German manufacturer Carthago is well known for producing luxury low-profile and A-class ‘vans that sometimes differ so minutely, you have to use a measuring tape to work out the differences.
The C Tourer 145 RB LE – its only new model this season – is a motorhome with fixed single beds in the rear, and a lounge with an L-shaped settee and an extra belted seat, and is just over 7m long. It’s an impressive option – our judging panel shortlisted it for three categories at our recent Awards, including for the best motorhome to live in full time.
The actual length will depend on whether you go for the A-class motorhome version, whether you opt for a Mercedes or a Fiat base vehicle (either way on a low Al-Ko chassis), and whether you go for standard or Superior. Our test model, viewed at this year’s Carthago press launch, was a Superior A-class version on a Mercedes.
There is another Carthago with a similar motorhome layout and length: the 143 LE. The main difference between it and the new ’van is in the central washroom.
On the Mercedes, you get a 150bhp engine as standard, or you can opt for 170bhp. Whichever you choose, you get the same minimalist Mercedes cab.
Inside the Carthago C Tourer I 145 RB LE Superior
Swivel the branded captain’s seats and you have a comfortable, well-lit lounge in the luxury motorhome, which benefits from a small side settee to the right of the door.
The pale grey upholstery and dark grey tabletop contrast elegantly with the gloss-white overhead lockers. You can also add an optional 32in motorhome TV, which swings out above the grab handle.
Kitchen in the Carthago C Tourer I 145 RB LE Superior
The side kitchen has a plethora of cubbyholes and shelves, including one made from the sink cover.
The cover to the three-burner gas hob also divides in two, so you could use the extra space here. The area is well lit, from a large window and two LEDs, and a mains socket is placed by a shelf that could hold a kettle.
You get a slide-out cupboard for a coffee machine, but an oven is a £940 option. Opposite, you’ll find a 133-litre two-way opening fridge.
Washroom in the Carthago C Tourer I 145 RB LE Superior
You can still swing the washroom door over to create a partition that shuts off the rear. But unlike the I 143, this washroom has the shower cubicle on its own on the nearside. The cubicle is a little cramped by the wheel arch, but there’s a good riser and plenty of shelves, and it is well lit, with a huge roof vent and a clothes rail.
A sliding partition door to turn the space between the two washrooms into a dressing area is only an optional extra, however, and there is no towel ring or hook on the door.
The main washroom is better, with a large handbasin with a soap dish and dispenser, and a well-lit mirror. There is another roof vent, but no window.
Beds in the Carthago C Tourer I 145 RB LE Superior
The beds in the rear are both 2m long – impressive in a motorhome that is only 7m in length and includes a spacious lounge. They also have a solid set of stairs leading up to them, and a large Heki to let in plenty of daylight.
The two spotlights by the bed have separate USBs nearby for charging phones, and there is a mains socket close to hand, too. Headroom is a bit restricted by the lockers, though.
As standard there would usually be a drop-down bed over the cab. For £530, the lounge can be converted so it can be made into a bed as well.
But our test model came with the option of having the cab bed removed in favour of more lockers (a £590 option which also saves you 26kg in weight).
Storage in the Carthago C Tourer I 145 RB LE Superior
There is already plenty of storage in this motorhome. Alongside a large garage that is heated and lit, the ’van has a double floor (hence the flat floor inside). This provides still more storage space for bulky items, accessible from outside, and inside through doors in the floor.
Both beds have hanging wardrobes below, accessed from the side and the top. A clever swing-out boot locker makes good use of the space underneath the travel seats.
As well as the shelving, the kitchen has six drawers below, one containing a bin and another, the cutlery tray. There’s yet more space on the shelving behind the washroom mirror.
Verdict
Introducing just a little variation on a theme with this motorhome clearly shows how Carthago is covering all options. The shower on its own is a little cramped in here, but overall, the excellent storage and comfortable lounge should more than make up for it.
Technical spec
- Price: £114,940
- Sleeps: 3
- Belts: 4
- Base vehicle: Mercedes Sprinter
- Engine: 150bhp turbodiesel
- Length/width/height: 7.18/2.27/2.94m (23’6”/7’4”/9’6”)
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- MiRO: TBC
- Payload: TBC
- Water (fresh/waste): 150/140 litres
- Leisure battery: 80Ah
- Gas: TBC
Or you could try:
- Pilote Atlas A656D: this sporty motorhome is ideal for the more adventurous.
- Niesmann+Bischoff Flair 920: this four-berth is incredibly luxurious and offers plenty of comfort.
- S&L Apollo: this well-planned two-berth has plenty of attention to detail throughout.
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Technical Specifications
| Berth | 3 |
| MTPLM | 3500 kg |
| Shipping Length | 7.18 m |
| Width | 2.27 m |
