S&L Motorhomes is based in the same M62 corridor as a large number of van converters. You wouldn’t think so, however, arriving at its isolated workshop in open country, just outside Selby. We were here to take a look at the S&L Apollo, a rear-lounge ’van based on the 6.36m-long Fiat Ducato.

Although the campervan converter makes a range of layouts, it says far and away its most popular models are rear-lounges.

Outside, it looks fairly standard, although black alloys give it a lift. The Ducato cab includes air conditioning, cruise control and a Bluetooth music system as standard.

Ducato cab
Ducato cab includes air-con and cruise control as standard

Step inside the S&L Apollo and things start to look different as you move back. Although this two-berth is a rear-lounge model, we found there is space and a slot up front for a small circular table, which is handily located near the kitchen.

Not only that, once we swivelled the driver’s seat, we found it’s perfectly positioned for a neat desk, complete with USB, 12V and mains sockets. Good lighting is something that the best campervan will always provide, and here, we think the area is well lit, too. This is thanks to an extra window the designers have managed to fit in behind the main cab window.

You have to step down and up again to reach the lounge, which is slightly irritating, especially as headroom here is a little restrictive. But this enables all water piping and hot air ducting from the Truma Combi 4E boiler to be placed within the ’van itself: you don’t have to worry about exposed pipes.

We found the upholstery very comfortable. You can use the round tabletop, but there is also a sturdy rectangular table, with more than enough space for two. Whichever table you use, there is still room to stretch your legs out.

The large windows offer great views, while four spotlights and five LEDs in the ceiling provide good night-time lighting. The TV is tucked away behind the tambour door in the front offside corner, above a shelf for the remote.

The central kitchen includes two large extensions. While the one on the left doubles as a cover for a spice rack, that on the right extends out across the door – combined with the small round table and the desk, this would provide a huge food assembly area for any gathering going on in the awning (see our best camping chair guide if you’re after some furniture for your awning too)

Kitchen sink and work surface
Kitchen is fitted with a sizeable sink and generous work surface

There are two sockets between the large sink and the three-burner gas hob. You also get a microwave above and a combined oven and grill below, with a 90-litre fridge opposite.

Locker by microwave
Bespoke design options include extra locker next to microwave

All S&L models can be customised, and the customer who had already bought our test model had stipulated an Omnivent in the central aisle. He also asked for a solid door, complete with towel hooks, to be included in the washroom – as standard, you only get the tambour door.

Otherwise the washroom includes a bench toilet for easy cleaning, beneath a fold-up basin. There’s no separate shower cubicle and only one drain hole in the floor, but you do get a separate push-button showerhead. The drying rail is cleverly positioned in the curve of the wall.

The settees work as single beds, but the double is aptly described as a “ten second bed”: you pull out a platform from under the offside settee, and fit in the backrests. As standard, S&L leaves a space by the kitchen that remains a seating area, which slightly limits the size of the double bed.

The wardrobe below the fridge has a slide-out hanging rail for easy loading – a real rarity in a campervan. Overhead lockers offer good storage all around the rear lounge and above the front desk, giving you plenty of room to take any of the best campervan gadgets away with you.

Overhead lockers
Ample storage space provided in the run of overhead lockers

Our buyer opted for an extra locker by the microwave and solid drawers below, where as standard, you’d get a lightweight cupboard with shelves.

The washroom includes another cupboard, and finally, there is a small ‘boot’ area, which is reached through the barn doors at the back of the ’van.

Boot area
‘Boot’ area is easily accessed via the barn doors at the rear

Practical Motorhome Says…

Don’t be put off by this being a relatively unknown brand. The Apollo might look slightly on the pricey side, but it includes some real innovations, particularly with the kitchen and the area up front. All of the pipework is internal, too, and the rear lounge is very comfortable.

Technical spec of the S&L Apollo

  • Price: £73,950
  • Sleeps: 2
  • Belts: 2
  • Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Series 9
  • Engine: 2.2-litre, 140bhp
  • Length/width/height: 6.36/2.26/2.78m (20’9”/7’4”/9’1”)
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • MiRO: 3050kg
  • Payload: 450kg
  • Water (fresh/waste): 90/70 litres
  • Leisure battery: 100Ah
  • Gas: 25-litre, underslung

Or you could try…


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