It’s been a fairly hectic schedule of travelling around in motorhomes these past few months. Much of this has been in our long-term Bailey Adamo 75-4I, as already reported. But there have been other vehicles, too: a campervan from Ventura at Easter, for example. And then during May, I took my first tour in a Wingamm.

I had heard about Wingamm, of course, and been familiar with the brand for years . It made a regular, if small, appearance at the NEC shows, and we’d also reviewed the Wingamm 610 ST and filmed a video review in one.

But for a couple of seasons, Wingamm wasn’t in the UK at all – that was until a Scottish dealer, BC Motorhomes, took on the brand, which became Wingamm UK. So it was great to be invited to try a Wingamm Oasi 540.1, not long after the new distribution company was formed. I wasn’t disappointed.

My choice of testing venue for the Wingamm Oasi was Ullswater, in the Lake District, where I made two journeys in the course of a week.

I reckoned the twisting, narrow lanes that take you from one picturesque Cumbrian village to another would be suitably challenging for a ’van that is only 5.42m long. On that score, with its sprightly 140bhp engine, the vehicle coped very well. Although it is less than 5.5m long and only 2.29m wide, it is over 3m tall, so it looks a little top-heavy. We certainly brushed a couple of overhanging trees as we went along.

Water-resistant design

Wingamm motorhomes are, of course, most famous for their monocoque design. One of the main advantages of this is that it substantially reduces the risk of any water getting in.

Meanwhile the Lake District (see: the best campervan sites in the Lake District if you’re planning to tour here), while famed for being spectacularly beautiful, is also well known as one of the wetter parts of the UK. So were we going to have a chance to test the water resistance of this vehicle? We certainly were.

The second night we were there, the heavens spectacularly opened, and within an hour or so, most of the lanes at Lowther Holiday Park, where we stayed, resembled swimming pools (although, full credit to the park, they quickly drained afterwards).

Wingamm Oasi 540.1
Lush landscape is a sign of how rainy the region can be – but the Wingamm felt watertight

But in our Wingamm, we were as snug as the proverbial bug in a rug, and the only disturbance was a very faint rain-pattering sound: monocoque designs also tend to deaden exterior noise. Both nights spent in here were incredibly peaceful.

Part of the reason why this trip was so special was because I knew that, with it costing well into six figures, I would be most unlikely ever to afford an Oasi, at least not a brand-new one.

So it was all the more surprising, while I was checking out the vehicle while parked on the street at home, to discover what little impression the monocoque design made on passers-by.

In just under two hours, three sets of people stopped to admire the Oasi. None of them talked about the outer shell (to be fair, the secrets of its assembly are not immediately obvious).

The interior of the Oasi
The beautiful interior garnered many positive comments

One was impressed by the length, but all of them were charmed by the design on the inside. It’s easy to see why. You step in near the back of the ’van, passing a substantial wardrobe and the reasonably spacious corner washroom.

Luxury motorhomes always offer plenty of comfort, and here, the lounge is a superbly comfortable L-shaped arrangement with a large settee, and on our test model, the kitchen ran along most of the offside. (This ’van is highly customisable: if you prefer, you can have a smaller kitchen and add another settee that side to take up the space.)

Best of all, come bedtime, all you have to do is pull the bed down from the ceiling and you have a large and extremely comfortable double that is not difficult to climb into. When it is down, there is still room for an early riser to sit and make a cup of tea or coffee if they want to, and the washroom facilities are just a short step away.

Oasi’s unique selling point

It’s such a clever design that I did wonder briefly why Wingamm doesn’t produce a ’van with the same design, but without the monocoque shell, so that its OTR price would fall more within the range of ordinary mortals.

But then I realised that was a bit of a silly idea. Wingamm would be ridding itself of its USP if it did that. The Wingamm factory is also set up for producing monocoque vehicles, so to convert it for a different form of construction would quite possibly be beyond the resources of a firm that prides itself on being Italy’s only major motorhome manufacturer not owned by a conglomerate.

No, on second thought, Wingamm vehicles should definitely remain just as they are now – beautiful, and an absolute dream to use.

If you’re planning to tour in the colder months and are looking for a way to beat the chill, check our best heater for a campervan guide to see our favourite options for staying warm.

Specification of the Wingamm Oasi 540.1

  • Price: From £103,574
  • Berths: 2
  • Belts: 4
  • Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
  • Engine: 2.3-litre, 140bhp
  • Length: 5.42m
  • Width: 2.29m
  • Height: 3.02m
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • Payload: 665kg
  • Distance travelled: 430 miles

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