End washrooms are increasingly popular, or so it seems. They have featured in new models from a range of manufacturers, including the Mobilvetta Tekno Line K. Yacht 59 that we recently reviewed. With that in mind, we decided to view a vehicle with a similar motorhome layout which, while not a brand new model for 2022, has been gaining attention – the Benimar Tessoro 483.
Like the Mobilvetta, Benimar’s Tessoro 483 is sold exclusively by Marquis Leisure. We went to the Northampton branch to see it.
Tessoros are mainly distinguished from their Mileo cousins by their base vehicle. In this case, it’s a Ford Transit, rather than a Fiat. But as with many Marquis ’vans, the more powerful 170bhp engine is standard.
There are two big plus points on the outside. The first is the large garage at the rear, with three doors. The second is the gas bottle locker, on the offside behind the driver’s door: it’s set low down, so hauling bottles in and out should be no problem at all.
Inside, the cab is standard Ford, with drinks holders in each corner.
There is a slight step down into the lounge, but once you are settled in, this is easily disguised, because the huge pedestal table turns in virtually any direction and stretches right up to the cab seats when they are swivelled.
In addition, you won’t have to worry about pushing it down, because it rises and falls neatly at the flick of a switch.
Plenty of daylight floods in here, too, thanks to the sunroof, and you should not be left in the dark in the evening, given the eight LEDs in the panel underneath the drop-down bed. However, there are no spotlights below the lockers, and reading lights by the cab seats wouldn’t go amiss, either.
A plexiglass striplight down the side of the settee adds to the bling, as does a lit mirror just to the right of the door. The latter is not as big as it could be: a good part of the panel is taken up with the housing for a TV bracket. There are two USBs and another mains socket just behind the driver’s seat.
The kitchen runs flush with the side of the Benimar Tessoro 483 and the seats between it and the lounge are tall, so it feels quite separated. Workspace is limited, although the sink is a good size. You also get a three-burner gas hob, a combined oven/grill, and an extractor fan. Across the aisle is a 145-litre AES fridge-freezer and above, a microwave.
There’s a step back up to the washroom, but there is a sturdy handle on the door, and once inside, plenty of space to get dressed in.
The washroom area is bright and airy; although there’s only one drainage hole, headroom in the shower is very good.
The drop-down bed lowers to just above the travel seats; there’s a handy ladder to climb up. The bed itself has its own reading striplights, and is large and comfortable. A second bed can be made with two infill cushions.
The drop-down bed means storage in the lounge is a touch limited: there are no overhead lockers. But unless you are travelling four-up, this shouldn’t be an issue: there’s an impressively sized double wardrobe right across the back, featuring a hanging rail and shelves.
The kitchen includes one very large drawer, and there are two pan lockers at the bottom. The overhead lockers are large enough for dry food, but one is partly taken up with the
housing for the extractor fan.
Then there is the garage. Benimar hasn’t done what some manufacturers do with this layout and given internal access to it, but it is still a fantastic size and well lit, with a door on the offside that is big enough for you to push a bike through without having to fold it.
Overall, the kit level is high: a solar panel, and exterior BBQ and shower points, are just a couple of highlights.
Practical Motorhome Says…
It’s very easy to see why the Benimar Tessoro 483 is a popular ’van: this is a well-designed take on an increasingly common layout, and it’s perfect for couples looking for a little luxury thanks to the great level of equipment. If you’re a keen cook then you might find the amount of kitchen work surface a touch limiting, but the large wardrobe and great-sized garage really make this a practical little coachbuilt, even for tours that are longer in duration.
After some more four-berth inspiration? Then see how the Wingamm Oasi 610 ST and the Swift Kon-Tiki 764 compare…
Technical specification
- Price: from £69,995
- Sleeps: 4
- Belts: 4
- Base vehicle: Ford Transit
- Engine: 170bhp Euro 6D turbodiesel
- Length/width/height: 6.70/2.30/2.89m (21’10”/7’5”/9’5”)
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- MiRO: 3049kg
- Payload: 451kg
- Water (fresh/waste): 120/105 litres
- Leisure battery: 110Ah
- Gas: 2 x 6kg
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Technical Specifications
Berth | 4 |
MiRO | 3049 kg |
Payload | 451 kg |
MTPLM | 3500 kg |
Shipping Length | 6.70 m |
Width | 2.30 m |