel van'scontours.

The high-backed cab seats swivel to jointwo side-facing settees in the standard model'slounge area, but one or both of the settees canbe replaced by forward-facing seats to increasethe compliment of travel seats. Whicheverversion you choose, a downstairs bed can beformed, but the main sleeping area is in theroof. The vast double bed simply unclips and

lowers into position. It is served by a ladderand incorporates a bedding storage locker inits stowed position. Headroom is plentiful.

A caravan door on the UK offside is justbehind the lounge and opens to face the galley.Here the superb moulded GRP worktopensures lots of smooth curves, while inset area two-burner hob and stainless steel sink withdrainer. The kitchen also features two drawers(one for cutlery) and a waste bin, while aboveare the neat drop-down storage bins first seenin the Hymer C-class. A two-part choppingboard cover allows some worktop to beretained, even when the sink is in use.

Opposite the main galley unit is the fridge,a 60-litre three-way model as standard, thoughthis can be upgraded - even to the massive135-litre model. Alternatively, an oven can beinstalled above the smaller fridge. Mid-wayalong the kitchen area the floor steps up (withstorage below), though this should not be aninconvenience to the chef. Kitchen areastorage is simply vast for the size of vehicle.

At the rear of the Exsis you'll find thewardrobe on the offside and the toilet on thenearside. A concertina division slides across toprovide privacy here, creating a real changingroom and bathroom in one. Above the swivelcassette toilet is a decent sized handbasin,which twists out of the way to use the loo.There's plenty of room to shower too, andalthough a shower curtain is needed, there aremany much larger motorhomes that don'tcome close to providing such a large showercubicle.

The Exsis is not just a clever concept, thedetailing has been carefully conceived too.There's trendy lighting, a magazine rack andgrab handle inside the door, new cab window

WHICH MOTORCARAVAN 1ST SIGHT

Looking back towards the kitchen and bathroom, note raised floor at the rear

Concertina room-divider shuts off the rear washing/changing room

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blinds from Seitz, and even remote stereocontrols on the steering wheel of the prototypethat we photographed. Then there's the rearstorage boot that also provides access to thegas locker and the toilet (for servicing). Sportsgear or outdoor furniture can slide in here,beneath the raised floor of the kitchen andbathroom. Long items can even poke througha flap where the floor level rises, so skis are nota problem.

The standard Exsis is white with grey skirts

and bumpers, but a wide range of options isavailable, covering both the base vehicle andthe living quarters. Silver, blue or red metallicpaint really transforms the looks, while alloywheels complete the sporty appearance. Aseries of options packs can also enhance theExsis experience. The Elegance Packconcentrates mainly on the base vehicle, withelectric heated door mirrors, cab air-conditioning, alloy wheels and carbon-fibredashboard trim. The Sport Pack adds alloywheels, roof rack and ladder with aluminiumrooftop trim, radio preparation with fourspeakers, plus an outside shower. And if youwant to camp all year round, the Winter Packcomes with carpet, heated door mirrors,windscreen insulation mat, cab blinds, andWebasto diesel-fired heating. While manybuyers are sure to be tempted to individualisetheir Exsis, the standard version is expected tobe competitively priced, undercutting someupmarket high-tops.

The Exsis is a Hymer through and through,built to Teutonic standards with intelligentdesign. It is a Hymer like none that we've seenbefore, though, as it sets out to target ayounger audience who require a vehicle to betruly multi-purpose - an everyday 365-days-of-the-year vehicle, not just a toy for holidays.In setting out to reach these new buyersHymer have invented a new breed ofmotorhome, one that combines the bestaspects of both luxury coachbuilts andcompact van conversions. The Exsis is aremarkable vehicle that cannot be ignored byanyone looking to buy either a high-topcamper or compact coachbuilt. In an industrythat often lacks real innovation, the Exsis isquite simply a revolution.

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Make/model: Hymer ExsisBase vehicle: Fiat Ducato 15 MWBOverall length: 5.45m (17ft 10.5in)Overall width: 2.06m (6ft 9in)Overall height: 3.05m (10ft 0in)Internal height: Front 2.25m (7ft 4.5in),rear 2.00m (6ft 6.5in) Bed sizes: Roof bed 1.90m x 1.66m (6ft3in x 5ft 5in) with headroom of 0.63m(25in). Low-level beds also availableGross vehicle weight: 3,500kgTravel seats: 2 as standard, 3 or 4optional Kitchen: Two-burner hob, stainless steelsink and drainer, 60-litre three-wayfridge. Optional larger fridge or oven Toilet: Thetford swivel cassette withelectric flushSpace and water heating: TrumaCombi with blown-airOther features: Electric step, rearstorage boot, illuminated wardrobe,swivel high-backed cab seats, largerooflight, waste binOptions: Elegance, Sport and WinterPacks (see text), metallic paint (silver,blue or red)Manufacturer: Hymer AG, BadWaldsee, GermanyImporter: Hymer UK, Blackpool Road,Clifton, Preston, Lancashire PR4 0XN.Tel: 01772 684619Website: www.hymeruk.com

WHICH TEST FACT FILE

Seitz blinds cover the cab side windows andwindscreen at night

Rear storage boot also provides access to gas lockerand for toilet servicing

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