Approach Advance is Bailey’s new-for-2015 range, designed to appeal to first-timers. We assess the baby of the range, the Approach Advance 615, launched at £38,515 OTR (plus £1199 if you would like the Premium Pack).

Bailey didn’t get around to building its first motorhome until 2011. And that range, the Approach SE, lives on today in the Approach Autograph line-up. But its more budget-oriented sibling, the Approach Compact, mysteriously disappeared from Bailey literature a short while back, with no mention of a replacement. Had Bailey abandoned the idea of a smaller, more affordable motorhome range?

The answer, of course, is “no”. At the time of writing, only the press had seen the new models, dubbed ‘Approach Advance’, at a low-key launch event held in late November, but by the time you read this, visitors to the Motorhome and Caravan Show at Event City in Manchester will have witnessed its public début. The question is: has it been worth the wait? 

The Advance’s predecessor was smaller and more affordable than the existing Autograph, but with the new Advance, Bailey is targeting a specific customer base. Many ’vans are bought by caravanners who no longer want the perceived hassle of towing. Bailey, however, suspects that many more would make the change, if the perception of owning, running and – crucially – driving a motorhome were not quite so daunting. The Advance has been specifically designed to address such concerns.

The smallest model in the new range, the Approach Advance 615, arguably sticks to this principle the most faithfully. At less than 6m stem to stern, it should fit on most driveways with ease, and the narrower 2.35m bodyshell – which is barely wider than the Peugeot Boxer cab – makes it almost as easy to position on even country roads as a large 4×4 or MPV.