Frankia’s campervan brand is a 4x4 specialist
WHILST there are mainstream, front-wheel drive Fiat-based models in the Yucon range, it’s the Mercs that stand out from the crowd. Partly that’s because these are the ones designed and built at Frankia’s plant at Marktschorgast in Germany and partly because many of them are 4x4s that literally tower over their stablemates. Despite prices that start north of £100k, it’s also the all-wheel drive models that dominate sales, accounting for around 70% of Yucon production.
There are six and seven-metre models, with single or double beds at the rear and all three designs can now be specified in K-peak special edition form, of which more later. Shown here is the standard 6.0 BD, which is a direct rival for Hymer’s Grand Canyon S. As photographed, it wore a £115,518 price tag, including extras such as the Driver’s Pack, metallic paint (Tenorite Grey), an awning with LED lighting, and electric (as well as gas) heating.
Apart from the usual lofty stance of a 4x4 Sprinter, the Yucon wears typical premium features such as flush habitation glazing, a soft-closing sliding door and alloy wheels. At the rear are bulges on either side in order to accommodate transverse sleeping. The mattress here measures 1.96m by 1.37m and it sits on Froli springs for comfort, but you won’t be sitting up as there are overhead cupboards at both ends of the bed. Reading lights are fitted on the offside and there’s a roof vent above.
The under-bed boot area is 76cm wide and 86cm high, but it’s super-easy to make this into a full-height garage for bikes. The centre section of the bed hinges vertically towards the nearside.
Amidships, the washroom is an all-in-one design, with a bench toilet and a large fold-down basin that’s hidden in the wall behind the loo. Unlike some of its ilk, this washbasin has a plug, so you’re not wasting water as it constantly flows away. Fresh and waste water capacities are 110 and 55 litres, respectively. Then, for showering, there’s a curtain to protect the furniture (including a mirrored cupboard with upstands to keep its contents in place). Floor space here is quite limited but the corner shelf for your shampoo and twin drains in the tray add practicality.
The kitchen has a Dometic two-burner hob and sink combination unit with glass lids and there’s a Teutonically sturdy folding worktop to create more preparation space for the chef (although it blocks the sliding door in use). Three drawers provide plenty of practical stora
